Things to do in Nice
Niçoise bistros, Chagall and Matisse, and a day up in Èze above the sea.
This is Nice for people who plan the day around where they eat: the old town's best niçoise tables, natural wine by the port, and Matisse and Chagall in between. One day goes up to Èze and down the Nietzsche path to the sea, and every dinner is a proper sit-down meal you'll want to book.
Day 1: Old town at a slow pace
Breakfast at Marinette, the Cours Saleya flower market, lunch at La Merenda, the lift up the Colline du Château, a glass at La Cave de la Tour and dinner at Le Bar des Oiseaux.
- 9:00 AM
Marinette
Breakfast café on a quiet old-town street; get the warm cookie and a tartine. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Map - 10:00 AM
Marché du Cours Saleya
Flower stalls and produce, then look for the yellow building at the east end where Matisse lived.
Map - 12:30 PM
La Merenda
Pâtes au pistou and tourte de blettes in a tiny room; no phone, cash only, weekdays, book in person.
Map - 2:30 PM
Colline du Château
Take the lift by the Tour Bellanda to skip the climb, then look down on the port and the bay.
Map - 6:00 PM
La Cave de la Tour
Wine bar since 1947 where the neighbourhood stops for a glass before dinner; it closes at 20:30.
Map - 7:30 PM
Le Bar des Oiseaux
Homemade ravioli and stuffed poultry with natural wine; small, so book. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Map
Day 2: Chagall, Matisse, then the port
The Musée Marc Chagall opens the day, Côté Sud does lunch halfway up the hill, the Musée Matisse takes the afternoon, and the evening moves to Rouge for wine and Colita for dinner.
- 10:00 AM
Musée National Marc Chagall
The 17 Biblical Message canvases in rooms built for them; closed Tuesday and from 13:00 to 14:30.
Map - 12:30 PM
Côté Sud... Cimiez
Chalkboard market cooking and organic wine between the two museums; weekdays only.
Map - 2:15 PM
Musée Matisse
Late cut-outs and the Vence chapel studies in a red villa among olive trees; closed Tuesday.
Map - 6:30 PM
Rouge, Restaurant - Bar à vin
Taste natural wines before you commit to a bottle; courgette-flower tempura to go with it.
Map - 8:00 PM
Colita
Colombian-Italian cooking over a wood grill: octopus, then sardines with chimichurri. Closed Sunday, Monday.
Map
Day 3: Èze and the Nietzsche path
The Jardin Exotique d'Èze and lunch at L'Antre Potes come first, then the Nietzsche path down to the sea, Villa Kérylos at Beaulieu, dinner at Chez Davia and a late walk on the Promenade des Anglais.
- 10:00 AM
Jardin Exotique d'Èze
Bus 82 climbs to the village; the cactus garden on the castle ruins at the top is 10 euros, from 9:00.
Map - 12:30 PM
L'Antre Potes
Provençal plates and pizza at the foot of the village, served nonstop from noon; open all year.
Map - 2:00 PM
Nietzsche Path hike
The mule track Nietzsche climbed while writing Zarathustra; about an hour down on steps to the station.
Map - 3:30 PM
Villa Kérylos
One stop on the train to Beaulieu for a Greek villa built in 1908; 15 euros, open until 17:00 in winter.
Map - 7:30 PM
Chez Davia
Family bistro since 1953: barbajuans, linguine al pistou, daube; the menu is about 34 euros. Closed Monday.
Map - 9:15 PM
Promenade des Anglais
Five minutes from dinner to the sea; walk east as the lights of the bay curve round to Castle Hill.
Map
Where to stay
Hôtel Amour Nice
Design rooms a few streets back from the Promenade, with its own beach club in season.
Gounod Nice
Comfortable rooms in the Musiciens quarter, steps from Chez Davia, with use of the sister hotel pool and spa.
Make Nice your trip
Swearby drafts the days from places people swear by. Swap any stop, then invite the crew by text, even friends without the app. Vote on dates, track costs as you go, and everyone gets one number at the end.
Get Swearby on the App StoreBefore you go
Book ahead
- Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild: a few days ahead
- Carnaval de Nice: months ahead
- Mala Cave: a few days ahead
- Gorges du Verdon: a few days ahead
- Canyoning Nice: a few days ahead
- Monte-Carlo Golf Club: a few days ahead
Skip these
- Promenade front restaurants and Cours Saleya terrace rows charge for the view. Eat one street back in the Old Town or Port.
- A Riviera in a day mega tour giving 30 minutes per town. The train does it better and cheaper.
- La Petite Maison is famous and scene driven, better for people watching than value. Avoid Castle Hill at midday in August.
The full Nice travel guide: when to go, safety, getting around