4 days in Nice

Day by day

1. Day 1: Promenade des Anglais and Vieux Nice

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

   1. Morning

      Promenade des Anglais

      Allow 1–2 hours (free). Walk it at sunset from the Negresco towards the old town, then continue up to Castle Hill for the view back along the bay.

   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

      Cours Saleya market

      Allow 1 hour (free). Go before 10am for the best produce and buy a portion of socca from one of the counters at the eastern end.

   5. Evening

      Place Masséna

      Come back after dark to see Plensa's illuminated figures, then walk the Promenade du Paillon's water mirror.

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

   Castle Hill (Colline du Château), Palais Lascaris and Sainte-Réparate Cathedral, then Vieux Nice 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

      Allow 45 minutes (low cost). Use it as a cool, quiet break during a hot afternoon in 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. 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.

3. Day 3: Promenade du Paillon and Musée Matisse

   Promenade du Paillon, Musée Matisse and Musée National Marc Chagall, then Le Port and Rue Bonaparte in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Promenade du Paillon

      Allow 1 hour (free). Bring a change of clothes for small children if you plan to stop at the water mirror in summer.

   2. Late morning

      Musée Matisse

      Matisse lived in Nice from 1917 until his death in 1954 and is buried in the nearby Cimiez cemetery.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Pan bagnat

      Bakeries and sandwich counters in the old town and near the beaches; buy one in the morning before heading to the sea.

   4. Afternoon

      Musée National Marc Chagall

      Allow 1–1.5 hours (low cost). Visit before the Musée Matisse and walk uphill between the two; it is easier than the other way round with the bus.

   5. Evening

      Le Port and Rue Bonaparte

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

4. Day 4: Day trip to Monaco

   About 20 minutes by train each way. Getting there: TER train from Nice-Ville to Monaco-Monte-Carlo.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Monaco

      About 20 minutes by train (TER train from Nice-Ville to Monaco-Monte-Carlo); about 20 km.

   2. Day

      Monaco

      The tiny principality packs the Prince's Palace on the Rock, the Oceanographic Museum, Monte-Carlo's casino square and a harbour full of superyachts into a few steep kilometres. Public lifts and escalators connect the levels.

   3. Evening

      Back in Nice

      Dinner: try Pissaladière.

Before you go

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 4 nights, Vieux Nice (Old Town) keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Promenade des Anglais seafront ($$$$) suits beach, families, luxury and first-timers. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 11–14 hours of visiting over 4 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.

More or fewer days

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

Questions travellers ask