Nice, France Guide: The Best Beaches, Food, and Sights on the Côte d’Azur

Nice is the epitome of joie de vivre—that distinctly French embrace of cheerful enjoyment in life. The capital of the Côte d’Azur dazzles with beauty at every turn: from some of France’s best urban beaches to a vibrant food scene, a charming Old Town, and elegant Belle Époque architecture. Yet Nice is far more than just a picturesque resort town. As France’s fourth-largest city, it offers a rich cultural calendar, world-class art museums, and miles of breathtaking coastline.

This city has always held a special place in my heart. I love visiting in the off-season for a week-long escape, soaking up the Mediterranean lifestyle and effortless French chic. Let me share with you the best things to do in this French Riviera gem.

With a mild Mediterranean climate, Nice is nice (pun intended) during every season. However, each one will give you different perks. It’s among the sunniest cities in France, with around 140 sunny days annually.

The French Riviera explodes with action during the summer. As the main airport hub of the region (and Monaco), Nice becomes the epicenter of tourism. June to August gives you the hottest weather and the warmest sea. But that comes with a price: the costs of accommodation go through the roof, and the beaches get very crowded. If you’re visiting in the summer, book everything in advance.

Winter in the Mediterranean is always the moodiest season. The weather isn’t too bad, but it gets windy and wet. The sea is mostly cold. In December, Nice puts up Christmas decorations, and the pastel-colored Old Town glistens with festive lights. In February, the city center bursts into colors during the annual Carnaval de Nice. Winter is the best time for spending less—there will be lower accommodation prices and no queues at the restaurants.

But it’s the shoulder season when you get the nicest experience. Spring and autumn in Nice bring pleasant weather and optimal conditions for exploring the city and the coast without crowds. May and September are the top months to visit for sunny days, bathing-ready sea temperature, and comfortable sightseeing without the summer tourist craze.  

It’s easy to orient yourself in Nice. The wide Promenade des Anglais (a pedestrian boardwalk and avenue) connects the Old Town to the airport. Behind the Vieux-Nice, you’ve got the Belle Époque parallel streets of Jean-Médecin Avenue stretching to the train station. Mount Boron divides the Nice coast. Here’s a more detailed rundown of the best things to do in the most popular neighborhoods. 

Best for a Provençal atmosphere and artisan shops

You’ll feel like a main character in a classic French movie when you’re inside the maze of the cobblestone streets of the Old Nice. It’s the most photogenic and charming of all the city neighborhoods. It’s ideal for browsing through handicrafts at tiny artisanal stores, sipping coffee on cozy squares, and soaking in the atmosphere of the traditional Provençal open-air market at Marché Aux Fleurs. 

Best for beaches and the Belle Époque architecture

Stretching for over 4 miles, Promenade des Anglais is one of the most iconic urban features of Nice. The avenue is the ultimate meeting spot and location for dates. It’s great for walking, jogging, running, and biking. Also, that’s where all the beaches are. Starting from Jardin Albert 1er, you can marvel at the glamorous Belle Époque and Art Deco buildings.

Best for a less-touristy feel and yachts

The Vieux-Port (or Port Lympia) is located across the Colline du Château hill from the Old Town. If you enjoy harbors and quayside terraces, that’s the place to be. Yachts and fishing boats sway in the azure waters as their owners leisurely sip coffee at the cafes. Step into the parallel streets of the port neighborhood for great local restaurants and an under-the-radar feel.

Best for shopping 

Starting from the elegant Place Masséna near the Old Town and stretching to the Nice-Ville train station, Jean-Médecin is a lively strip and a chunk of “big city life” in Nice. Located alongside the eponymous avenue, it’s filled with shopping malls, chain restaurants, trendy boutiques, and 19th-century architecture. It’s the closest to Parisian buzz you can get in Nice.

Best for scenic coastal hikes and sumptuous mansions

Long known as the most prestigious area to live in Nice, Mont Boron is a hillside neighborhood south of the city center. The seaside is rocky and stunning here. There’s a trailhead for Sentier du Littoral, a beautiful coastal hike, which connects the Côte d’Azur towns. Check out the glamorous CoCo Beach for beautiful dips. Explore the glitzy turn-of-the-century manors and villas. For the views, head to the hill fortress atop the Parc du Mont Boron.

Have you seen the iconic Nice panorama of the cyan sea hugging the long promenade? It was taken from the Colline du Château Viewpoint. While you can hike all the way up there, it’s best to take the Art Deco elevator (free of charge) next to the Castel Beach. 

Strolling through this magnificent 19th-century public garden gets you to the heart of Nice. The park starts at the sea and passes through the local architectural icons, such as the neoclassical Place Masséna, Fontaine du Soleil, the exciting Modern and Contemporary Art Museum (MAMAC), and Tête Carrée (a square head modernist sculpture). 

The French Riviera has always been a magnet for artists. This made Nice an ultimate city for art. Its superb museums are world-class. Musée des Beaux-Arts is a good place to start, inviting you to marvel at Rodin and Picasso sculptures inside. Then, there are museums dedicated to Renoir, Chagall and Matisse. Another top visit is the Asian Arts Museum.

Instead of focusing on one, have a tour of multiple Nice churches to admire the architecture. Nice Cathedral is a Baroque gem in the heart of the Old Town. On Avenue Jean-Médecin, Basilique Notre-Dame de l’Assomption is a neo-Gothic stunner. Visit the intricate Cathédrale Saint-Nicolas de Nice for a Byzantine Orthodox exterior. Go out to neighboring Villefranche-sur-Mer to find the unique Jean-Cocteau-painted chapel.

The coastline of Nice actually puts the “azure” in Côte d’Azure. The beaches here are spectacular – the white pebbles, the blue sea and the colorful umbrellas of the beach bars. Ponchettes is the local favorite, just alongside the Old Town. Starting from Plage de Carras, you’ve got a series of nice beaches with cool beach bars. Check out Blue Beach, Le Temps d’un Été and La Vela for glamorous Riviera beachgoing.

While the image of Nice is often of that luxury-loving, sumptuous French Riviera destination, its food scene can’t be more down-to-earth. The street food is king here, and you should absolutely try the mouthwatering local delicacies.

Go to the Cours Saleya market in the morning to have the freshly-made socca (a traditional chickpea flatbread) at the Chez Thérésa cart. Lou Pilha Leva is the top spot for pissaladière (aka flatbread pizza à la niçoise with various toppings). Taste the pan bagnat (the ultimate local sandwich with anchovies or tuna) at Chez Félix. Another Nice food institution par excellence is Chez Pipo in the Old Port, serving regional specialities in a modest tavern setting.

But it’s not only the street food in the French Riviera capital. With a whopping Michelin-starred 36 restaurants, Nice is among the foodie capitals of France. The Mediterranean recipes reign supreme on the menus of fine-dining establishments here.  

Going out is quite diversified in Nice. During the summer, the party lives in the beach bars and rooftops. Hôtel Amour Beach becomes an epicenter of seaside action, with world-renowned concert acts (The Kills, The Blaze and Franz Ferdinand performed in 2025), and DJ afterparties. Alongside is the High Club—a top-notch dancefloor in the city, which is on the glamorous side of things. 

Year-round, the heart of the night action lies in the Vieux-Nice. The area around Cours Saleya is filled with lounge bars, sleek cocktail venues, and dancefloors. Wayne’s Bar, O’Neill’s, and Ma Nolan’s are cheerful pubs with live sports and an English-speaking crowd. 

Venture a bit outside the Old Town for La Havane—a Cuban bar-cum-dancefloor—and La Cave Romagnan that organizes jazz concerts, theater performances, and poetry evenings. Two other atmospheric places for live music are Le Shapko and Café de Nice, offering French cabaret ambiance. 

The Mediterranean Sea defines the identity of Nice. Another prominent influence is the rich history of being the inspiration for generations of artists, musicians, and writers. This city embodies the French Riviera and serves as the peak of its beauty in architecture, cultural agenda, cuisine, and nightlife.  

The best way to immerse yourself in local culture is through festivals. From February to March, the city becomes the center of the Nice Carnival. Colorful and whimsical papier-mâché floats parade through the streets. Alongside the Mardi Gras in New Orleans and Rio Carnival, it’s among the most epic carnivals in the world. 

July is for Nice Jazz Festival—a multi-day celebration of jazz which gathers the world’s top artists in open-air locations around the city. For more music, check out Opéra Nice Côte d’Azur.