Nice (pronounced like the English word "niece") is a large city in France on the French Riviera. It's a popular destination for vacationers young and old, with something to offer nearly everyone. It is well known for the beautiful view on the Promenade des Anglais, its famous waterfront, and is an ethnically diverse port city. In 2021 the waterfront and a considerable part of the city were listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
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Nice's origins can be found among the Gallo-Roman ruins of Cimiez, in the hills up the boulevard de Cimiez from downtown. Cimiez also contains a monastery and some museums, but nowadays, most of the city's inhabitants live closer to sea level. Nice was part of the Italian Duchy of Savoia and then the Kingdom of Sardinia until it was ceded to France in 1860. The ancient local language is Nissart, and some of the street signs are bilingual. However very few people speak Nissart, and even the elderly know and speak French.
Warning: The following text is outdated as of 2026. Each main town on the French Riviera has its own local bus network, for Nice it is Lignes d'Azur (Antibes has Envibus, Cannes has Bus Azur, and so on), and the 100 or more Lignes d'Azur routes are the main form of urban transport for locals going to work or school. Of more interest to tourists, an inter-urban network, Zou! connects all the Eastern Riviera towns between Cannes and Menton and all the main villages like Èze and Vence. Its terminal is at 16 Avenue des Diables Bleus.
The greatest thing to see in Nice is the views along the Promenade des Anglais, which skirts the seacoast for over 5 km, then ends at Nice Airport. These are the views you will have seen in dozens of postcards and in paintings by the 20th-century artist Henri Matisse, who spent so many years living in Nice, but whether you've seen pictures or not, you owe it to yourself to walk along some of this stretch if you have made it to Nice. The old town (Vieux Nice) beneath the hill is a maze of streets and alleys, with many picturesque houses, boutiques and home to the daily flower and fruit market of the Cours Saleya.
If you go to Nice for bathing or general lounging on the beach, you may wish to think again. The beaches of Nice consist entirely of large flat stones (gallets). A few private beaches have added a layer of sand, but the free public beaches are a stony experience. Besides towels or mats, you should definitely bring sandals, since walking on the stones can be painful, and a cushion if you want to sit. Free showers are provided on all public beaches and there is a beach volleyball area that is netted off with white sand. Although the beaches are mainly pebbles, many visitors enjoy the beautiful light blue sea for a swim.
Many restaurants and cafés serve local food. You might consider preparing some simple meals chez vous or take home some local Nice delicacies to enjoy on your balcony. Street food is widely available in Nice. A combination of choices could easily replace a lunch without paying restaurant prices. Socca, a chickpea flour flat bread snack, lightly fried, warm and ready to take away (about €3) in a paper wrap to enjoy on a bench overlooking the sea on the Promenade des Anglais Pan bagnat is a tuna fish sandwich with olives, sliced hard boiled eggs and fresh vegetables Pizza can be a 'street food' take away but might be better served directly from a wood-fired oven.
With the hot Niçois summers, carrying a bottle of water is almost a must. Bear in mind the largest single complaint to the municipal authority tourist department is the offering in restaurants of branded water bottles whose seal has been broken – i.e. refilled with tap water – and charged as Perrier or Evian. You can save a lot of money by buying alcoholic drinks and such in a normal supermarket instead of the vendors geared towards tourists.
Nice's crime rate is comparable to other cities in western countries. Nevertheless, locals have been grumbling about a number of issues since the 2000s, often with good reasons. Basic precautions are needed at times. Nice is known to be the city in France with the highest number of police officers per capita – and since the tragic 2016 terrorist attack by the promenade, Nice hosts a large number of military patrols. They can be somewhat intimidating to meet, especially in the middle of the night, however they are there to maintain an air of control.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Nice typically sees ~29°C daytime highs and 1 rainy days.
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