For couples · Nice · France
Romantic things to do in Nice
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Nice suits couples who like long walks by the sea, food markets and evenings on old-town terraces. The most memorable moments are free: sunsets over the Baie des Anges, views from Castle Hill and swims in sheltered coves nearby. Couples tend to stay in Vieux Nice (Old Town).
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 6
- Couple-friendly sights
- 4
- Area for couples
- Vieux Nice (Old Town)
- Best months
- October
Romantic ideas
1.Sunset from Castle Hill
Climb to the viewpoint above the old town as the sun sets over the airport end of the bay and the Promenade lights come on.
2.Blue chairs on the Promenade
Sit on the famous blue chairs facing the sea with a gelato from Place Rossetti in the early evening.
3.Villefranche by train
Take the seven-minute train to Villefranche-sur-Mer for a swim and dinner by the harbour.
4.Èze at dusk
Wander the car-free lanes of the hilltop village after the day-trippers leave, with views far out to sea.
5.Cimiez monastery garden
The rose garden of the Franciscan monastery is one of the quietest viewpoints in the city.
6.Dinner at Port Lympia
Choose a quayside table among the fishing boats and colourful façades for a slower evening than the old town.
Sights couples love
Waterfront · Seafront
Promenade des Anglais
Walk it at sunset from the Negresco towards the old town, then continue up to Castle Hill for the view back along the bay.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Kids
- Views
Viewpoint · Vieux Nice (Old Town)
Castle Hill (Colline du Château)
Climb up from the old town in the late afternoon and walk down the far side to the port for dinner.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Views
- Free
- Kids
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
- Couples
Museum · Cimiez
Musée National Marc Chagall
Visit before the Musée Matisse and walk uphill between the two; it is easier than the other way round with the bus.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Rainy day
- Couples
Garden · Cimiez
Monastère de Cimiez and gardens
Visit the garden in May when the roses are in flower and the views are clear.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Off the beaten path
- History
- Couples
Where couples should stay
$$$ · Best for first-timers, food lovers, nightlife and couples
Vieux Nice (Old Town)
The old town is a tight grid of 17th- and 18th-century lanes between the Cours Saleya, Place Rossetti and the foot of Castle Hill. It is where you eat socca standing at a counter, buy olive oil and candied fruit, and drink on terraces late into the evening. The beach and Promenade are two minutes away through the arcades of the Ponchettes.
- Good
- Steps from the beach and the market; Best concentration of local food; Lively every evening
- Watch out
- Noisy at night, especially at weekends; Many old buildings have no lift; Rooms are often small
- Nearby
- Cours Saleya, Castle Hill, Nice Cathedral, Palais Lascaris
Romantic day trips
- Èze (About 30 minutes by bus) — A medieval village perched on a rock about 400 metres above the sea, with car-free lanes, perfume shops and a cactus garden on the summit.
- Villefranche-sur-Mer (About 7 minutes by train) — A deep natural harbour with colourful houses, the vaulted medieval Rue Obscure, the Citadelle and the Chapelle Saint-Pierre decorated by Jean Cocteau.
- Antibes (About 20–25 minutes by train) — Antibes has a walled old town, a daily Provençal market, the Picasso Museum in the seafront Château Grimaldi and Port Vauban's yacht harbour.
- Saint-Paul-de-Vence (About 45–60 minutes by bus) — A fortified hill village of galleries and cobbled lanes that drew Chagall (buried in its cemetery) and many other artists and film stars.
- Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild (About 25 minutes by bus) — A pink Belle Époque villa on the Cap Ferrat isthmus with nine themed gardens, including Spanish, Japanese and Florentine sections, and musical fountains overlooking both bays.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Salade niçoise, Petits farcis and Ratatouille. Book ahead for dinner in July and August, and for any well-known old-town restaurant at weekends.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Nice romantic?
Nice suits couples who like long walks by the sea, food markets and evenings on old-town terraces. The most memorable moments are free: sunsets over the Baie des Anges, views from Castle Hill and swims in sheltered coves nearby.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in Nice?
Sunset from Castle Hill: Climb to the viewpoint above the old town as the sun sets over the airport end of the bay and the Promenade lights come on.
+Where should couples stay in Nice?
Vieux Nice (Old Town): Narrow ochre lanes, baroque churches, market stalls and late-night bars below Castle Hill.