Everything you need to know before visiting Nice

The queen of the French Riviera, Nice drips elegance and panache. Here are some things to know before you arrive to help you fit in with the ... EverythingyouneedtoknowaboutNicebeforeyouhittheFrenchRivieraMay15,2022•9minreadBacktoTopShareThequeenoftheFrenchRiviera,Nicedripseleganceandpanachefromeverybelleépoquepalace,baroquechapelandMediterranean-bluechairontheprom.ThecapitalofFrance'scelebrity-stalkedCôted’Azurmightbemodestinsize,butthechoiceofthingstoseeanddointhisiconiccoastaltownstretcheswellbeyondbracingstrollsalongPromenadedesAnglaisandlizard-loungingonbum-numbingpebblesontheseashore. Planonlingeringmorethanacoupleofdaystoproperlygetunderthesun-blazedskinofthisancientGreek-foundedsettlementandwildlypopularmodernseasidehub.AdvanceplanningisthekeytogettingthemostoutofyourvisittoNice–booktoolate(ornotatall)andyoumightmissoutonlivejazzbeneaththestarsattheopen-airThéâtredeVerdure,oratableforthebestofmodernNiçoisgastronomyatFlaveur. Here’swhatyouneedtoknowtoensuresmoothsailingonatriptoNice. Getlocalinsightondestinationsallovertheworldwithourweeklynewsletterdeliveredtoyourinbox. PlanningyourtriptoNice Planaheadtobagticketsforthebestevents FlagshipeventssuchastheNiceJazzFestivalinJuly,andFebruary’sCarnavaldeNice(forthosekeentowatchtheparadesfromthecomfortofaseatinastand),requireplanningmonthsinadvance.Dittoforworld-famousdatessuchastheMonacoGrandPrixortheFêteduCitron(LemonFestival)in Menton,whichyou’llmostlikelyattendonadaytripfromNice(whereaccommodationislesshotlycontested). Arrangeanightattheopera TheshowseasonatNice’shallowedOpéraNiceCoted’AzurrunsfromSeptembertoJune,andticketsforoperas,classicalconcertsandballetsatthisgrandiose19th-centuryoperahouseselllikehotcakes.Buyticketsafewweeksaheadandpacksomethingalittlemoreformaltoweartofitin. Booktablesinadvanceforthecity’sfoodiehotspots Nicehasplentyofold-townbistros,neighborhoodeateries,cavesàmanger(winebars)andsea-gazingrestaurantsthatrequirenotablereservations.Butyoushouldbooktablesatleastacoupleofweeksinadvancetoensureyoudon’tmissoutontheperfectplateofpetitsfarcis(stuffedvegetables)orsocca(chickpeapancakes)orthecreativecontemporarygastronomyofsuchMichelin-starredchefsasTourteauxbrothersatFlaveur,MichaëlGracieuxatL’Aromate,orSouthAfricanchefJanHendrikvanderWesthuizenatJan. InvestinamuseumpassforfreeentrytotopmuseumsinNicesuchasMuseeMatissedeNice©Kiev.Victor/Shutterstock ConsiderbuyingaPassMusées Ifyou’replanningonvisitingseveralofNice'smuseums,buyaPassMusées3Joursonlineoratthetouristoffice.Costing€15(US$16)andvalidforthreedays,thepasscoversadmissiontoallmunicipalmuseumsandgalleries.Asingleentrytojustonemuseumcosts€5(US$5.30)or€10(US$10.60)dependingonthemuseum,soyouonlyneedtovisitacoupletojustifythecostofthepass. Whenplottingyourmuseumitinerary,investigatewhichtemporaryexhibitionsandeventsareon–keeptabsonwhat’shappeningviatheMuséesdelaVilledeNiceFacebookpage. …oraFrenchRivieraPass IfyourNiceitineraryincludesdaytripstoneighboringhotspotssuchasMonaco,Èze,MarinelandinAntibesorthebelleépoqueVillaEphrussideRothschildinSaint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat,it'swellworthinvestinginaFrenchRivieraPass.Thepasscostsfrom€28(US$29.60)foronedayto€56(US$59.20)forthreedays,anditincludesfunstuffsuchasahalf-hourSegwaytour,bicycleande-scooterrental,champagneatthecitycasino,astand-uppaddleboardingsession,wine-tastingandmore,aswellasadmissiontodozensofmuseumsandmonumentsinNiceandalongtheRiviera. Packanold-fashionedcorkscrew WinebottlesinProvenceandFrancecomewithcorks–screwtopsarerare.Popacorkscrewinyourholdluggageinanticipationofdreamy,wine-fueledpicnicsonthebeachanddreamyroséaperitifsatsundown. Cutyourcarbonfootprintusinge-bikes,publictransportandboatstoexplore Don’tevencontemplatearrivinginNicebycar;downtowntrafficandparkingareequallytiresome.Getaroundonfoot,andforlongerdistances,bypublictransportandtheshared,free-floatingelectricbikesprovidedbye-Vélobleu. NothingcomparestoseeingtheCôted'Azur'sfabledcoastlinefromthewater.TransCôted’AzurboatssaileastfromNicealongthepicturesqueshorelinetoMonaco,passingVillefranche-su-Mer,CapFerratandÈze,andtoglitzySt-TropezviaAntibesandstar-studdedCannes. KeepthebeachwearforNice'sfamouspebblebeaches©LiliGraphie/Shutterstock EtiquetteinNice Keepbikinisandbarechestsforthebeach Don’twalkaroundthecityinskimpybeachwearorbare-chested.Awayfromtheshore,dressasyouwouldinanynon-coastalcity.Insummer,loose-fittingshirtsandflowingskirtsorbaggyshortsarethewaytogo.Don’tforgetasunhat,sunprotectionandshades.Onceactuallyonthebeach,toplessnessisperfectlyacceptableandlocalsaren’tshy! Sexonthebeach?Nonnonnon! NoticeboardsclearlyexplainingwhatyoucannotdosurlaplagearedisplayedattheentrancetobeachesalongPromenadedesAnglais.Barbecues,campfires,wildcamping,loudmusicandsexonthebeachareallprohibitedandpunishablebystifffines.Dogsarealsobarred,exceptoncanine-friendlyPlagedelaLanterne. Leavethepebbleswheretheybelong(andthebluechairstoo) ItmightbetemptingtopopacoupleofNice’ssignatureroundgalets(pebbles)intoyourbeachbagtopaintandcraftintoasouvenirpaperweightbackhome,butdon’t!Eachyear,some15,000cubicmetersofgloriouslysmoothpebblesfromthenearbyRiverPaillonarepouredontothebeachesalongPromenadedesAnglaistoslowdownnatural(andhuman-assisted)erosion.PlayyourpartinpreservingNice’slegendarypebblebeach–orriska€38(US$40)fine. Also,notethatNice’siconicbluechairs–apermanentfixtureonthewaterfrontsincethe1950s–belongonPromenadedesAnglais.Donotmovethemontothebeachor,heavenforbid,attempttotakethemhomewithyou. Dressup,notdown,whendiningout ThisisFrance'sglamcoast,sobringsomeposheroutfitsanddressupfornicermid-rangerestaurants,clubsandbars–nojeansandsneakers(thoughblackor'smarter'jeansareusuallyacceptable). Dressmodestlywhenvisitingchurches Leavetheultra-shortshortsandmini-skirtsathomewhenvisitingCathédraleSte-Réparate,ChapelledelaMiséricordeandotherold-townchurchesandchapels.Bringascarf–makethattwo–tocoverbareshouldersandover-exposedthighs. BringabagtosnapupthebestfreshproducefromtheCoursSaleyamarket©RostislavGlinsky/Shutterstock Bringyourownbagorbaskettothemarket Browsingmarketstallspiledhighwithseasonalfruitandvegetables,shinyolives,rainbowsoffreshbloomsandexoticspicesatVieuxNice’sopen-airmarketonCoursSaleyaortheequallyjam-packedMarchédelaLibérationisaNiçoisriteofpassage.Remembertobringyourownbasketorshoppingbagtocarryyourpurchases. Shopforsustainably-produced‘MadeinNice’souvenirs VieuxNiceboastsamplesouvenirshopssellingmass-producedtackaimedsquarelyattourists.Huntdownartist-supportingateliersandindependentboutiquesinsteadforenvironmentally-conscioushomewares,culinaryproductsandhand-craftedgoodsproducedbylocalartisans,craftsmen,farmers,producersandfashiondesigners.On-trendconceptandvinylstoreEvrlastonrueduLycéeinVieuxNiceisagoodstartingpoint. MaisonAuerhassoldNice’sfamousfruitsconfits(crystallizedfruits)tothesweet-toothedsince1820.Ifwineisyournectar,discoversmall-batchwinesfromtheAlpes-MaritimesandVarregionsattrusted1940swineshopCavedelaTourinVieuxNice.Orbuydirectfromalocalchateau.WinecurioswillbeinstantlysmittenbyChâteaudeBellet,oneofFrance’steeniestappellations,hiddenhighinthehills9km(5.6miles)northwestofNice.Callaheadtoarrangeavineyardtour,cellarvisitanddégustation(tasting)beforeyoubuy. It'salsoagoodtimetopauseforanapéritifinNice©IggiFalcon/GettyImages DrinkpastisandrosélikeaNiçois PastisisFrance'smosticonicaperitif–drinkingitatanytimeofdayisacceptable.Whenordering,askingfor‘unpastis’wouldbelikeaskingfor‘abeer’–instead,checkthedrinksmenuandorderbybrand.RicardandPastis51arethemostcommon,butthereareplentyofartisanalbrandsspicedwithlocalbotanicals.PastisdeNiceblends26plantsandspicesfromNice’smountainoushinterland. Alternatively,optforaglassofchilledrosécraftedinaProvencewinery.BistrosandrestaurantstypicallyserveCôtesdeProvenceorCôteauxd’Aixastheirhighlyaffordablehousewines.Totrythegrown-upstuff,indulgeinatastingsessionatRosé,awinebarsingle-mindedlyfocusedontheroséwinesforwhichsouthernFranceisrightlyfamous. Avoidrestaurantstouting'menustouristiques' Nicehasitsfairshareofrestaurantstargetingaless-discerningtouristcrowd.Avoidrestaurantstoutinga‘menutouristique’–followlocalsinsteadtoauthenticeateries,withmenusonlyinFrenchandkitchensfueledbyseasonalproducesourcedfromregionalfarmersandartisanproducers. Neverorderacappuccinotoendameal CappuccinoisanItalianimport–inFrance,uncafé(ashort,sharpespresso)istheonlyself-respectingchoice. KeepaneyeonyourvaluablesincrowdedareassuchasVieuxNice©RostislavGlinsky/Shutterstock Health&SafetyinNice Ditchbottledwaterfortapwater TapwaterissafetodrinkinNice,andorderingunecarafed’eau(ajugoftapwater)ratherthanbottledwaterinrestaurantssaveseurosandreducesplasticconsumption. Bringyourownwaterbottletofillupwhilerovingaroundtown.Therearefreedrinkingfountainsspoutingeaupotable(drinkingwater)inbothterminalsatNice-Côted’AzurAirportandinvariousspotsaroundtown.Youcanalsofindtapsinthepublicshower-blocksonthebeachfrontalongPromenadedesAnglais. Bewareofpickpocketsandpettythieves Asinanyothercity,keepyourwitsaboutyou.Bewareofpickpocketsintourist-crowdedareassuchasVieuxNice’sCoursSaleyamarkets,andontramsandbusesintotownfromtheairport.Don’tleavepersonalbelongingsunattendedonthebeach–yourvaluablesaresaferleftbackatyourhotel. Watchforstingerjellyfish Ifyounoticealackofpeoplejumpingintotheshallowsorswimmingfurtherouttosea,it'susuallyforagoodreason.Mauvestingerjellyfish(Pelagianoctiluca)plaguetheMedatcertaintimesofyear,particularlyinAugust.Askaroundbeforeenteringthesea,andtaketheleadoflocals–ifthey’resteeringclearofthewater,dothesame. Youmayalsolike:14placestogotoenjoythebestofFranceFrance’s10moststunningroadtripsFrance’s10bestnaturalwonders SeeourfullrangeofFrancetravelbooksMakethemostofyourtimeinFrancewithLonelyPlanet’srangeoftravelguidesandphrasebooks.BethearchitectofyourowntripasyoudiscoverthebestthingstodoinFrancethroughinsidertips,suggesteditinerariesandhandymaps. BuyFrancetravelbooksNicehaslotsofculturallydistinctandfunneighborhoods.Whetheryou'reinsearchofculture,nightlife,sunbathing,orallthree–here'syourguide.Inbustling,glamorousNice,there’sabeachtosuiteverycomer.Here’sourguidetothecity’sbest.Youdon’thavetospendafortunetoenjoytheglamourofNice.Thesebeautifulbeaches,hilltopvistas,historichousesandmorearealltotallyfree.Thismonth-by-monthguidetoseasonsandeventsinNice,whichisblessedwith300daysofsunshineperyear,willhelpyouplanyourvisit.TheFrenchRivieramightbeknownforitsglitzandglam,butfollowourtopbudgettipsandNiceneedn’tbeanexpensivedestinationtovisit.ExploringNicecouldn’tbeeasier!ThiscompactFrenchcityiswalkableandeasilyaccessiblebypublictransport.Herearethebestwaystogetaround.There'smoretothesun-drenchedcityofNicethanbeaches.Fromcultureandhistorytoincrediblefood,herearethetopthingstodowhileyou'rethere.ExploremoreoftheCôted'AzuronthesetopdaytripsfromNice.Canneshasanewunderwaterartmuseumwithgiantsculturesaimedatprotectingandprovidingrefugeformarinelife.ViewallstoriesTravelinspirationdelivereddirectlytoyourinbox.SubscribenowSubscribetoournewslettersandpromotions.ReadourPrivacyPolicy.