The 12 Best Things to Do in Nice

By the time you read this, fingers crossed, I will be in Ecuador.   It’s been an odd 2022 and at a team work dinner I shared that I was ready for this year to be over.  This isn’t 100% accurate as there has been some highlights and travel has certainly led the way.   For a recent customs form I did a country count and this year I have been able to visit more destinations than I would have thought, one of which was a solo trip to Nice in March. 

It was an easy flight from London and perfect for what the Brits call a mini-break. On one of the days I went to Monaco but the famous principality will get its own post.   Despite it being a short visit I was still able to see a lot on my solo trip to the French Riveria and here are my suggestions of the 12 Best Things to Do in Nice.

1) Take in the View. In all of my travels I love taking the view from the highest vista and in this coastal town the Castle Hill of Nice provides a terrific view!

2) Stay Central.  Since I was only going to be in Nice for a few days I chose to stay at Le Méridien Nice.  It is located right across a street from the Mediterranean Sea on the Promenade des Anglais and puts all of the main tourist attractions within walking distance.

3) Explore the Old Town.  The old town of Nice, Vieux Nice, is exactly what you would expect from a small European city with pastel buildings, quiant shops, and  narrow cobblestone streets.  I had a blast shopping and trying local eats including some delicious wine and cheese.

4) Galeries Lafayette Nice Masséna.  The Galeries Lafayette is known as the best mall in France and I would have to agree – everything from the clothing and shoes to the  steel-frame art nouveau glass dome of the century-old department store is terrific.  While in Nice you should definitely visit the  this branch of the famous Pariasian Mall.

5) Cathedrale Saint-Nicolas a Nice.  I visited a handful of  churches over my few days but the Russian Orthodox Cathedral was my favorite.  I listened to the rules and did not take any photos inside but it is beautiful inside and out plus it is considered a national monument of France.

6) Take a photo with the #ILoveNICE Sign.  Sure it is touristy but it is cute and in a great seaside location.  As soon as you approach you can see why these jumbo giant, red, white & blue letters make up one of the top selfie spots in the city.

7)  Explore the Musée Massena.  There are quite a few art museums in Nice and I wish `I had had a chance to go to the  Musee Matisse but I did enjoy the  regional art of the Côte d’Azur in the Musée Masséna as well as the gorgeous furniture  and the pearl diadem of Napoleon’s first wife.

8) Stroll the Boardwalk. There are quite a few boardwalks along the 7km of Nice shoreline but and I spent time on The Promenade des Anglais which was across the street from my hotel.

9) Visit Port Lympia.  Nice has a few harbors and this U-shaped port with gorgeous jumbo yachts was one of my favorites.  Not only were the boats gorgeous but I also loved the candy color buildings surrounding it full of shops and adorable restaurants.

10) Stroll the Place Massena.  One a few blocks from my hotel the Place Massena is a massive public square in the heart of Nice and on sunny days the black and white tiles are a perfect place to lounge.  You should also go back at night and see the seven statues which represent the seven continents and glow in a variety of colors.

11) Explore the Le Negresco.  While I did not stay there the famed 5-star hotel Le Negresco is also worth a visit as it has thousands of pieces of art from contemporary artists to classic masterpieces.

12) Take a Swim in the Med. When I visited Nice in March the ocean was absolutely freezing (though a few crazy tourists took a dip) but in the Summer months I’ve heard swimming on the French Riveria is a must!

Which of these would make your list of things to do in Nice?