How to Perfectly Spend One Day in Nice France (2024)

As France’s fifth largest city, Nice has all kinds of incredible things to do and places to explore around the stunning city. Whether you are stopping by on your tour through France or passing through on your way to or from Monaco, Nice is worth visiting! Here is my ultimate guide for how to spend one day in Nice, France!

Traveling Soon? Here Are the Travel Resources I Use!

🏡 Accommodations: I use Expedia or Booking for hotels and Hostelworld for hostels
✈️ Flights: I find the best deals on StudentUniverse & Skyscanner
🗺️ Travel Insurance: I suggest Safetywing as an affordable option
🤿 Tours & Experiences: I love to use Viator and Get Your Guide
🚗 Car Rentals: I recommend DiscoverCars for all your rental car needs!
📱 E-Sim: The company I’ve had the most positive experiences with is Airalo
Use code ‘KRISTI7012’ for an extra $3 off your ESIM from Airalo!

What Is Nice Famous For?

With its prime location on the pebbly shores of the Baie des Anges and miles of picturesque beaches, Nice is famous for providing a relaxing escape in the French Rivera! Visitors from all over the world flock to the city for its beautiful beachside setting, incredible food scene, and lively nightlife.

In fact, during the 19th century, the city became known as the go-to place for a retreat amongst Europes Elite. As such, the city became the home of many well-known French artists. For example, one prolific painter who lived in Nice is Henri Matisse, who displayed his craftsmanship in many styles of painting, such as impressionism and fauvism.

🇫🇷 PRO TIP: Nice is pronounced, “knee-zah” in French!

Itinerary for One Day in Nice, France

🐚 ☀️NOTE: This one-day in Nice France itinerary is made with walking distance/metro use in mind to help prevent you from wasting time and energy crisscrossing around the city!

1. Breakfast at Liberation Market

To start your day off on the right foot, I recommend grabbing a delicious breakfast at Liberation Market. It’s an open-air farmer’s market where you’ll discover a good amount of stalls with an assortment of fruits, vegetables, fresh fish, and other goods local to the region!

Unfortunately, you won’t find any clothes or souvenirs, aside from flowers and oils, but don’t worry…I’ll be covering some places where you can get some great souvenirs later on. And, compared to the touristy Cours Saleya Flower Market located in Nice’s Old Town, Liberation Market has more of a local vibe. Plus, it’s a bit cheaper, which I’m a big fan of!

Personally, my friends and I loved going to Liberation Market in the morning to grab fresh ingredients to make our breakfasts! But, if you don’t have the means to make breakfast or don’t want to…there are also lots of small eateries and storefronts that you can order breakfast items and pastries from!

The address of the market is Libération market, Pl. du Général de Gaulle, 06100 Nice, France. It’s about 20 minutes inland by tram from the center of downtown Nice and open every day except for Monday! There are also lots of small eateries and storefronts that you can order breakfast items and pastries from!

Other Great Breakfast Places in Nice

Of course, if you want to eat at a proper local establishment or aren’t up for making the journey to Liberation Market… Here are three other centrally located breakfast spots I recommend:

• Garden Café Nice: This is a popular brunch spot in Nice’s downtown area. They serve all kinds of beautifully plated breakfast/brunch items that cost about €12, and the café has a lovely ambiance inside. To see some of the dishes they serve, you can see their Instagram account here and see what I ordered below!

• Maranna: A trendy café in Old Nice that offers sweet, savory, vegetarian, and vegan options! It’s a bit on the pricey side, but if you have the means, it’s worth it. You’ll find the location of the cafe here.

• HOBO COFFEE: This is another spot near the Nice Cathedral that I enjoyed eating at. The cafe provides a good amount of outdoor seating and offers fairly large portions of food, which I appreciated! The menu is on the smaller side, but still, there’s a decent selection and the prices were fairly affordable 🙂

2. Cathédrale Saint-Nicolas de Nice

After you have some food in your system and are ready to start exploring, I recommend taking public transportation or walking from Liberation Market to the Cathédrale Saint-Nicolas de Nice. Here, you will find the very colorful cathedral that features bright blue-green onion domes.

And, if you’re thinking the architectural style is familiar but can’t quite put your finger on why…it’s because it’s an Eastern Orthodox Cathedral. In 1912, the cathedral was built to accommodate the large Russian community in Nice that had formed because of the city’s alluring climate.

Today, the Cathédrale Saint-Nicolas de Nice is a national monument of France but remains property of Russia. Visitors are welcome to go inside and admire the stunning architecture.

That said, make sure you are wearing respectful clothing (no short shorts) before entering. Otherwise, you may be given an apron to cover up or simply not permitted inside… like I was 🫠. Regardless, it’s worth spending a couple of minutes to appreciate the distinct architecture of this lesser-known hidden gem.

🐚☀️ NOTE: If this is too outside the city center for you, an alternative place to visit is the Basilique Notre-Dame de l’Assomption. It’s about a 10-minute walk from Liberation Market and much closer to the city center than the Cathédrale Saint-Nicolas de Nice.

3. Place Garibaldi

For the third stop, head to Place Garibaldi or Garibaldi Square, one of the oldest squares in Nice. This lovely square is encompassed by gorgeous yellow buildings and dates back to 1773. It was initially built to welcome the King of Sardinia when Nice was technically part of Italy. Today, the square serves as more of a gathering place for tourists and locals alike.

You’ll find a few cafes and nice areas to sit at if you want to enjoy some coffee, grab a bite to eat, or simply people-watch. And, something you may not notice at first glance is that the yellow buildings’ feature trompe l’œil. What I mean is that the little arches, columns, and details surrounding the windows are hyperrealistic optical illusions. They are mere convincing 3-D paintings!

Another cool tidbit about Place Garibaldi is that if you’re in the square at exactly 12 PM (noon), then you can hear the daily “cannon”. The loud boom is manually sounded off every day to signal that it’s lunchtime and is a tradition dating back to over 150+ years ago.

When my friend and I heard it the first time, we didn’t know what it was or what it symbolized. And, like any unknowing tourist or rather, American tourist,…we thought someone had fired a gun or a bomb had gone off. My friend was extremely scared and wanted to run, but I noticed that not a single person in the vicinity was concerned…Thus, I figured it couldn’t be anything major if no one else was worried or running. The moral of the story is if you hear a loud boom go off in Place Garibaldi around midday, it’s just your friendly reminder to eat something!

4. Castle Hill

From Place Garibaldi, make your way to Castle Hill, one of the most popular attractions in Nice. Originally, Castle Hill was utilized as a military fortress (citadel) from the 11th century until the 18th century. However, King Louis XIV (Mr. Sun King) ordered it to be destroyed after the French gained control of the area. Today, it functions as a public park that is perfect for taking in the surrounding landscape, relaxing, or entertaining little ones.

To reach the top, you’ll have to do a little uphill walk, but don’t worry – there are plenty of water fountains to keep you hydrated! You’ll even pass by several mini-observation decks that’ll give you a sneak peek of what’s to come!

And, one place I recommend stopping at on your trek up Castle Hill is the Castle’s cemetery. You’re likely thinking who wants to walk around a cemetery, but it’s quite beautiful. You’ll find an abundance of ornate family tombstones dating back several centuries ago!

As you continue your way up to the top, you’ll also pass by a massive artificial waterfall. It may not be real, but it’s still pretty and serves as an indication that you’re one level away from the peak!

When you reach the pinnacle of Castle Hill, you’ll be greeted with the most stunning panoramic views of the city. From the incredibly turquoise waters of the Bay of Angles to the iconic red roofs that dot the city – it’s a must-visit location of Nice. Oh! And don’t forget to look at the verdant French Alps behind you. Those views are almost as good as the main star of the show!

5. Old Town

Once you’re done exploring Castle Hill, make your way back down towards Old Town, the fifth stop on this 1 day in Nice itinerary. Here, you’ll find some of the city’s oldest buildings and a plethora of colorful alleyways filled with restaurants, pastries, and small boutique shops. I recommend wandering around the winding streets and admiring the vibrant colors and architecture.

And if you’re looking for souvenir ideas, consider gifting bar soaps! The region is known for its beautifully scented bar soaps which make the perfect souvenir for people who appreciate gifts that disappear over time!

6. Socca for Lunch

By now, you’ll likely be ready to grab a bite to eat for lunch or at least a quick snack to fuel you until dinnertime. I highly recommend trying Socca if you have never had it before. It’s one of the food items that Nice is famous for and is similar to a crispy pancake! Plus, for anyone with dietary restrictions, you’ll be pleased to know that Socca is both vegan and gluten-free! The traditional snack is composed of only 4 ingredients: Chickpea flour, water, olive oil, and salt.

For those interested in trying Socca, you’ll easily find different food stalls in Nice’s Old Town serving it! And the best part is that they usually only cost €1 – 3, so they’re quite affordable. That said, they can cost a couple more euros if you choose to add additional toppings!

But, for the ultimate foodie experience, I 10/10 recommend adding a food tour to your Nice itinerary if you have time! You won’t regret it as this city is filled with so many tasty Niçoise delights. It’s honestly the main reason I’m determined to move here one day…🤩

✅ 🇫🇷 Check rates & availability for the Nice Food Tour that I loved!

7. #ILOVENICE Sign

When you’re ready to leave Old Town, the next stop is the popular and massive #ILoveNICE sign. This is only a 5-minute walk from Nice’s Old Town and is one of the best spots to capture a picture of the heavenly Nice coastline with all the colorful buildings as the backdrop.

You can expect some crowds during peak travel season, but overall, you shouldn’t have to wait too long to take a picture!

8. Ponchettes Beach

The eighth stop on this 1 day in Nice tour is Ponchettes Beach, which is a 2-minute walk from Nice’s historic Old Town. Technically, there are a bunch of beaches that make up the iconic coastline in Nice. But in my opinion, they’re all pretty much the same: rocky with views of the most unbelievably turquoise blue waters. Regardless, I recommend soaking up the sun and swimming in the warm blue waters at one of the beaches!

And to avoid having to bear crawl on the shoreline, I strongly suggest bringing water shoes or flip flops. The rocks may look friendly and innocent, but they are most certainly not! I also suggest bringing something thick like a yoga mat if you plan on sunbathing. My friend and I only brought a towel, and it was not nearly as pleasant as I had hoped.

Swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, however, was an absolute highlight of my time in Nice! Definitely worth spending some time here, but not too much…there are still a couple of places to see!

9. Promenade des Anglais

After enjoying the refreshing Côte d’Azur waters, it’s time to enjoy a stroll along France’s most famous promenade. The Promenade des Anglais is a 4.35-mile-long paved walkway that stretches from the airport to Old Nice. It’s also one of the most lively parts of Nice, so you can expect a decent amount of crowds, runners, and beachgoers.

Obviously, you won’t want to walk the promenade in its entirety, but it’s wonderful to admire the picturesque views. See if you can spot the distinct blue and white striped parasols as you walk to the next stop!

10. Place Massena

The tenth stop on our 1-day tour of Nice is Place Massena, which is a quick 2-minute walk from Promenade des Anglais. This is the main square of Nice that’s a crowd favorite due to its bright red buildings with their Italian architecture.

However, the highlight of this square is the Fontaine du Soleil or Sun Fountain. As you can see below, the fountain features a massive bronze statue of Apollo and it’s quite a sight to behold. In the surrounding area, you’ll discover a lot of stores and restaurants. I recommend spending a few moments enjoying the local atmosphere and snapping a few photos of the striking scenery!

11. Promenade du Paillon

The last real stop of the day is the Promenade du Paillon, which is right next to the Place Massena. In my opinion, even though it’s in plain sight and quite accessible to everyone, Promenade du Paillon is an absolute hidden gem in Nice. As you can see in the picture below, Promenade du Paillon consists of a massive park filled with fun structures to climb.

It’s technically a children’s park, but let me tell you… I even saw adults running around and playing games! My friend and I had the time of our lives jumping around on the mini floor trampolines and looking at all the imaginative jungle gyms. Truly, if you have been wanting to shamelessly get back in touch with your childhood self, come here. It’s so worth it and just a delight to walk around and people-watch.

12. Dinner in Old Town

Finally, to end your day on a high note, I recommend eating dinner and perhaps an ice cream in Nice’s Old Town. Below are my top three recommendations, all costing around €20 – €25. Feel free to click the names of the restaurants to view their location on Google Maps!

• Le Panier: This is hands down one of the best restaurants in Nice that is located in the heart of Nice. The menu is smaller compared to other restaurants but makes up for it with exceptional quality and taste. Plus, there’s a huge selection of regional wines to select from. You can expect wonderful service that will even accommodate specific dietary restrictions if you request them. I recommend the several-course tasting menu if you have to means to splurge! Click to see the menu and make a reservation.

🐚☀️NOTE: For dinner, they are only open Thursday – Monday from 7 PM – 9:30 PM. They’re closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.

• La Taula: A small family-run restaurant that is simple and offers delicious food. The staff is very attentive, and the chef will even go around ensuring the food is satisfactory! To see the menu and make a reservation click here.

• La Cucina: Another cozy family-run restaurant that offers amazing seasonal and fresh French-Italian food! The food is beautifully presented, the service is great, and there’s both outdoor and indoor seating. I highly suggest getting here at 6 PM as it’s a very popular spot and there are no reservations! (Official opening is at 6:30 PM)

Other Places to Visit in Nice

If you end up having more time in Nice or simply are looking for a few other things to do around Nice, here are my top recommendations!

• Cathedrale Sainte-Réparate de Nice: A smaller yet still incredibly impressive Catholic Cathedral located in the center of Nice’s Old Town. The cathedral is more commonly referred to as Nice Cathedral and features Baroque architecture! It’s free to walk around inside and worth taking a few minutes to appreciate the impressive artwork on display.

• Musée Matisse: A museum that holds the largest collection of works from the French painter Henri Matisse. It’s on the smaller side, but lovely for an afternoon visit if you are a fan of art history or French artwork!

• Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nice: Nice’s Museum of Fine Arts features artwork spanning the last four centuries. Visitors will find works from artists such as Picasso, Rodin, Chéret, and many others!

3 Easy Day Trips From Nice, France

If you have some extra time and looking for a change in scenery, consider taking a day trip! Here are three awesome day trips to consider.

Day Trip to Villefranche-sur-Mer

If you want to spend some time in one of the most underrated and dreamy cities in France, consider an e-bike ride to Villefranche-sur-Mer. The city feels like it’s straight out of a fairytale as you walk through the winding narrow cobblestone streets and colorful quaint houses. And if you’re thinking that you can’t possibly see Nice and Villefranche-sur-Mer on the same day… with an e-bike it’s more than possible. This fantastic 2.5-hour e-bike tour takes you around both Nice and parts of Villefranche-sur-Mer, such as Fort Alban.

✅ 🚴‍♂️ Check rates and availability for this e-bike tour through Nice and Villefranche-sur-Mer

Day Trip to Monaco

Depending on where you’re staying in Nice, a day trip to one of the wealthiest countries in the world is about half an hour away! In Monaco, you can visit the famous Monte Carlo Casino featured in the James Bond movie series, walk along the historic Formula 1 race track, and take in the iconic yacht harbor!

And if you don’t want to deal with navigating the trains or want to make the absolute most of your time, consider taking a tour to Monaco. This highly rated, popular half-day tour picks you up from your hotel, drives you to the medieval village of Eze, and guides you through Monaco!

✅ Check availability and rates for this awesome 5-hour tour from Nice to Eze and Monaco

Day Trip to Menton

Located just beyond Monaco near the Italian border is the French city of Menton! Here, you will find more beautiful beaches, the scenic gardens of Serre de la Madone, and the vibrantly colored homes dotting the hillside!

How to Get to Nice, France

There are three main ways you can get to Nice: by plane, by train, or by car.

By Plane

To get there by plane, you’ll want to fly into the Nice Côte d’Azur Airport and take the Line 2 tramway into the center of the city. Alternatively, you can also hire a car service. This is more expensive than taking the tramway but is certainly much more time-efficient. My friends and I opted to take a car service when we flew out of Nice early in the morning, and it was well worth not having to haul our luggage to the metro station.

✈️ PRO TIP: Use both Skyscanner and StudentUniverse to find the cheapest flights available.

Plus, we got to the airport in less than half the time that it took us when going from the airport to our housing. And trust me, every extra minute of shut-eye matters when you’re leaving before the sunrises 🙃

✅ Check rates & availability for private transportation between Nice city center and the Côte d’Azur Airport

By Train

If you’re already touring through France or Europe and jumping from destination to destination, consider taking the train. It’ll make your trip to Nice less expensive compared to flying, and the trains are fairly easy to navigate and quite reliable. And, I can confidently say that even after traveling to 33 countries, I still believe that France has the absolute best internal transportation network.

✅ To find transportation that works best with your itinerary, click here to search on Omio 🚂

If you have never heard of Omio, it’s a transportation search engine for travel through Europe. After testing many different search platforms, this is without a doubt my personal favorite, and I’ve been happily relying on it for the last 4 years! You can use this link to check it out and if you end up booking something at any point down the line, you’ll get $11 off your first booking! 🤠

By Car

The last and most obvious option is to drive to Nice, France if you have access to a car. But this is only worth it if you’re planning on doing a road trip through France and/or Europe. You likely won’t need a car to simply get around the city or even the nearby surrounding cities.

How to Get Around Nice

Speaking of which… let’s talk about how to get around Nice! First of all, Nice is an extremely walkable city and everything is fairly close together. Once you’re in the main Old Town area, you can easily walk to about 80% of the city’s main attractions.

That said, to make the most of your limited time and not miss out on a couple of lesser-known spots, I would suggest getting a 24-hour pass. A day pass only costs a few euros (~$5) and allows for unlimited rides on the metro, tram, and city buses! You can purchase them at the ticketing machines at the tram station platforms or in cash from bus drivers. Just be sure you always validate your ticket to avoid being fined in the event of a ticket check. For more information on the metro system and various ticket options, check the official website.

Not up for walking?

If you’re not up for walking and don’t want to navigate the city’s public transit network, a fun way to explore the city is to take a 2-hour segway tour of Nice. On this tour, a local guide will show you the best highlights of the city as well as some local hidden gems!

✅ Check rates & availability for this fun 2 or 3-hour segway tour through Nice

But if you want something even more laid back, you can ride the hop-on hop-off bus for Nice. The official tour route lasts an hour and a half, and there are a total of 12 stops at various attractions and places. You can join the tour at any stop and are given an audio guide to help learn about all the places you’ll visit.

Additionally, the buses are double-deckers, so you can enjoy views of the city from the open-top space of the bus. Thus, if you want to explore Nice at your own pace but don’t want to walk everywhere, I recommend purchasing a 1-day or 2-day hop-on, hop-off bus ticket!

✅ Check prices for a 1-day or 2-day Hop on Hop off Bus ticket for Nice 🚌

Where to Stay in Nice

There are tons of fancy hotels in Nice and you could easily spend days researching which one to stay at. But if you want to skip the research part, here are 3 places that stay in Nice that I recommend checking out.

Budget Stay

• Hostel OZZ & Bar: | 🌟8.6 / 10 If you’re backpacking or trying to save money with a cheaper stay, I recommend this aesthetic hostel. It has the highest ratings, is only 2 minutes away from the Nice central station, and offers breakfast in the morning. The one thing to note is that it is on the expensive side, but I found it was still worth the price tag!

✅ Check rates & availability for Hostel OZZ & Bar

Low-Cost Hotel

• Arome Hotel: | 🌟9.5 / 10 This hotel is just a couple minutes’ walk from the Promenade des Anglais. The hotel staff is extremely kind and goes above and beyond to ensure your stay is everything and more. They give local recommendations on where to eat and what to visit, and will even provide umbrellas if it’s raining! Not to mention, the rooms are uniquely styled and include all the essentials you need to have a lovely time in Nice. Cannot recommend this boutique hotel enough!

✅ Check rates & availability for Arome Hotel

Mid-Range Hotel

• Hotel de France: | 🌟8.9 / 10 This hotel is also centrally located along the Promenade des Anglais, 0.6 miles from Place Massena, and 10 minutes walking distance from the train station. Guests will be able to enjoy clean, stylish rooms and have access to a sun deck, and terrace and can join free walking tours. The staff is also exceptionally friendly and hospitable! I recommend Hotel de France for guests who want a very comfortable stay right in the heart of the city!

✅ Check prices for a beachfront stay at Hotel de France

Visiting Nice: FAQ

Wrap-Up: One Perfect Day in Nice, France

Nice is an undeniably beautiful coastal city that is always worth paying a visit to, even if only for one day. There is truly something for everyone to enjoy in the city and there’s hardly a better place to soak up the gorgeous weather and escape the daily hustle! So, whether you stay for a day, a few days, or even a week, I wish you the absolute best time in the French Rivera! And in case you’re struggling to remember everything mentioned in the post…here is a quick recap!

Recap

Here is a list of the 11 places to visit during your 1 day in Nice, France!

1. Breakfast at Liberation Market: Alternatively, check out Garden Café Nice, Maranna, or HOBO COFFEE.
2. Cathédrale Saint-Nicolas de Nice: Colorful Eastern Orthodox Church
3. Place Garibaldi: Square with bright yellow buildings that feature Trompe d’œil paintings
4. Castle Hill: Giant park on top of a hill that offers sweeping panoramic views of Nice
5. Old Town: Most historic part of the city with winding alleyways, shops, and eateries
6. Socca for Lunch: Specialty food item from Nice that is cheap and very tasty!
7. #ILoveNice Sign: Popular viewpoint and place to capture pictures of the coastline.
8. Ponchettes Beach: Picturesque beach right in front of Nice’s Old Town
9. Promenade des Anglais: 4.35-mile stretch that’s ideal for a casual stroll
10. Place Massena: Famous checkered square that features ochre red buildings & the Sun Fountain
11. Promenade du Paillon: Massive park with the most amazing playground structures
12. Dinner in Nice: Check out Le Panier, La Taula, or La Cucina

Explore France

• 🗼 Paris: Debating whether or not to pay a visit to the French capital? Here is everything to know about Paris and whether it’s right for you.

• 🏰 Carcassonne: Want to make a day trip to the most impressive and intact medieval fortifications in Europe? Read all about the historic city of Carcassonne and how to get there.

• 🍷 Lyon: Looking to taste some of the best wine that France has to offer? Escape to the French countryside of Beaujolais by taking a wine tour from Lyon.

• 🏄‍♀️ Biarritz: Want to see France’s western side? Spend a few days exploring the lovely town of Biarritz. It’s the perfect place for a relaxing and affordable beach vacation!