Nice City Guide

Nice — Queen of the Riviera

Nice is the undisputed capital of the French Riviera () — a city of 340,000 that basks in 300 days of sunshine a year between the Mediterranean Sea and the foothills of the Alps. The Promenade des Anglais sweeps along the pebbly bay, the ochre and terracotta buildings of the old town glow in the late afternoon light, and the flower market on the Cours Saleya has been trading since the 19th century.

Nice was Italian (part of the Kingdom of Sardinia) until 1860, and the Niçois identity remains distinct — the cuisine, the architecture, the dialect all carry Italian inflections. This dual heritage, combined with its status as a year-round destination with world-class museums (Matisse, Chagall, MAMAC), makes it one of France's most rewarding cities.

Food & Drink

Nice has its own cuisine, distinct from the rest of Provence:

• — cooked in wood-fired ovens
• — with tuna, anchovies, olives, and hard-boiled eggs (never with cooked vegetables, say the purists)
• — the Riviera's ultimate sandwich
• — the real version, from here

Provençal Cuisine — Socca, ratatouille, bouillabaisse, and the sun-drenched cooking of the south — on La Table.

Day Trips

• Monaco — 20 mins by train (the glamorous principality)
• Èze — hilltop village with panoramic sea views, 20 mins by bus
• Antibes — Picasso museum and old town, 25 mins by train
• Saint-Paul-de-Vence — art village beloved by Chagall, 30 mins by bus
• Cannes — Film Festival city, 35 mins by train

When to Visit

• Year-round: Nice's climate is Mediterranean — mild winters, hot summers
• February: Nice Carnival — one of the world's great carnival celebrations
• May–June and September–October: Perfect temperatures, fewer crowds
• July–August: Hot, crowded, expensive — but undeniably glamorous