Nice Travel Guide

The Promenade des Anglais is Nice's legendary seaside boulevard, sweeping about 7 km along the Bay of Angels. Built in 1822 with funds from English aristocrats wintering here, it took its name from them. The famous blue iron chairs face the Mediterranean in a line — sit and watch sea, people and sunset — while Belle Epoque and 1930s facades line the landward side, crowned by the pink dome of the Hotel Negresco, the eternal anchor of the Nice skyline. The I Love Nice sign on Castle Hill frames the red rooftops and blue sea in one shot. Mornings belong to joggers, evenings to strollers, and when the sunset gilds that pink dome, Nice gives you its most beautiful frame.

The Cours Saleya is the liveliest stage in Nice's old town, a stone's throw from the Mediterranean. Every morning stallholders raise their awnings and the street fills with lavender, mimosa and rose — a Provencal painting in full colour. Fruit and vegetable stalls sit alongside socca pancakes, candied fruits, olive oils and herbs de Provence, with cafe terraces ringing the square. On Mondays the flower market rests and an antiques flea market takes over, drawing more hunters than florists. Peak buzz is 8 am to noon; afterwards, head into the lanes for a freshly baked socca or carry a bouquet of lavender home — the true heart of Nice, sampled properly.

Vieux Nice, the old town of Nice, is one of the most charming historic districts on the French Riviera. Its winding narrow streets retain Italian-style architecture from the 17th century onwards, with colorful building facades and laundry lines creating a rich Mediterranean living atmosphere. Centered on Place Garibaldi and the famous Cours Saleya, the latters vibrant market daily displays fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers, and local specialties, offering the best place to experience local life. The streets are lined with characteristic restaurants, cafes, craft shops, and artist studios, where southern French cuisine such as salade nioise, socca, and seafood stews tempt the palate. The old town is adjacent to the Mediterranean coast, where a stroll to the waterfront promenade reveals azure sea views and the graceful curve of Baie des Anges. This is both a living museum of history and culture and an excellent place to experience the relaxed southern French lifestyle and Mediterranean romantic charm.

The roughly seven-kilometre sweep along the Baie des Anges takes its name from the British residents who funded the original 19th-century walkway. Pebble beaches and palace hotels like the Negresco line one side, palms and traffic the other, while the iconic blue chairs face the water - locals sprawl there for entire afternoons. A bike lane runs the full length shared with skaters and joggers, and each February the Nice Carnival rolls its floats along the same stage, keeping the seafront lively even in winter.

Built 1898-1901 for descendants of Napoleon's marshal Masséna, this Italianate villa became a museum in 1921 devoted to the modern history of Nice and the Riviera. Permanent galleries string together Napoleonic family relics, the Risorgimento-era storms along the coast, and the city's transition into France, while the preserved Belle Époque interiors are exhibits in themselves. The English-style garden out front is free to wander - palms and fountains against a cream facade, arguably the most photogenic building along the Promenade des Anglais.

Old Nice's core cathedral was begun in 1650 and consecrated in 1699, dedicated to the city's patron St. Reparata. Its facade waited until the 19th century for completion, but inside the Baroque programme pulls no stops - gilded woodwork, marble colonnades and dome frescoes layered to the ceiling, a startling contrast with the plain ochre walls outside. The dome's coloured tiles define the old-town skyline, and the cathedral still holds daily Mass, open to casual visitors between services.