Where to stay · Nice · France
Where to stay in Nice
7 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Miniwark, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Vieux Nice (Old Town). Narrow ochre lanes, baroque churches, market stalls and late-night bars below Castle Hill. Best alternatives — families: Promenade des Anglais seafront; budget: Jean-Médecin and Place Masséna.
Key facts
- First visit
- Vieux Nice (Old Town)
- Families
- Promenade des Anglais seafront
- Budget
- Jean-Médecin and Place Masséna
- Nightlife
- Vieux Nice (Old Town)
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Vieux Nice (Old Town) | Narrow ochre lanes, baroque churches, market stalls and late-night bars below Castle Hill |
| Families | Promenade des Anglais seafront | Belle Époque hotels, sea-view rooms and the famous blue chairs along the bay |
| Couples | Vieux Nice (Old Town) | Narrow ochre lanes, baroque churches, market stalls and late-night bars below Castle Hill |
| Budget | Jean-Médecin and Place Masséna | Main shopping avenue, tram line 1 and the red-ochre Place Masséna |
| Luxury | Promenade des Anglais seafront | Belle Époque hotels, sea-view rooms and the famous blue chairs along the bay |
| Nightlife | Vieux Nice (Old Town) | Narrow ochre lanes, baroque churches, market stalls and late-night bars below Castle Hill |
| Food lovers | Vieux Nice (Old Town) | Narrow ochre lanes, baroque churches, market stalls and late-night bars below Castle Hill |
| Solo travellers | Libération | Residential north Nice around a daily food market and the old Gare du Sud |
| Shopping | Carré d'Or | Elegant streets of designer boutiques and Belle Époque apartment blocks behind the seafront |
| Quiet stays | Le Port | Italianate façades around Port Lympia, Place Garibaldi and antique shops |
| Beach | Promenade des Anglais seafront | Belle Époque hotels, sea-view rooms and the famous blue chairs along the bay |
Nice neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, food lovers, nightlife and couples
Vieux Nice (Old Town)
The old town is a tight grid of 17th- and 18th-century lanes between the Cours Saleya, Place Rossetti and the foot of Castle Hill. It is where you eat socca standing at a counter, buy olive oil and candied fruit, and drink on terraces late into the evening. The beach and Promenade are two minutes away through the arcades of the Ponchettes.
- Good
- Steps from the beach and the market; Best concentration of local food; Lively every evening
- Watch out
- Noisy at night, especially at weekends; Many old buildings have no lift; Rooms are often small
- Nearby
- Cours Saleya, Castle Hill, Nice Cathedral, Palais Lascaris
$$$$ · Best for beach, families, luxury and first-timers
Promenade des Anglais seafront
The hotels lining the Promenade des Anglais, from the domed Negresco to more modern sea-view blocks, put the beach directly across the road. The cycle lane and wide pavement run the full length of the bay, and tram line 2 runs a few blocks inland towards the airport and the port.
- Good
- Sea views and direct beach access; Flat, easy walking and cycling; Good tram link to the airport
- Watch out
- Expensive for sea-view rooms; Traffic noise on the seafront road
- Nearby
- Musée Masséna, Hotel Negresco, Public beaches, Place Masséna
$$$$ · Best for shopping, luxury and couples
Carré d'Or
The 'golden square' between the Promenade, Rue de France and Avenue de Verdun holds Nice's luxury shopping on Rue Paradis and Avenue de Suède, along with cafés, galleries and calm residential streets. It is a five-minute walk to both the old town and the beach.
- Good
- Central but calmer than the old town; Good restaurants and boutiques; Walkable to everything
- Watch out
- High hotel prices; Little local character in the evenings
- Nearby
- Rue Paradis, Jardin Albert Ier, Place Masséna
$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping and budget
Jean-Médecin and Place Masséna
Avenue Jean-Médecin runs from Place Masséna up towards the main Nice-Ville station, lined with chain stores, the Galeries Lafayette and the Nice Étoile mall. Tram line 1 runs down the middle, and the side streets hold a wide range of mid-priced hotels within walking distance of the beach.
- Good
- Very convenient for trains and trams; Good value for a central base; Plenty of shops and supermarkets
- Watch out
- Busy, commercial feel; Streets near the station can feel rough at night
- Nearby
- Place Masséna, Nice-Ville station, Promenade du Paillon
$$ · Best for food lovers, couples and quiet stays
Le Port
East of Castle Hill, the 18th-century Port Lympia is ringed by ochre and red façades, fishing boats and yachts, with ferries leaving for Corsica. Place Garibaldi and Rue Bonaparte have some of the city's better-value restaurants and bars, and Rue Catherine Ségurane is lined with antique dealers.
- Good
- Local restaurants at fair prices; Tram line 2 to the airport; Walk to Coco Beach and Mont Boron
- Watch out
- Further from the main sandy-coloured beaches; Construction and harbour traffic in places
- Nearby
- Port Lympia, Place Garibaldi, Castle Hill, Mont Boron
$$ · Best for budget, food lovers and solo travellers
Libération
Libération is where locals shop: the Marché de la Libération fills Avenue Malausséna and the surrounding squares most mornings, and the restored Gare du Sud station hall now houses a food court. Tram line 1 reaches Place Masséna in about ten minutes, and hotels and flats cost noticeably less than near the sea.
- Good
- Authentic local atmosphere; Lower prices; Excellent market produce
- Watch out
- A tram ride from the beach; Few sights within the neighbourhood
- Nearby
- Marché de la Libération, Gare du Sud, Cimiez
$$ · Best for quiet stays, culture and families
Cimiez
Cimiez was where Queen Victoria and wealthy winter visitors stayed in grand hotels such as the Régina. Today it is a quiet residential hill with the Musée Matisse, the Roman ruins of Cemenelum, the Franciscan monastery gardens and the Chagall museum on its lower slopes. Buses climb from the centre in about 15 minutes.
- Good
- Calm, green and residential; Museums on the doorstep; Views over the city
- Watch out
- Steep uphill walk from the centre; Few restaurants and no beach nearby
- Nearby
- Musée Matisse, Musée National Marc Chagall, Monastère de Cimiez
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Vieux Nice (Old Town) | $$$ | Cours Saleya, Castle Hill, Nice Cathedral, Palais Lascaris |
| Promenade des Anglais seafront | $$$$ | Musée Masséna, Hotel Negresco, Public beaches, Place Masséna |
| Carré d'Or | $$$$ | Rue Paradis, Jardin Albert Ier, Place Masséna |
| Jean-Médecin and Place Masséna | $$ | Place Masséna, Nice-Ville station, Promenade du Paillon |
| Le Port | $$ | Port Lympia, Place Garibaldi, Castle Hill, Mont Boron |
| Libération | $$ | Marché de la Libération, Gare du Sud, Cimiez |
| Cimiez | $$ | Musée Matisse, Musée National Marc Chagall, Monastère de Cimiez |
Getting to your hotel
Nice Côte d'Azur Airport is about 7 km west of the centre on the seafront. Tram line 2 runs from both terminals to the city centre and the port in about 25–30 minutes on a standard ticket, and taxis take about 20–30 minutes depending on traffic.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Nice for first-time visitors?
Vieux Nice (Old Town). The old town is a tight grid of 17th- and 18th-century lanes between the Cours Saleya, Place Rossetti and the foot of Castle Hill.
+Where should families stay in Nice?
Promenade des Anglais seafront: Sea views and direct beach access.
+Which area of Nice is best for a budget stay?
Jean-Médecin and Place Masséna ($$): Main shopping avenue, tram line 1 and the red-ochre Place Masséna.