Nice, France: What to see, where to eat, what to do

A weekend in Nice, the French Riviera’s unofficial capital and a magnet for European aristocracy since Queen Victoria’s reign, could happily be spent simply enjoying its world-famous beach and promenade. But “Nissa la Bella,” or “Nice the Beautiful,” is more than sipping a floral Hugo spritz or splashing on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.
France’s second-most-visited city, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021, brims with the unexpected, including a wealth of prehistory and ancient ruins and newer attractions like a summer-only bar hidden in the back of a church. What can be anticipated is a busier peak season, thanks to spillover from the Paris Olympics (listen for the roars of soccer fans coming from Nice Stadium).
ITINERARY
Friday
3pm | Stroll flea markets
Nice, most likely settled around 350 B.C. by Greek mariners called Phocaeans, has been a port town for thousands of years. Stroll the still lively waterfront to grab a quick coffee (from 2 euros, or US$2.16) at the vegan cafe Full Bloom, just off Rue Cassini, before a short walk south to Les Puces de Nice, the flea market. Thirty or so little stalls, once huts for local fishermen, are packed with curiosities and treasures like vintage Hermes scarves and antique silverware. The flea markets border on the Quartier des Antiquaires, with stores offering furniture, books, militaria, clothing and art.
In the summer, a restored pointu (a traditional fishing boat) called Lou Passagin shuttles people across the port between 10am and 7pm Hop on for a free, short ride to the east bank.
4.30pm | Enter a sanctuary
Before the aristocracy and even the Phocaeans, the French Riviera had inhabitants nearly 400,000 years ago or even longer. Explore a bit of the region’s prehistory at the Grotte du Lazaret (free entry), a cave and now museum where visitors can view animal bones and worn tools, as well as fragments of human bones from when the shelter was inhabited between 190,000 and 120,000 years ago.
If time permits, complement the cave with a visit to the Musee de Prehistoire Terra Amata (entry 5 euros), a short walk away, to see the remains of hearths made by Nice’s inhabitants nearly 400,000 years ago. Also not far is Coco Beach (free entry), a tiny spot to watch the sun go down over the Baie des Anges — perhaps once a favourite of prehistoric residents too.
7pm | Dine by an old pine
Where Paris has Le Marais, that city’s LGBTQ+ hub, Nice has the lively Place du Pin, a gay-friendly, pedestrian-only street and plaza, named for the stalwart pine tree at its centre. A popular drinking hole is Comptoir Central Electrique, once an old electrical goods store; you’ll probably spot an Aperol spritz on nearly every table.
Cafe Paulette, another local favourite, has an eclectic menu: Housemade hummus (11 euros) and baked farmhouse Mont d’Or cheese (29 euros) appear alongside a Black Angus ramen in the style of a traditional pot-au-feu (26 euros). Reservations recommended. If your prefer fresh fish, Peixes is an excellent new addition. The light dishes fuse South American, Asian and Mediterranean flavours, like the prawn and sea bream ceviche with lychee, white pomelo and bergamot gel (18 euros).
9pm | Earn your nightcap
It’s time to seek out Zitto Speakeasy, a hidden bar in the port area that even frequent visitors insist on keeping secret. To find it, send a message to the bar’s Instagram account to get a clue. Then the hunt is on. The reward is a dimly lit, cavernlike space with plush armchairs and dark woods that contrast with ethereal white drapes. It’s intimate even on weekends. Signature cocktails (from 14.50 euros), come with unexpected details like mouth-numbing flower buds or cocktail-flavored gummies. Or ask for a surprise concoction made just for you.
Les Puces de Nice, a flea market near Nice’s port, offers a selection of vintage wares.
Grotte du Lazaret, a prehistoric cave by the port, offers a glimpse into how early humans survived using fire and tools between 190,000 and 120,000 years ago.
Zitto Speakeasy serves creative cocktails and mocktails in a cavernlike space.
Musee Massena, a museum in a typical 19th-century villa, shows the city’s evolution from an aristocratic winter resort to a vibrant cultural centre.
Saturday
9am | Caffeinate in Old Town
Marinette reminds you you’re really in Europe, thanks to tables that spill out into a bright but narrow Nice alleyway in the middle of Old Town. Inside, charmingly mismatched lamps swing from the ceiling. The restaurant’s menu changes, but ever-present is a fresh selection of pastries and sugary little things behind glass display cases. Marinette is known for its giant, fresh-out-of-the-oven cookies, served warm in a cast-iron skillet (12 euros), with monthly flavours. On a recent visit, it was white chocolate and raspberry, with lashings of pistachio cream. Order your coffee, or perhaps an iced chai latte with a sprinkling of cinnamon (5.50 euros), and ask for an outdoor table upstairs, where you can watch the world pass by below.
11am | Shop like royals do
Thus caffeinated, wander Old Town, where boutiques offer all sorts of treasures. Caprice Vintage on Rue Droite has a dedicated fan base for its handpicked clothing and accessories, from luxury designers like Chanel and Escada to high-end streetwear, carefully repaired and well maintained. Opposite is its men’s boutique. A few steps down is Maison Pampille, a purveyor of vintage and antique wares like colourful chinoiserie, polished cut-glass Champagne buckets and Vivienne Westwood bone china.
When Queen Victoria wintered in Nice, Maison Auer, on Rue Saint-François de Paul, delivered her sweets — it still sells handmade chocolates and fruit jellies today — and Papeterie Rontani, around the corner at Rue Alexandre Mari, was her official stationer. Tresors Publics, on Rue de la Prefecture, features French-made goods like soap from Marseille, mustard from Beaune and glass blown in nearby Biot.
Noon | Enjoy views over lunch
The draw at Bocca, a popular lunch spot, is its nearly 2,700-square-foot rooftop terrace offering a shady view of the colourful square Cours Saleya. The menu of shared plates features flavours from all over the Mediterranean, such as a heaped platter of black-ink paella with fresh squid cooked in parsley and butter (24 euros per person), or a delicate fried artichoke with raita, za’atar, basil and mint (14 euros). Enjoy them alongside a pitcher of fruity sangria de Cava (45 euros for 1.5 litres).
3.30pm | Hit the prom
After lunch, stroll Nice’s famous boardwalk, the Promenade des Anglais, built in the early 19th century by the English elite who made Nice their winter home, and lovingly called la Prom by locals. Its blue seats — les chaises bleues — have become such a symbol of Nice that over the years they have been the subject of both pranks and protests, and its white pergolas, along with the picture-perfect Negresco hotel, are hints of a bygone era.
Along the way, visit the Musee Massena, a museum housed in a 19th-century belle epoque villa (entry 10 euros) that covers Nice’s history, including its transformation into a tourist destination. Inside, artworks, furniture and other sumptuous decor are displayed over four fully accessible floors, giving a glimpse into how the wealthiest here once lived.
7pm | Learn the Nicois palate
Think of Maison Joia as a high-end delicatessen, inspired by Nice. Run by a husband-and-wife team, Julien and Laetitia Pilati, the restaurant and epicerie, or gourmet shop, showcases small French regional producers on its shelves; local olive oils with pretty stems of rosemary and thyme, terrines of a rare wild boar from the Pyrenees and flavoured vinegars from one of the oldest producers in France. The displayed items for sale are all used in the kitchen by Julien Pilati. Expect to be delighted by dishes like a salade nicoise deconstructed and artfully arranged with tiny edible blossoms, and surprised by desserts like the “illusion of a lemon” (13 euros) — a mousse-and-marmalade confection that looks like real citrus served on a sprinkling of soil.
10pm | Toast in a church 
You would never guess that behind Saint-Jacques-le-Majeur de Nice, a church in Old Town, is a great place for a nightcap. The church opened a speakeasy, Le Bethel, in 2022 as a meeting place for locals and tourists alike. Despite feeling borderline sacrilegious, the open-air bar feels typically Nicois; the space is framed by potted olive trees and lit by twinkling fairy lights, with sweet little corners filled with candles and comfortable seating, and a chess board that is often the centre of attention. The menu is low-key and low cost, with a white, a red and one or two beer options (4 euros per drink is a suggested donation, to help with the church’s upkeep). Open in the summer months only (check Instagram for updates on its seasonal closure).
Full Bloom is a woman-owned, LGBTQ+-friendly vegan cafe, with exceptional plant-based croissants.
Comptoir Central Electrique is a popular local bar in an old electrical goods store.
Cafe Paulette serves wonderfully eclectic dishes based on seasonal produce.
Peixes offers a fish-centric menu with flavours from South America, Asia and the Mediterranean.
Marinette, in the centre of Nice’s Old Town, has a quiet outdoor rooftop that is perfect for a sweet brunch.
Bocca, a rooftop restaurant by Cours Saleya, a colourful square, serves lunch inspired by the Mediterranean; think paella and jugs of fruity sangria.
Maison Joia, a restaurant that draws on Nicois cuisine, showcases small French producers on its menu.
Le Bethel is an open-air bar, open only in the summer, hidden behind an old church.
L’Altra Casa, a cafe in the Liberation neighbourhood, is great for a light breakfast overlooking a market.
Deli Bo serves artisanal pastries and patisserie, like creamy eclairs and fruity mille-feuilles.
Kiosque Tintin, a Nicois institution, sells local favourites, like fresh pan bagnat (salade nicoise, the classic tuna salad, in a roll) and pissaladiere (a caramelised onion tart).
Sunday 
9am | Peruse the produce
Liberation, north of the main train station, is a quiet neighbourhood with a produce market (open daily, except Mondays) that attracts residents from across the city. One particular stall is dedicated to the potato, with a dozen kinds all marked for different methods of cooking. For a typical French breakfast of a croissant, a hot drink and orange juice, grab a table at l’Altra Casa, a great spot to watch the organised chaos of the market in the mornings. For a picnic later, head to Kiosque Tintin, a takeout kiosk, for a pan bagnat (a salade nicoise in a fresh bread roll; 5.70 euros) and a slice of pissaladiere (a caramelised onion tart; 2.20 euros). Or pick up a pastry from Deli Bo — like a tiny mille-feuille with vanilla cream and fresh raspberries (6.50 euros).
10.30am | Meet Matisse
Henri Matisse wasn’t born in Nice, but he spent much of his life here until his death in 1954. The Musee Matisse, in a 17th-century villa in the Cimiez neighbourhood, has one of the world’s largest collections of his works. The museum is in Arenes de Cimiez, a public park with ancient ruins of an amphitheatre and bath complex; this part of Nice was once Cemenelum, a Roman town.The Musee d’Archeologie de Nice-Cimiez, next to the Musee Matisse, displays artifacts from Cemenelum, including vases, coins, jewellery and perfume bottles. A ticket for 12 euros gives entry to both museums. Once through with the exhibitions, find a spot in the park among the ruins for your picnic lunch.
Le Negresco, a landmark hotel on the Promenade des Anglais, offers a Michelin-starred restaurant and a beautiful spa. Rooms start at around 680 euros (around US$737).
Hotel du Couvent is a beautifully restored former convent that was established in 1604. Rooms start at 450 euros.
Mama Shelter brings a youthful, eclectic vibe to the Riquier neighbourhood. Rooms start around 185 euros.
By Chloe Braithwaite © The New York Times
This article originally appeared in The New York Times