Nice is the capital of the Riviera and its most practical base: a real city with an old town, a port and two hill museums, and a railway along the coast that reaches the famous villages and villas in under half an hour. Cycling the Promenade des Anglais and the Carnival flower parade are on the France page; this page is the rest of the city and the day trips it serves best.
Two things shape a Nice stay. The museums close one day a week (Tuesday for Matisse and Chagall, Monday for Picasso in Antibes), and the markets of the Cours Saleya are a morning affair. Book a car only if you plan to go far inland: the train and the buses cover every trip on this page.
Shop the Cours Saleya flower market, or its Monday antiques
Vieux Nice
1 to 2 hoursFree
Flowers, fruit and local specialities fill Vieux Nice's long square from Tuesday to Sunday, and close to 180 antique dealers on Mondays.
What it is
The Cours Saleya is the long open square of Vieux Nice, between the old town lanes and the Quai des États-Unis, and its market changes with the day of the week. From Tuesday to Sunday, stalls of cut flowers, plants, fruit, vegetables and local specialities fill it in the morning; the tourist office lists it among the exceptional markets of France. On Mondays the flowers give way to the brocante: close to 180 antique and second-hand dealers set up from 07:00 to 18:00 on the Cours and Place Pierre-Gautier.
How to do it
For the view over the whole length of the stalls, climb the Ponchettes stairs facing Place Pierre-Gautier.
Good to know
Come before mid-morning for the produce at its best, and in summer stay for the evening arts and crafts market.
Eat socca hot from the oven, then the rest of Niçois street food
Vieux Nice and the port
1 hour, or 3 with a food tourNo booking needed
Eat socca, a thin chickpea pancake from a very hot oven, with your fingers and plenty of black pepper.
What it is
Socca is Nice's own street snack: a thin pancake of chickpea flour, water, olive oil and salt, baked on a wide round tray in a very hot oven, cut into rough pieces and eaten with your fingers and plenty of black pepper.
How to do it
The historic addresses sit in two places. In the port quarter, between rue Bavastro and rue Bonaparte, Chez Pipo has been baking it since 1923, and there is often a queue. In Vieux Nice, Chez Thérésa, a name in the trade since 1925, sells from its stall on the Cours Saleya and at 28 rue Droite, and René Socca holds the corner at the north entrance of the old town, with wooden tables on rue Miralheti.
Good to know
Add pissaladière, the onion and anchovy tart, and a pan bagnat to cover the classics.
See Matisse's Nice years in Cimiez, then visit his grave
Cimiez
Half a day with the gardensNo booking needed
A red Genoese villa in the Cimiez olive grove holds a collection spanning Matisse's whole career, and his grave lies across the grove.
What it is
Henri Matisse lived in Nice from 1917 until his death in 1954, and the city's museum of his work fills a 17th-century Genoese villa, painted red, in the olive grove of the Cimiez gardens at 164 avenue des Arènes de Cimiez. The collection comes from gifts by Matisse and his heirs and follows his whole career.
How to do it
It opens every day except Tuesday, 10:00 to 18:00 until the end of October and 10:00 to 17:00 from November to March; entry is €10, free under 18, and a €15 ticket covers all the city's museums for four days. Afterwards, cross the olive grove to the Cimiez monastery, where Matisse is buried in the cemetery beside its garden. Bus 5 climbs the hill from the centre.
Good to know
From 28 October 2026 to 18 January 2027 it shows the painter Alex Katz.
Stand among the 17 canvases of Chagall's Biblical Message
Cimiez
1 hour 30No booking needed
Built in Chagall's lifetime for the 17 large canvases of his Biblical Message, this museum opened with him there, on his birthday.
What it is
This national museum was built during Chagall's lifetime to hold the 17 large canvases of his Biblical Message, which he and his wife Valentina gave to France in 1966, and he was there when it opened on his birthday, 7 July 1973. Beyond the cycle, see the hexagonal Song of Songs room and the Creation of the World stained glass.
How to do it
It is on avenue du Docteur Ménard at the corner of boulevard de Cimiez, about 15 minutes' walk uphill from Nice-Ville station, or bus 5 to the Musée Chagall stop. Entry is €10, €12 during exhibitions, and free for EU residents under 26.
Good to know
It opens every day except Tuesday, 10:00 to 18:00 from May to October and to 17:00 from November, but the rooms close from 13:00 to 14:30, when only the garden stays open.
Time needed
1 hour 30
Best time
Opening time, or the first Sunday of the month, when entry is free
Climb to Èze village, then walk down the Nietzsche path
Èze
Half a dayNo booking needed
Climb a car-free stone village more than 400 metres above the sea, then walk down the Nietzsche path to the coast railway.
What it is
Èze is a car-free knot of stone lanes on a rock more than 400 metres above the sea, between Nice and Monaco, around a castle that Louis XIV had destroyed in 1706. At the very top, the Jardin Exotique grows cacti and succulents among those ruins, with one of the widest views on the coast.
How to do it
The garden costs €10 in 2026, free under 12, and opens daily from 09:00, closing at 18:30 in October and 16:30 in November and December, later in summer. Bus 82 from Nice Vauban, or ZOU coach 602 towards Monaco, stops at the foot of the village. The better way back is on foot: the Chemin de Nietzsche, named after the philosopher, drops a little under 400 metres to Èze-sur-Mer station on the coastal railway, about an hour to an hour and a half.
Good to know
The ground is steep and rocky, so wear proper shoes.
Walk the nine gardens of the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
2 to 3 hoursBook ahead
A pink palazzo between two bays, with nine themed gardens and a main garden shaped like a ship's deck.
What it is
On the neck of the Cap Ferrat peninsula, with Villefranche Bay on one side and Beaulieu Bay on the other, Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild built a pink palazzo and laid out nine themed gardens around it. The main French garden is shaped like a ship's deck, with ponds, cascades and a Temple of Love at the bow, and she had her gardeners wear sailors' berets.
How to do it
The villa opens every day from 10:00 to 18:00, except on a few listed dates such as several late-summer Saturdays; tickets cost €18, €12 for ages 7 to 17, and online booking is recommended, though it gives no priority entry. Take bus 15 from Nice to the Passable-Rothschild stop, or the train to Beaulieu-sur-Mer and walk up.
Good to know
The rose garden is at its best from May to July, the stone garden from February to April.
See Cocteau's fishermen's chapel and the rue Obscure in Villefranche
Villefranche-sur-Mer
Half a dayNo booking needed
Jean Cocteau painted a fishermen's store on the quay inside and out, and a vaulted street of 1260 runs behind the waterfront.
What it is
Villefranche-sur-Mer is the first town east of Nice, a few minutes away by TER, set on one of the deepest natural harbours in the Mediterranean. On the quay, the Chapelle Saint-Pierre was a fishermen's store until Jean Cocteau, with the fishermen's approval, painted it inside and out in 1956 and 1957: scenes from the life of Saint Peter, their patron, and of the women of Villefranche. Behind the waterfront, the rue Obscure is a vaulted street about 130 metres long, dating from 1260 and once part of the first town wall.
How to do it
The chapel opens Wednesday to Sunday, 09:30 to 12:30 and 14:00 to 18:00, for €4.
Good to know
It closes from mid-November to mid-December. Finish with lunch on the quay before a swim from the town beach below the station.
Pair Saint-Paul de Vence with the Fondation Maeght
Saint-Paul de Vence
A full day from NiceNo booking needed
A walled hill village where Chagall is buried, and just outside it a museum in a pine wood with a labyrinth by Miró.
What it is
Saint-Paul de Vence is a walled hill village inland from Cagnes-sur-Mer that drew painters for decades; Marc Chagall settled nearby in 1966 and is buried in its cemetery. Just outside the walls, the Fondation Maeght was created by the art dealers Aimé and Marguerite Maeght, Chagall's neighbours, as a museum set in a pine wood, with sculpture courtyards and a labyrinth by Miró.
How to do it
It opens every day from 10:00 to 18:00, until 19:00 in July and August, and costs €18. Without a car, take the train or a bus from Nice to Cagnes-sur-Mer station, then coach 655 to Saint-Paul, about 30 minutes. From the St Paul Village stop, the Fondation is a 10-minute walk up the Chemin de Sainte-Claire.
See Picasso's 1946 Antibes work in the Château Grimaldi
Antibes
Half a day with the old townNo booking needed
Picasso used this château on the Antibes ramparts as his studio in 1946, and the works he made there form its core.
What it is
The Château Grimaldi stands on the ramparts of Antibes, over the foundations of the Greek town of Antipolis, and for several months in 1946 Picasso used it as his studio; the works he made there are the core of the Musée Picasso. Its terrace over the sea is part of the visit, with sculptures looking out toward the bay.
How to do it
Entry is €12. Antibes is a short TER ride west of Nice; from the station, walk through the old town and the covered Provençal market on Cours Masséna to reach the château.
Good to know
From 16 September to 14 June it opens 10:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 18:00, and from 15 June to 15 September it stays open 10:00 to 18:00 without a break; it closes on Mondays, and the ticket desk shuts 30 minutes before closing.
Sail from Nice port to Saint-Tropez or Monaco for the day
Port of Nice
A full day, 09:00 to 19:00Book ahead
Saint-Tropez has no railway, so sail there for the day from the port of Nice, or to Monaco.
What it is
Saint-Tropez has no railway, so the easiest way there from Nice is by sea.
How to do it
Trans Côte d'Azur boats leave from the Quai Lunel in the port of Nice, where its ticket desk has a yellow awning. In 2026 the Saint-Tropez trip left at 09:00, gave a stop from 11:30 to 16:30 at the Quai de l'Estacade, and was back in Nice at 19:00, for €84 return; it ran on Tuesdays, Thursdays and weekends from mid-May to June and in September, every day except Monday in July and August, and on a few October dates. The same company sails to Monaco on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from April to October, leaving at 09:30 with a stop from 10:15 to 17:00, for €49.50.
Good to know
Book ahead in summer.
Time needed
A full day, 09:00 to 19:00
Best time
May to September; daily except Monday in July and August
Tour a Grasse perfume factory, then make your own scent
Grasse
A full day from NiceBook ahead
Walk past copper stills on a free factory tour in the self-styled world capital of perfume, then compose your own fragrance.
What it is
Grasse, in the hills behind Cannes, calls itself the world capital of perfume, and the easy way in is a factory tour. Fragonard, founded in the town in 1926, runs free guided tours of its Historic Factory at 20 boulevard Fragonard, in the centre, with no booking needed: a guide trained by a perfumer walks you past the copper stills and through the making of essences, and the tour ends with a short game to test your nose.
How to do it
The paid part, and the one to book, is a workshop where you compose your own fragrance, which Fragonard sells online. From Nice, direct TER trains reach Grasse in about an hour via Antibes and Cannes; the station sits below the old town.
Good to know
Add the Musée International de la Parfumerie, on the history of perfume worldwide, open daily from 10:00 to 18:00.
Ride the flat seafront of the Baie des Anges on a shared bike, then look back over it from the Colline du Château.
What it is
The Promenade des Anglais runs about 7 km along the Baie des Anges, from the airport in the west to the Quai des États-Unis at the edge of the old town, and it is flat the whole way, with a cycle lane beside the footpath.
How to do it
Nice's bike share, Vélo Bleu, has about 1,550 standard bikes and 200 electric ones at 161 stations in Nice, Cagnes-sur-Mer and Saint-Laurent-du-Var, also unlocked through its app, with passes from €3 a day or €7 a week, according to the regional tourism board. Ride the whole length, leave the bike near the Quai des États-Unis, then walk up the Colline du Château for the view back over the bay you just rode.
Good to know
Watch for people crossing the lane to reach the beach.
Catch flowers at the Nice Carnival's flower parade
Nice
An afternoon per paradeBook ahead
Stand by the Nice flower parade as riders on the floats throw mimosa and tens of thousands of flowers into the crowd.
What it is
The 2027 Nice Carnival runs from 9 to 28 February under the theme Vive l'Amour, with its central site on Place Masséna. Two kinds of parade make it: the carnival parade of giant figures, and the flower parade, which began on the Promenade des Anglais in 1876. At each flower parade, riders on the floats throw 80,000 to 100,000 flowers into the crowd, about 80% of them grown locally, mimosa among them, and any left over are handed out at the end.
How to do it
Watching the parades is ticketed: buy online through the official site, or at the ticket offices that open around the site on parade days while places last.
Good to know
In October 2026 the 2027 timetable and prices were not yet published, so check nicecarnaval.com before booking travel.
Nice Côte d'Azur airport sits on the western edge of the city, and tram line 2 runs from both terminals into the centre and on to Port Lympia, from early morning until after midnight. By rail, TGV INOUI trains run from Paris Gare de Lyon to Nice-Ville station, and the night train from Paris Austerlitz arrives via Marseille, Toulon, Cannes and Antibes.
Getting around
Vieux Nice, the port and the seafront are walkable, and trams cross the centre. For the Riviera, the coastal TER line is the backbone: east to Villefranche-sur-Mer, Beaulieu-sur-Mer (for Cap Ferrat), Èze-sur-Mer and Monaco, west to Antibes and Cagnes-sur-Mer. Buses fill the gaps: line 5 climbs Cimiez hill to the Chagall and Matisse museums, line 82 runs from Nice Vauban to Èze village, and coach 655 links Cagnes-sur-Mer station with Saint-Paul de Vence.
How many days
In must30's view, three days for the city itself: one for Vieux Nice, the Cours Saleya and the port, one for Cimiez and its two museums, one for the Promenade and the beach. Add a day east for Villefranche, Cap Ferrat and Èze, and a day west for Antibes and Saint-Paul de Vence, which makes five well used days.
When to go
May, June, September and early October give warm sea and room on the beach. July and August are hot and full, and the sea trips and hill villages are at their busiest. Winter is mild and quiet, the season of the Carnival, which in 2027 runs from 9 to 28 February. The boats to Saint-Tropez and Monaco sail from spring to October only, and the museums keep shorter hours from November.
Where to base yourself
Vieux Nice puts you on top of the markets and the restaurants, but its lanes are noisy late at night and hard with luggage. The streets between Place Masséna and Nice-Ville station are the practical choice, on the tram and close to the trains for day trips. The port quarter is quieter, with the socca addresses and the boats to Saint-Tropez and Monaco on the doorstep.
Questions travellers ask
How do I get from Nice airport to the city centre?
Take tram line 2 from either terminal; it runs through the centre to Port Lympia. Validate your ticket each time you board. Taxis wait outside both terminals if you arrive with heavy bags.
Which Nice museums are closed on Tuesdays?
The Musée Matisse and the Musée national Marc Chagall both close on Tuesdays. The Musée Picasso in Antibes closes on Mondays instead. The Chagall museum is free for everyone on the first Sunday of the month.
Can I visit Monaco from Nice without a car?
Yes. TER trains run along the coast from Nice-Ville to Monaco, and in 2026 the Trans Côte d'Azur boat sailed from Nice port to Monaco on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from April to October. Monaco is a separate country, so it is not covered on this page.
Is Nice a good base for the French Riviera?
It is the best one without a car. Trains run east to Villefranche, Èze and Monaco and west to Antibes and Cannes, and the airport is on the tram. Saint-Tropez is the exception: it has no railway, so take the seasonal boat from Nice port.
