7 days in Nice

Day by day

1. Day 1: Promenade des Anglais and Vieux Nice

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

   1. Morning

      Promenade des Anglais

      Seafront · 1–2 hours · free.

   2. Late morning

      Vieux Nice

      Vieux Nice (Old Town) · Half a day · free.

   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. 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: Cours Saleya market and Castle Hill (Colline du Château)

   Cours Saleya market and Castle Hill (Colline du Château), then Vieux Nice in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Cours Saleya market

      Vieux Nice (Old Town) · 1 hour · free.

   2. Late morning

      Castle Hill (Colline du Château)

      Vieux Nice (Old Town) · 1–1.5 hours · free.

   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. 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: Palais Lascaris and Sainte-Réparate Cathedral

   Palais Lascaris and Sainte-Réparate Cathedral, then Le Port and Rue Bonaparte in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Palais Lascaris

      Vieux Nice (Old Town) · 45 minutes · low cost.

   2. Late morning

      Sainte-Réparate Cathedral

      Vieux Nice (Old Town) · 20 minutes · free.

   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. 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

      Public lifts and escalators connect the levels.

   3. Evening

      Back in Nice

      Dinner: try Pissaladière.

5. Day 5: Promenade du Paillon and Musée Matisse

   Promenade du Paillon and Musée Matisse, then Beach clubs in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Promenade du Paillon

      Jean-Médecin and Place Masséna · 1 hour · free.

   2. Late morning

      Musée Matisse

      Cimiez · 1.5 hours · low cost.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Pissaladière

      Bakeries and snack counters across Vieux Nice and at the Cours Saleya market.

   4. Evening

      Beach clubs

      Several private beaches along the Promenade turn into lounge bars with DJs on summer evenings.

6. Day 6: Day trip to Èze

   About 30 minutes by bus each way. Getting there: Lignes d'Azur bus to Èze village, or train to Èze-sur-Mer.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Èze

      About 30 minutes by bus (Lignes d'Azur bus to Èze village, or train to Èze-sur-Mer); about 12 km.

   2. Day

      Èze

      Fit walkers can descend the steep Nietzsche Path to the station at Èze-sur-Mer.

   3. Evening

      Back in Nice

      Dinner: try Petits farcis.

7. Day 7: Musée National Marc Chagall and Monastère de Cimiez and gardens

   Musée National Marc Chagall and Monastère de Cimiez and gardens, then Monaco in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Musée National Marc Chagall

      Cimiez · 1–1.5 hours · low cost.

   2. Late morning

      Monastère de Cimiez and gardens

      Cimiez · 45 minutes · free.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Petits farcis

      Traditional Niçoise restaurants in the old town and the port area, often as a starter or a plate to share.

   4. Evening

      Monaco

      Monte-Carlo's casino square, bars and clubs are about 20 minutes away by train.

Before you go

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 7 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 12–15 hours of visiting over 7 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
• 4 days in Nice
• 5 days in Nice

Questions travellers ask