a travel guide to enjoy your visit to nice, south of France

Visiting the French Riviera has always had a dream; I wanted to make that trip when I had a bit more disposable income, and this year was finally it! I hopped on a train from Paris Gare de Lyon to Nice, the ride was almost 6 hours, and of course, I slept through it.

After being in a hostel surrounded by people, it was nice to have some privacy, staying at this quaint apartment in Port Lympia, Nice. The host was pretty great; she had a bottle of sauvignon blanc and cookies for me as a welcome gift. Also, the apartment was the most stocked i’ve ever seen; it had everything! It had a perfect setup for a desk as well as I was working during the trip.

Nice is not a cheap place, so of course, Uber rides were pricey, which was my bad; if I had pulled myself out of bed in good time, I could have simply walked to the places I called Ubers to because Nice is very walker-friendly. There were also buses and public transportation, but I enjoyed walking around. An alternative is to rent a pedicab; I enjoyed one on my last night in Nice and wished I had ridden one earlier. 

I booked an Airbnb experience like I always do in every city I visit, as these experiences are a brilliant way to immerse yourself into the culture and environment of where you visit. I love dancing Salsa, and because I hadn’t done so in a while, I booked a Salsa dancing in the park experience not far from Garibaldi Square, and I loved every second of it. I got to brush up on my skills too.

Things to do in Nice:

• There are so many beautiful towns in the Côte d'Azur (AKA French Riviera), like Cannes, Saint-Tropez, Antibes,  Eze, and there are a few more; I recommend visiting them as well; they are so close by that you could do day trips to them on your own or through a tour service.

• Starting early in the morning, take a trip to Cours Saleya, an outdoor market in the city center. It's popularly called the Flower Market, but there’s so much more than flowers. Vendors sold fresh fruits, some of the most beautiful strawberries I’ve ever soon, soaps, souvenirs, and much more. Cafes, dinners, and restaurants surround the area, so choose what you want to eat. This was definitely at the top of my to-do list, and I enjoyed it.

• Walk/Hike up the Castle Hill! It wasn’t too steep but wear some very comfortable shoes. You get a stunning view of the French Riviera, the port, the mountains, everything!

• On your way up Castle Hill, you’ll see the famous #IloveNice sign, you could get some lovely photos here, but there will be many people trying to do the same thing. So do what I did, get up early, aim to be at the sign around 7 AM, and you’ll have yourself a solo uninterrupted photo shoot.

• Right across the street from the sign is the steep staircase that takes you up to what, in my opinion, is the most beautiful spot in Nice. Hike to the top, and you’ll be rewarded with a view of the Casteau Waterfall. This is the view from Nice that’s still etched in my brain. On the next level, either up a flight of stairs or down, there’s an unforgettable panoramic view of Nice, which makes the hike very worth it. This is a must-do when visiting Nice.

• Post Castle-hill hike, you can enjoy a stroll on the promenade. You’ll see a bunch of people laying on the galet beach, but I wasn’t doing that. Give me a sand beach, not pebbles, OK. The promenade has many restaurants and bars; it’s a great place to just do nothing and people-watch. You also dont want to miss out on seeing the iconic Le Negresco Hotel.

• Garibaldi Square is another great spot to enjoy the beauty of Nice while munching on some food or taking in the sights. On my last night, I enjoyed a pedicab ride from the Square to a gelato shop and then back to my vacation apartment. It was an exciting way to see the city.

• What’s a trip to the French Riviera without sailing the french riviera? My cousin was also in town, so we rented a boat for a half day from Port De Beaulieu-Sur-Mer, and it took us all the way down to Monaco, and it was perhaps my most beautiful travel experience. Laying on the hood of the boat with loved ones, snacking, watching other boats and yachts go by, and marveling at the expanse of clear blue water. The captain anchored the boat in Eze, where we could jump into the water and enjoy a swim. Never in my life have I wished I knew how to swim more than I did at that moment. Watching my cousins swim off to explore these beautiful caves tugged at my heartstrings. So it’s on my list for this year. I MUST LEARN HOW TO SWIM!

• I did visit Monaco; well, I tried. Unfortunately, the Grand Prix was happening the day I went, everywhere was shut, and all the roads were blocked off. I was bummed out that I couldn't see the Monte Carlo Casino where Casino Royale was filmed and eat at this popular restaurant, but I’ll be back! It was a 45-minute train ride from Nice to Monaco, which cost about €8 round trip. Even though Monaco is in the South of France, it is its own country, the second smallest country in the world, and Monte Carlo is its capital.

• If you love crepes as much as I do, the best place to eat them in Nice is Le Pass’Port; I went there every day. I had the crepe with cinnamon, brown sugar, and apple juice every day. It got to a point where the amazing hostess just smiled at me and said, “The usual?” and I’d just smile and nod.

Other great places I recommend eating at are: 

1. Top-rated restaurants in Nice, il Vicoletto, everything was immaculate! It was the perfect meal for a perfect stay in Nice.

2. La Tartane for the best pizza in Nice

3. Pain & Cie (near the flower market) for a wholesome breakfast

4. Comme un Dimanche for a cute, all-day brunch place.

The streets was saying that the best place for ice cream in Nice is at Fenocchio ,the Ice Cream parlor had been around since 1960 and had the most ice cream flavors I have ever seen! There was even a flavor called Cactus; lowkey, I’d have loved to taste that. So if you’re a sweet tooth, swing by; I believe there are 2 of them in Vieux Nice (Old Nice).  

I did get a botched tattoo from this place called Tattoo 23. I was annoyed and wondering how the place had such a high rating, but not to worry, I’ll be covering that up! But on the upside, I had the best Brazilian and underarm wax experience of my life at Insitut Paradiso. The lady who took care of me was patient and thorough, and clean! I love my waxer here in Chicago, but I still think of the lady who did my wax in Nice.

I’ve made it easy for ya’ll by hyperlinking all the important spots. If you want some more juicy deets on my Nice trip, click here. Until I book another flight somewhere… who knows where, follow me on Instagram and TikTok for more travel stories, tips, itineraries, and gist.

xxx

- Summer