France · Region
Nice
Photo: Magali M from Nice, France / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Nice is the glamorous capital of the French Riviera, where a curving Mediterranean bay, the pebbled Promenade des Anglais, and a maze of ochre-hued Old Town streets meet Belle Époque architecture and world-class art museums. It's both a beach city and a base for exploring glitzy neighbors like Cannes, Monaco, and the perched villages of the Côte d'Azur.
Top attractions
attraction Parc national du Mercantour: Nice Travel Guide (4.7★)
Parc national du Mercantour spans 67,900 hectares of valleys along the Italian border north of Nice, and the administrative office at 23 Rue d'Italie in Nice is where to start for maps and trail advice, not the park itself. 4.7★ (12,866 reviews) — what visitors say, hours, and tips.
attraction Parc Phœnix: Nice Travel Guide (4.2★)
Parc Phœnix is a large botanical garden and free-entry zoo on the western Promenade des Anglais, best known for its huge tropical glasshouse, aviaries, otters and wallabies. 4.2★ (12,947 reviews) — what visitors say, hours, and tips.
attraction Place Masséna: Nice Travel Guide (4.6★)
Place Masséna is Nice's grand red-ochre square, linking the Old Town to the Promenade du Paillasson and the sea. 4.6★ (12,112 reviews) — what visitors say, hours, and tips.
attraction Promenade du Paillon: Nice Travel Guide
The Promenade du Paillon is a 12-hectare ribbon of parkland that cuts through the heart of Nice, linking Place Masséna to the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MAMAC) and the Nice Acropolis.
attraction Promenade des Anglais: Nice Travel Guide
The Promenade des Anglais is Nice's iconic 7-km palm-lined seafront walkway stretching from the airport area to the Old Town, best experienced on foot or by rental bike in the early morning or at sunset.
Top-rated things to do in Nice
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Where to stay in Nice
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Frequently asked questions about Nice
How do I get to Nice?
Most travelers arrive via Nice Côte d'Azur Airport (NCE), France's third-busiest airport and the main gateway to the Riviera, located a few kilometers west of downtown. From the airport, Tram Line 2 runs directly into the city center in ~25-30 minutes, while the adjacent Nice Saint-Augustin station links onward by rail along the coast to Cannes, Antibes, Monaco, and Menton.
How many days should I spend in Nice?
Plan on ~2-3 days to enjoy Nice's Old Town, promenade, and museums at an easy pace, with extra days if you want to day-trip along the coast to Cannes, Monaco, or nearby hill villages.
What is Nice known for?
Nice is the glamorous capital of the French Riviera, where a curving Mediterranean bay, the pebbled Promenade des Anglais, and a maze of ochre-hued Old Town streets meet Belle Époque architecture and world-class art museums. It's both a beach city and a base for exploring glitzy neighbors like Cannes, Monaco, and the perched villages of the Côte d'Azur.