16 things you need to know before visiting Nice, France

The grande dame of the French Riviera, Nice brims with panache and elegance, which you’ll find it in every ornate Belle Époque palace, baroque chapel and Mediterranean-blue chair along its famous corniche.

The capital of France’s legendary Côte d’Azur is only a modestly sized city – yet the choice of things to see and do here stretches well beyond bracing strolls along Promenade des Anglais and lying out on one of countless pebbled beaches.

As you plan your next visit to Nice, count on lingering more than a couple of days to properly discover the place. Advance planning is the key to getting the most out of your time here – book too late (or not at all), and you might miss out on live jazz beneath the stars at the open-air Théâtre de Verdure, or a table for the best of modern Niçois gastronomy at Flaveur.

Here’s what you need to know to ensure smooth sailing on a trip to Nice.

1. Buy tickets for top events and performances well in advance

Flagship events such as the Nice Jazz Festival in August and February’s Carnaval de Nice (for those keen to watch the parades from the comfort of a seat in a stand) require planning months in advance. Ditto for world-famous affairs in nearby towns – especially the Monaco Grand Prix or the Fête du Citron (Lemon Festival) in Menton, 30km to the east.

The season at Nice’s stunning Opéra Nice Côte d’Azur runs from September to June, and tickets for operas, classical concerts and ballets at this grandiose 19th-century opera house sell like hotcakes. Buy tickets a few weeks (or even months) ahead, and be sure to pack something a little more formal to fit in with the soigné crowd.

2. Make restaurant choices (and reservations) ahead of time

Nice has plenty of old-town bistros, neighborhood eateries, caves à manger (wine bars) and sea-facing restaurants that require no table reservations. Yet to ensure your meals are a cut above typical tourist fare, do your homework to identify the Nice restaurants that most appeal. This way, you can enjoy the perfect plate of petits farcis (stuffed vegetables) or socca (chickpea pancakes), or the creative contemporary gastronomy of such Michelin-starred chefs as the Tourteaux brothers at Flaveur, Mickaël Gracieux at L’Aromate or South African chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen at Jan.

3. Invest in a multi-attraction pass to save on sightseeing

If you’re planning on visiting a few of Nice’s stellar museums, a Pass Musées (available to buy online or at the tourist office in town) is a fabulous deal. Costing 15 euros per person and valid for 4 days, the pass covers admission to all municipal museums and galleries, which range from the Musée National du Sport to the unmissable Musée Matisse and Musée Marc Chagall. Even if you want to visit just two institutions, the pass should pay for itself.

When plotting your museum itinerary, investigate which temporary exhibitions and events are on – keep tabs on what’s happening via the Musées de la Ville de Nice Facebook page.

If your Nice itinerary includes day trips to neighboring hot spots such as Monaco, Èze, Marineland in Antibes or the Belle Époque Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild in St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, it’s well worth investing in a French Riviera Pass (€30 for 1 day, €45 for 2 days and €65 for 3 days). The pass will get you admission to top regional museums and monuments – as well as fun extras like a half-hour Segway tour, bicycle and e-scooter rental, champagne at the city casino, a stand-up paddleboarding session, wine tasting and other experiences.

4. Don’t even think of driving in Nice

Since downtown traffic and parking are hopeless in Nice, don’t even contemplate exploring the city by car. Instead, get around on foot – and, for longer distances, by public transport and shared, dockless electric bikes (just download the app to get pedaling).

And nothing compares to seeing the Côte d’Azur’s fabled coastline from the water. Trans Côte d’Azur boats sail east from Nice along the picturesque shoreline to Monaco, passing Villefranche-sur-Mer, Cap Ferrat and Èze, and to glitzy St-Tropez via Antibes and star-studded Cannes.

5. Save bikinis and bare chests for the beach

Once you’re on the beach, you’ll find that locals aren’t shy about baring skin, and toplessness is perfectly acceptable for all. But what’s exposed at the beach is just for the beach: it’s considered beneath tacky to walk around the city in skimpy beachwear or bare-chested. Away from the shore, dress as you would in any non-coastal city; in summer, loose-fitting shirts and flowing skirts or relaxed-fit shorts are the way to go. Don’t forget a sun hat, sun protection and shades. 

6. Leave the pebbles (and the blue chairs) where they belong

While it might be tempting to pop a couple of Nice’s signature round galets (pebbles) into your beach bag as a South of France souvenir, don’t do it. Each year, some 15,000 cubic meters of gloriously smooth pebbles from the nearby River Paillon are poured onto the beaches along Promenade des Anglais to slow down natural (and human-assisted) erosion. Play your part in preserving Nice’s legendary pebble beaches – or risk a fine.

Also, note that Nice’s iconic blue chairs – a permanent fixture on the waterfront since the 1950s – belong on Promenade des Anglais. Do not move them onto the beach or, heaven forbid, attempt to take them home with you.

7. Dress modestly when visiting churches

Leave the ultra-short shorts and miniskirts at home when visiting Cathédrale Ste-Réparate, Chapelle de la Miséricorde and other old-town churches and chapels. Bring a scarf – make that two – to cover bare shoulders as well as thighs.

8. Get dressed up to dine out

Proudly resisting the worldwide trend of all-casual, all the time, Nice is all about glamor when it comes to going on the town. Accordingly, pack a posh-looking outfit or two, then dress up for nicer mid-range restaurants, clubs and bars. Skip the shorts, sneakers and jeans (though black or “smarter” jeans are usually acceptable).

9. Tote your own bag or basket to the market

Browsing market stalls at Vieux Nice’s open-air market on Cours Saleya or the equally jam-packed Marché de la Libération is a Niçois rite of passage. Before you pick out the perfect seasonal fruit and vegetables, shiny olives, a rainbow of fresh blooms and exotic spices, remember to bring your own basket or shopping bag to carry your purchases.

10. Avoid restaurants touting menus touristiques

Nice has its fair share of restaurants targeting a less-discerning tourist crowd. Skip the restaurants touting a menu touristique – and follow locals instead to neighborhood eateries where menus come only in French, and kitchens are fueled by seasonal ingredients sourced from regional farmers and artisan producers.

11. Never order a cappuccino to end a meal

Cappuccino is an Italian import – in France, un café (a short, sharp espresso) is the only self-respecting choice.

12. Shop for sustainably produced “Made in Nice” souvenirs

Vieux Nice boasts ample souvenir shops selling mass-produced dross aimed squarely at tourists. Instead, hunt down artist-supporting ateliers and independent boutiques for environmentally conscious homewares, culinary products and handcrafted goods produced by local artisans, craftsmen, farmers, producers and fashion designers. On-trend concept and vinyl store Evrlst on rue du Lycée in Vieux Nice is a good starting point.

Maison Auer has sold Nice’s famous fruits confits (crystallized fruits) to the sweet-toothed since 1820. If wine is your nectar, discover small-batch wines from the Alpes-Maritimes and Var regions at the trusted 1940s wine shop, Cave de la Tour, in Vieux Nice. You can also buy direct from a local château: wine lovers will be instantly smitten by Château de Bellet, one of France’s teeniest appellations, hidden high in the hills 9km northwest of Nice. Call ahead to arrange a vineyard tour, cellar visit and dégustation (tasting) before you buy.

13. Drink pastis and rosé like a Niçois

Pastis is France’s most iconic aperitif – and drinking it at any time of day is acceptable. When ordering, asking for “un pastis” would be like asking for ”a beer“ – instead, check the drinks menu and order by brand. Ricard and Pastis 51 are beloved standbys, but Nice cafes also serve plenty of artisanal brands spiced with local botanicals. Pastis de Nice, for example, includes a blend of 26 plants and spices from the mountainous hinterland.

Alternatively, opt for a glass of chilled rosé crafted in a Provence winery; bistros and restaurants typically serve Côtes de Provence or Côteaux d’Aix as their highly affordable house wines. To try the grown-up stuff, indulge in a tasting session at Rosé, a wine bar single-mindedly focused on the rosé wines for which southern France is rightly famous.

14. Ditch the bottle for tap water

Tap water is safe to drink in Nice, and ordering une carafe d’eau (a jug of tap water) rather than bottled water in restaurants both saves euros and reduces plastic consumption.

Bring your own water bottle to fill up while roving around town. There are free drinking fountains spouting eau potable (drinking water) in both terminals at Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport and in various spots around town. You can also find taps in the public shower blocks on the beachfront along Promenade des Anglais.

15. Beware of pickpockets and petty thieves

As in any other city, keep your wits about you. Beware of pickpockets in crowd-heavy areas such as Vieux Nice’s Cours Saleya markets, and on trams and buses into town from the airport. Never leave personal belongings unattended on the beach – your valuables are safer left back at your hotel.

16. Watch for stinger jellyfish

If you notice a lack of people jumping into the shallows or swimming further out to sea on Nice beaches, it’s usually for a good reason. Mauve stinger jellyfish (Pelagia noctiluca) plague the Mediterranean at certain times of year, particularly in August. Ask around before entering the sea, and take the lead from locals: if they’re steering clear of the water, do the same.