Nice travel guide

See

The greatest thing to see in Nice is the views along the Promenade des Anglais, which skirts the seacoast for over 5 km, then ends at Nice Airport. These are the views you will have seen in dozens of postcards and in paintings by the 20th-century artist Henri Matisse, who spent so many years living in Nice, but whether you've seen pictures or not, you owe it to yourself to walk along some of this stretch if you have made it to Nice. The old town (Vieux Nice) beneath the hill is a maze of streets and alleys, with many picturesque houses, boutiques and home to the daily flower and fruit market of the Cours Saleya.

• Colline du Château
• Parc Phoenix
• Musée des Arts Asiatiques
• Musée Marc Chagall
• Musée Matisse
• Musée d’Archéologie de Nice
• Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art
• Musée des Beaux-Arts Jules Chéret
• Chateâu de Bellet

Do

If you go to Nice for bathing or general lounging on the beach, you may wish to think again. The beaches of Nice consist entirely of large flat stones (gallets). A few private beaches have added a layer of sand, but the free public beaches are a stony experience. Besides towels or mats, you should definitely bring sandals, since walking on the stones can be painful, and a cushion if you want to sit. Free showers are provided on all public beaches and there is a beach volleyball area that is netted off with white sand. Although the beaches are mainly pebbles, many visitors enjoy the beautiful light blue sea for a swim.

• Cliff Walk
• Train des Pignes
• Opéra Nice Côte d'Azur

Eat

Many restaurants and cafés serve local food. You might consider preparing some simple meals chez vous or take home some local Nice delicacies to enjoy on your balcony. Street food is widely available in Nice. A combination of choices could easily replace a lunch without paying restaurant prices.

Drink

With the hot Niçois summers, carrying a bottle of water is almost a must. Bear in mind the largest single complaint to the municipal authority tourist department is the offering in restaurants of branded water bottles whose seal has been broken – i.e. refilled with tap water – and charged as Perrier or Evian. You can save a lot of money by buying alcoholic drinks and such in a normal supermarket instead of the vendors geared towards tourists. Carrefour has a huge selection and unlike the other supermarkets has a policy of buying in wine show "prize winners" distinguished by their gold, silver or bronze medal stickers.

Stay safe

Nice's crime rate is comparable to other cities in western countries. Nevertheless, locals have been grumbling about a number of issues since the 2000s, often with good reasons. Basic precautions are needed at times. Nice is known to be the city in France with the highest number of police officers per capita – and since the tragic 2016 terrorist attack by the promenade, Nice hosts a large number of military patrols. They can be somewhat intimidating to meet, especially in the middle of the night, however they are there to maintain an air of control. Most French people maintain their weapons are fake, and they will normally never interact with you.