UltimateCity Guide French Riviera
Our favourites
The curve of the Baie des Anges and the Promenade des Anglais, Nice

Area guide · French Riviera

Nice: Our Favourites

The Promenade des Anglais and Le Negresco, the Cours Saleya and Vieux Nice, Port Lympia, and Matisse and Chagall on the hill of Cimiez.

The back story

  1. Area guide

    Nice: the back story

    Nice·In depth

    The Riviera’s capital: the Promenade, the old town, the port and the hills of Cimiez.

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  2. The back story

    Eating on the Riviera: the back story

    Nice·In depth

    Socca and pan bagnat in Vieux Nice, bouillabaisse by the harbour, and some of the most celebrated tables in France: how the Riviera eats.

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  3. The back story

    The Riviera: the back story

    Nice·In depth

    From winter resort to summer playground: how a strip of coast between Cassis and the Italian border became the Riviera.

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What to see and do

  1. UNESCO World Heritage (2021)

    Promenade des Anglais

    Nice·Seafront promenade

    The great curve of the Baie des Anges, heart of Nice’s UNESCO-listed winter resort town.

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  2. Flower market Tuesday–Sunday

    Vieux Nice and the Cours Saleya

    Nice·Old town

    Ochre lanes, Baroque chapels and the flower market on the Cours Saleya.

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  3. The view over Nice

    Colline du Château

    Nice·Hilltop park

    The castle hill between the old town and the port, with the best view in Nice.

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  4. Matisse – Alex Katz, to 18 Jan 2027

    Musée Matisse

    Nice·Museum

    Matisse in a red Genoese villa among the olive groves of Cimiez.

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  5. Closed Tuesdays

    Musée national Marc Chagall

    Nice·National museum

    Chagall’s Biblical Message in a museum he helped to design.

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  6. Opera, ballet and concerts

    Opéra Nice Côte d’Azur

    Nice·Opera house

    The opera house of Nice, a block from the sea.

    4–6 rue Saint-François-de-Paule, 06300 NiceExplore View on map

  7. Musical instruments

    Palais Lascaris

    Nice·Palace and museum

    A Baroque palace in Vieux Nice with a collection of musical instruments.

    15 rue Droite, 06300 NiceExplore View on map

  8. A giant glasshouse

    Parc Phœnix

    Nice·Botanical park

    Seven hectares of gardens by the airport, with a large tropical glasshouse.

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  9. Water mirror and fountains

    Promenade du Paillon

    Nice·City park

    The green ribbon through the centre of Nice, with its water mirror by Place Masséna.

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  10. Views over Nice

    Jardin du Monastère de Cimiez

    Nice·Monastery garden

    A formal garden beside the Franciscan monastery at Cimiez, looking over the city to the hills.

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  11. Fishing boats and ferries

    Port Lympia

    Nice·Harbour

    Nice’s harbour, with yachts, ferries to Corsica and its brightly painted pointus.

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  12. AOC Bellet

    Château de Bellet

    Nice·Wine estate

    A wine estate in the small Bellet appellation, in the hills of Nice.

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  13. Central Nice

    Cinéma Rialto

    Nice·Cinema

    A city-centre cinema in Nice.

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Where to eat

  1. Two MICHELIN stars

    Flaveur

    Nice·Creative cuisine

    Spice-led creative cooking in the centre of Nice.

    25 rue Gubernatis, 06000 NiceExplore View on map

  2. One MICHELIN star

    Le Chantecler

    Nice·Modern French

    Virginie Basselot’s dining room at Le Negresco.

    37 promenade des Anglais, 06000 NiceExplore View on map

  3. Bib Gourmand

    La Merenda

    Nice·Niçoise

    A tiny room in Vieux Nice serving Niçoise classics.

    4 rue Raoul-Bosio, 06300 NiceExplore View on map

  4. Bib Gourmand

    Chez Davia

    Nice·Niçoise

    Niçoise home cooking near the port.

    11 bis rue Grimaldi, 06000 NiceExplore View on map

  5. Bib Gourmand

    Olive & Artichaut

    Nice·Provençal

    Market cooking in a lane of Vieux Nice.

    6 rue Sainte-Réparate, 06300 NiceExplore View on map

  6. Socca from the oven

    Chez Pipo

    Nice·Socca

    Socca, the chickpea pancake of Nice, by the port.

    13 rue Bavastro, 06300 NiceExplore View on map

  7. Since 1966

    Fenocchio

    Nice·Ice cream

    The ice-cream maker of Vieux Nice, with dozens of flavours.

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Bars, beach clubs and casinos

  1. The historic bar

    Le 1913 – Le Negresco

    Nice·Hotel bar

    The Negresco’s historic bar, on the Promenade des Anglais.

    37 promenade des Anglais, 06000 NiceExplore View on map

  2. On the Promenade des Anglais

    Casino Barrière Le Ruhl

    Nice·Casino

    Nice’s casino on the Promenade des Anglais.

    1 promenade des Anglais, 06000 NiceExplore View on map

Shopping

  1. Candied fruit

    Confiserie Florian

    Nice·Confectioner

    Candied fruit and flowers, a Riviera tradition, from a confectioner by the port of Nice.

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  2. On avenue Jean-Médecin

    Nicetoile

    Nice·Shopping centre

    A city-centre shopping centre on Nice’s main shopping street.

    30 avenue Jean-Médecin, 06000 NiceExplore View on map

Where to stay

  1. On the Promenade des Anglais

    Le Negresco

    Nice·Palace hotel

    The pink-domed palace on the Promenade des Anglais, with Le Chantecler, Le 1913 and N Le Spa.

    37 promenade des Anglais, 06000 NiceExplore View on map

  2. By the Jardin Albert-Ier

    Anantara Plaza Nice

    Nice·City hotel

    A city hotel on avenue de Verdun, a few steps from the Promenade and Place Masséna.

    12 avenue de Verdun, 06000 NiceExplore View on map

  3. Musicians’ quarter

    Maison Albar – Le Victoria

    Nice·City hotel

    A boutique hotel on avenue de Suède, close to the Promenade des Anglais.

    6 avenue de Suède, 06000 NiceExplore View on map

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