Things to do in Nice, France
Updated: May 6, 2024
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In my opinion, Nice is the hub of the South of France, and the best place to base yourself if you're looking to do some traveling around the area. Although Nice is a great base for exploring other destinations, it's also a beautiful destination in itself, with plenty of different activities to enjoy.
1. Visit the Cours Sayela Market
The Cours Sayela market is actually two different markets happening together in the same location. There is the flower market and the fruit and vegetable market. That being said, there is much more than just flowers and produce being sold here. As I strolled through the market, I came across many different stalls including artwork, baked goods, and your more classic souvenirs.
Since the market is technically two markets, there are two sets of hours.
Flower market hours:
Tuesday- Saturday 9:30am-5:30pm
Sunday 9am-1:30pm
Monday closed
Fruit and vegetable market hours:
Tuesday- Sunday 6am-1:30pm
Monday closed
I would definitely recommend trying to get to the market before noon time, as I noticed some vendors pack up earlier than the official ending time.
A flower stand and painting stand from the market
3. Check out a beach club
Probably my favourite thing I did while I was in Nice was visit a beach club. There are tons of different ones along the main beach, although they are all quite similar from what I saw.
The way the beach clubs work is you pay a fee to rent your chair for the day (usually somewhere between 20 and 30 euros) and then there will be staff walking around and you can order food and beverages right from your lounge chair.
The beach clubs are extremely relaxing, and it's very nice to have a lounge chair because the beach itself is quite rocky. Another big benefit for me, as a solo traveler, was that I didn't have to worry as much about my belongings being stolen as I would have had to if I was just on the public section of the beach. Another big bonus, if you're someone who enjoys a bit of shade, every pair of lounge chairs shares an umbrella.
The beach club I visited when I was there is called Ruhl Plage. This is one of the largest ones and it's in a great location, very close to lots of other attractions. I really enjoyed this beach club. I felt like the price was a bit on the lower end compared to others I had seen, but I had a drink and a pasta for lunch while I was there and both were great.
Ruhl Plage
6. Do a boat tour
One of the best ways to see the Mediterranean coast is from the sea! Since Nice is the hub of the French Riveria, there are lots of affordable boat tour options. I always recommend checking out the GetYourGuide website when looking for day tours like this, but you can also explore options through each tour company's own website.
Boat tours on the GetYourGuide website here
2. Walk up Colline du Chateau
This is a must-do during your visit to Nice in my opinion. The Colline du Chateau is at the end of the main Nice beach. You can walk up the steps for free and get an amazing view of the town, but be warned, there are a lot of steps so bring some decent shoes and water! If you continue to walk up the steps to the very top there's a really cool waterfall which is fun to take photos in front of, and the mist of the water will definitely cool you down on a hot summer's day.
If you have mobility struggles, I did notice what I believed to be an elevator built into the cliff, but I'm not quite sure if this is free or not.
If you keep walking around the waterfall at the very top, you'll stumble across a park which is really nice. It has a small snack shack, there are picnic tables and benches, and we even managed to find a free water fountain to fill up our bottles.
The view from the Colline du Chateau and the waterfall
4. Cours Sayela Night Market
In the evenings, the location of the Cours Sayela market transforms again, but this time there's no vegetables.
The night market consists of lots of different handmade goods, including jewelry, paintings, and leather goods. There is lots of variety and something for everyone, depending on your budget.
The market runs from mid-May to mid-September, and takes place every day from 6pm to midnight.
5. Do some shopping
If you still have some room in your suitcase after visiting Nice's markets, there are some other very nice shopping areas as well.
Av. Jean Medecin is where you'll find the larger, chain-type stores.
There were a lot of nice, smaller, more local shops around the Rue Alexandre Mari.
If you're more into luxury shopping. There are lots of options around where the Av. de Verdun meets the Rue Paradis. Stores in this area include Hermes, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Cartier, and more.
Conclusion
Overall, you really can't go wrong no matter how you choose to spend your time in Nice. Whether you enjoy the beach, historical sites, or shopping, there's truly something for everyone!
Hotels
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