12 Best Things to Do in Nice

Promenade des Anglais, or 'Walkway of the English', stretches for around 5 km along the Mediterranean coast between Nice Airport and Quai des États-Unis. Attracting strollers, joggers, cyclers, in-line skaters and skateboarders, this seaside walkway is lively and makes for great people-watching and dazzling sights of uninterrupted shorelines. 

The walkway is lined with palm trees and works of art. Take a seat on an iconic blue bench or visit a Vélo Bleu station for self-service rental bikes. You'll also find an excellent range of bars and restaurants right on the beach. For a place to stay, you can feel like royalty by staying in some of the fanciest hotels in France. 

Nice Old Town, locally known as Vieux Nice, is located at the eastern end of the Bay of Angels, between Albert the 1st Garden and Castle Hill. Featuring romantic narrow cobblestoned streets, red-roofed old-style houses and notable places like the Nice Opéra and Lascaris Palace, the Old Town takes you back to the 18th century.

The area is also famous for its quaint restaurants and lively night spots. During your stroll, don't forget to stop by Fenocchio Glacier on 6 Rue de la Poissonnerie to treat yourself to a delicious ice cream as they're considered the best in town.

Marinières Beach, aka Plage des Marinières, is a thriving beach, especially from May to September, and located in Villefranche-sur-Mer, a 15-minute drive east of Nice. Unlike many beaches in the area, Marinières Beach is public and free to visit.

The beaches in front of Nice are pebbly, but this is not the case with Marinières Beach. It's not sandy, but features very tiny pebbles that give its picture-perfect appearance. You'll find a diverse range of nearby bars and restaurants. This can be handy if you didn't bring your picnic.

Nice's beautiful churches display a rich history and gorgeous architecture, making them a must-visit on your holiday. Many of the churches are found in Old Nice, but you'll find awe-inspiring churches all over the city. Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate is one of the most notable and was constructed in the 12th century.

The St Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral is another stunning church that boasts dramatic minarets and coloured turrets from the Russian architectural tradition that stand out in the city. Some other notable churches in Nice include Chapelle du Saint-Sépulcre in Place Garibaldi, Chapelle du Saint-Suaire in Cours Saleya and Chapelle de la Miséricorde in Cours Saleya.

Nice has a string of gorgeous beaches right on its doorstep. Blue Beach is a private stretch of sand on the Promenade des Anglais that's open year-round. Watersports fans can enjoy parasailing, wakeboarding and waterskiing before heading to a seafood restaurant or lounge bar. Locals like to visit La Réserve, a tiny, lesser-known public beach to the east of town. It's a pebble beach, so bring your bathing shoes. 

If you're travelling with kids, Le Voilier is an ideal spot to spend the day. The wide, fine gravel beach has clear blue water and small waves. This beach is half public, half private, with the private side offering daybeds, a restaurant, hot showers and a playground.

Mont Boron Park features 11 km of hiking trails, a 1.5 km exercise circuit, picnic areas and pétanque pitches, all surrounded by a forest of Mediterranean plants. In short, it has all you need for a grand day out.

The highlight of Mont Boron Park is the awesome 16th-century Fort du Mont Alban. It offers breath-taking vistas of the Port of Nice to the west, as well as Villefranche-sur-Mer and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat peninsula to the east. It takes roughly 45 minutes of hiking to get there from the Old Town of Nice, but you can also get to the park by bus.

The Marc Chagall National Museum is not only home to one of the world's largest collections of the Russian-born artist's works, but it's also an unusually lively venue, for a museum. It hosts a quaint bar/restaurant in the garden, a hall for live classical music concerts and a cinema screening films about the life of this multi-faceted artist. 

It's located on Dr. Ménard Avenue in the centre of Nice and houses the artist's series of 17 paintings on biblical themes. Guided tours are available, as well as interactive and creative sessions for children.

Castle Hill, or Colline du Château in the local language, is the highest point in Nice at 92 metres, and is located just east of the Old Town. You can get to the top via a scenic ascent on foot, by the convenient elevator or on the quaint mini-train.

At the peak, you'll find romantic castle ruins, a large artificial and incredibly beautiful waterfall, a historical cemetery and a cosy café. Castle Hill offers a dazzling panoramic view of the city and the Bay of Angels to the west, and of the port to the east. The park is a pleasant place to stroll and you can bring your kids for a romp through its playgrounds.

The bustling Jean Médecin Avenue stretches between the Place Massena, just north of the Old Town, and Nice train station and is the liveliest shopping street in the centre of Nice. It's over 900 m long and features wide walkways lined with all types of shopping venues, from small boutiques and shopping malls to department stores and supermarkets. 

The selection includes favourite international brand names such as H&M and Zara, as well as trendy boutiques supplying unique finds and souvenirs. You can also find a range of delightful culinary experiences here from French cafes to fine dining. Make sure you watch out for the tram when crossing the avenue.

The Nice Matisse Museum, or Musée Matisse in French, features an extensive collection of paintings, drawings, sculptures and photographs made by Henri Matisse, a prominent French Fauvist artist. The museum is housed within the stunning Villa des Arenes, a 17th-century villa in Cimiez in Nice.

Matisse and his heirs also donated many works to the museum, so it's now home to a huge collection of paintings and gouaches, drawings and prints, sculptures and photographs. You'll also see inspiring objects owned by the artist, including ceramics, stained glass and documents. Some of his more famous works showcased at the museum include Woman Reading, Le Bonheur de Vivre, Blue Nudes and The Dessert: Harmony in Red.

Parc Phoenix is a jaw-dropping botanical garden and zoo that also hosts Nice Asian Arts Museum. The pyramid-shaped building is one of the largest greenhouses in Europe, and contains several different tropical climates that house huge palms, exotic butterflies and pink flamingos, amongst other wonders. Parc Phoenix takes you through over 20 themed gardens and provides thrilling encounters with many exotic animals, including kangaroo, crocodiles, caiman and so many more.

It's also a paradise for children, thanks to a large kids’ play area. 

Cours Saleya Market is locally called Nice Flower Market, but you'll also find delicious fruits and vegetables showcased on artistic displays alongside gorgeous flowers. You can also fill your bags with homemade honey, lovingly crafted soaps and other goodies. 

Located on Cours Saleya, right between the Old Town and the beach, this lively market gives you the opportunity to sample fresh local produce and meet friendly local stallholders. A must-try at Cours Saleya Market is the socca. This mouth-watering chickpea flatbread is a genuine local dish that you can find at Chez Thérésa, a stall that's been here since the 1920s.