Things To Do In Nice: Your Complete Guide

Nice is the jewel of the French Riviera — a city of extraordinary beauty, where the azure Mediterranean meets elegant Belle Époque architecture, vibrant street markets, and world-class food. As the fifth-largest city in France and the capital of the Côte d'Azur, Nice has something for every kind of traveller.

Whether you're visiting for a week or a long weekend, here's your complete guide to the best things to do in Nice.

Why Visit Nice?

Nice offers a rare combination of natural beauty, cultural depth, and urban vibrancy. The light in Nice — the quality that drew Matisse and Chagall to the city — is genuinely extraordinary. The Old Town (Vieux-Nice) is one of the most architecturally distinctive in France. And the food — from socca to pissaladière to pan bagnat — is entirely its own.

Nice is also an excellent base for day trips to Èze, Monaco, Antibes, Cannes, and the villages of the Arrière-Pays Niçois.

Top Things To Do in Nice

1. Walk the Promenade des Anglais

The iconic Promenade des Anglais stretches for nearly 7km along Nice's seafront. Built in the 1820s with funding from English residents (hence the name), it's one of the world's most famous promenades. Walk it at sunrise for the best light and the fewest crowds.

2. Explore Vieux-Nice (Old Town)

The Old Town is Nice's beating heart. Its narrow Baroque streets — painted in warm ochres, yellows and reds — are packed with markets, galleries, restaurants, and hidden courtyards. The Cours Saleya flower and vegetable market is unmissable, especially on a Saturday morning.

3. Visit the Matisse Museum

Nice was home to Henri Matisse for much of his life, and the Matisse Museum in the Cimiez neighbourhood houses an exceptional collection of his works. The museum is set in a beautiful 17th-century Genoese villa surrounded by olive trees.

4. Climb to Castle Hill (Colline du Château)

For the best panoramic views of Nice — the sweep of the Baie des Anges, the terracotta rooftops of the Old Town, the Promenade des Anglais — climb to Castle Hill. You can walk up from the Old Town or take the free elevator from the eastern end of the Promenade.

5. Try a HUNTA Treasure Hunt

One of the most unique and interactive ways to explore Nice is a HUNTA self-guided treasure hunt — a GPS-guided adventure through the city's most interesting streets and hidden spots. Following clues through Vieux-Nice, past landmarks, into hidden courtyards and along the Promenade, it reveals a side of the city that most visitors never see. Browse available Nice hunts at hunta.online.

6. Visit the Marc Chagall National Museum

The Chagall Museum houses the largest public collection of Marc Chagall's work. The 17 large paintings depicting scenes from the Old Testament are breathtaking. The museum's garden is a peaceful retreat from the city.

7. Eat at a Local Niçoise Restaurant

Nice has its own distinct cuisine, quite separate from French cooking. Essential dishes to try: socca (chickpea flour pancake), pissaladière (onion tart with anchovies and olives), pan bagnat (a salade niçoise sandwich), and daube niçoise (beef stew). The best restaurants are in Vieux-Nice and the Libération neighbourhood.

8. Day Trip to Èze Village

Perched on a rocky promontory 427m above the sea, Èze is one of the most dramatic medieval villages on the Côte d'Azur. It's 15km east of Nice and accessible by bus or car. The exotic garden at the summit, with views to Corsica on clear days, is extraordinary.

Family Activities in Nice

Nice is an excellent family destination. The beaches are accessible and free (though pebbly — bring beach shoes). The Old Town is safe and fascinating for children. The Promenade makes for easy cycling. And the HUNTA treasure hunt is a brilliant way to keep children engaged and learning while exploring the city.

Hidden Gems in Nice

• Rue Droite: The main street of the Old Town, lined with Baroque palaces and artisan shops, tends to see fewer tourists than the Cours Saleya area.
• The Russian Orthodox Cathedral: An extraordinary onion-domed Russian church in the heart of Nice, dating to 1912.
• The Libération market: A more local, less touristy market than Cours Saleya — excellent for food shopping.
• The rooftop of the Nice Acropolis: Offers spectacular views little-known even to locals.

Getting Around Nice

Nice's Old Town and main attractions are compact and walkable. The city also has an excellent tram system. For beach trips along the Riviera, trains from Nice-Ville station connect to Monaco, Menton, Antibes and Cannes with remarkable speed and convenience.

Final Thoughts

Nice rewards both the first-time visitor and the returning traveller. Its combination of natural beauty, cultural richness, culinary excellence, and sheer Mediterranean energy is genuinely hard to match anywhere in Europe.

Whether you're walking the Promenade at sunrise, eating socca in the Old Town, discovering a Matisse in the museum, or following clues on a HUNTA treasure hunt, Nice never disappoints.

Find HUNTA hunts in Nice and across France →