2 days in Nice

Day by day

1. Day 1: Promenade des Anglais and Vieux Nice

   Promenade des Anglais, Vieux Nice, Place Masséna and Cours Saleya market, then Vieux Nice in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Promenade des Anglais

      It is lined with palms, the famous blue chairs and Belle Époque façades such as the Hotel Negresco, and has a separate two-way cycle lane. Steps lead down to free public pebble beaches between the private beach clubs.

   2. Late morning

      Vieux Nice

      Place Rossetti, in front of the cathedral, is known for its ice-cream shops, and the arcaded Rue Saint-François-de-Paule has the Opéra and old-fashioned food shops.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Socca

      Counters in Vieux Nice and around the Cours Saleya and the port; it is best straight from the oven, so watch for a fresh tray.

   4. Afternoon

      Place Masséna

      Seven kneeling figures by Jaume Plensa sit on tall poles above the square and change colour after dark. Tram line 1 crosses it and the Promenade du Paillon begins on its northern side.

   5. Late afternoon

      Cours Saleya market

      On Mondays it switches to an antiques and bric-a-brac market. Restaurant terraces take over the square in the evening.

   6. Evening

      Vieux Nice

      Pubs, wine bars and cocktail terraces around Rue de la Préfecture, Place Rossetti and the Cours Saleya, busy every evening in summer.

2. Day 2: Castle Hill (Colline du Château) and Palais Lascaris

   Castle Hill (Colline du Château), Palais Lascaris, Sainte-Réparate Cathedral and Promenade du Paillon, then Le Port and Rue Bonaparte in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Castle Hill (Colline du Château)

      Stairs climb from the old town and the port, and a lift near the Tour Bellanda saves the steepest section.

   2. Late morning

      Palais Lascaris

      It is small enough for a short visit while exploring the old town.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Salade niçoise

      Old town restaurants and lunch spots on the Cours Saleya; places that serve it with raw vegetables follow the Niçoise tradition.

   4. Afternoon

      Sainte-Réparate Cathedral

      It is free to enter and sits at the centre of the old town's lanes.

   5. Late afternoon

      Promenade du Paillon

      Its water mirror sends up jets and mist that children run through on hot days, and there are large wooden playgrounds shaped like sea creatures, lawns and shaded benches.

   6. Evening

      Le Port and Rue Bonaparte

      Relaxed bars and restaurants around Place Garibaldi and Rue Bonaparte, popular with locals and the LGBTQ community.

Before you go

If it rains

• Swap in Musée Matisse (Cimiez): Combine it with the Roman ruins in the same park and the monastery gardens next door; bus lines from the centre stop outside.
• Swap in Musée National Marc Chagall (Cimiez): Visit before the Musée Matisse and walk uphill between the two; it is easier than the other way round with the bus.
• Swap in Musée Masséna (Promenade des Anglais seafront): Pair it with a rest in the free garden, one of the few shaded green spaces directly on the Promenade.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 9–11 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.9 hours in December to 15.4 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Tram. Line 1 runs north–south through Place Masséna and Avenue Jean-Médecin; line 2 runs east–west from the airport through the western districts and the centre to Port Lympia; line 3 serves the airport and the western districts.

More or fewer days

• One day in Nice
• 3 days in Nice
• 4 days in Nice
• 5 days in Nice
• 7 days in Nice

Questions travellers ask