How To Spend One Day In Nice France? (By Someone Who Lived There)

I know Nice inside out—I lived there for six months as a student, have returned many times as a tourist, and even got engaged there. So when I say I can help you make the most of one day in Nice, I mean it.

With its beach, old town, markets, and hilltop views, Nice is packed with things to do. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed—especially if you’ve only got a day. But with the right plan, you can see the best of the city without rushing or missing what makes it special.

As a former travel advisor who designed itineraries professionally, I’ve combined my local knowledge and planning expertise to share the ideal one-day itinerary for Nice—complete with food stops, walking routes, cultural highlights, and personal recommendations.

What to Do With One Day in Nice?

Nice makes a great base for a longer trip in the South of France as there are plenty of day trips that are easily accessible from Nice. However, if you are only able to visit Nice for one day, this is the perfect way to see it.

Let’s assume you are starting your day from Nice Airport or Nice Ville Train station. Take the tram from Nice Ville to Place Massena or from the Nice Airport to Jean-Medecin.

If you need help figuring out the transportation in Nice, check out my guide to the best Nice day trips where I share my travel tips.

Otherwise, head out from your hotel towards Place Massena on foot.

Breakfast

Start your day with some tasty French goods. Nothing beats a croissant or pain au chocolat with a coffee. Some of the bakeries that I knew when I lived there have since closed, but there are still plenty of places to get some great pastries.

Each morning, on my most recent trip, we picked up a pain au chocolat or tarte aux fraises from J.Multari in Vieux Nice, along with a coffee and fresh orange juice from Blend Coffee. I used to live off strawberry tarts when I was a student in Nice.

Both spots were perfect for us as they were close to our hotel, La Perouse — but I’m sure there are even better breakfast spots in Nice to discover.

It helps to know a few French phrases when ordering. Such as, “je voudrais un pain au chocolat/une tarte aux fraises, s’il vous plait”.

You will get a mixed reaction when travelling in Nice – either they will be pleased to hear you speak French, or they may recognise your accent and switch to English.  Either way, it’s worth trying to speak French.

Thankfully I learnt to speak French quite well while studying in Nice, so I can stay relatively undercover.

Place Massena

Place Massena is an iconic part of Nice. With its bright red brick buildings, instantly recognisable checkered floor, and the statues of kneeling men on plinths that soar in the air and light up at night. Plus, there is the Fontaine du Soleil (fountain of the Sun) with its Greek god statues.

You can easily spend time here walking around, looking at and photographing the artistic square. You can also walk to Promenade du Paillon, a beautiful park, where there is a row of water jets that you can use to cool off from the mist of the water on a hot day.

Place Massena will always have a place in my heart as it was where I met my partner for the first time and where he ultimately proposed.

Old Town

It’s time to walk around the Old Town (Vieille Ville/Vieux Nice in French). Enter the Old Town from Place Massena – you can’t go wrong with what street you take.

Sometimes we entered the Old Town from Carriera de la Caserna. You can walk to the square with the Palais de Justice, turn left at Rue Benoit Bunico and loop back to Place Rosetti.

Or you can enter from Place Central and walk along Rue Mascoinat to Place Rosetti. Both options will lead you to the famous Fenocchios for ice cream at Place Rosetti. There are so many unique flavours to try – it is a must. My favourite flavour was the lychee sorbet.

If this Fenocchio ice cream location is too busy – and it can get very crowded sometimes – you can walk to the other location on Rue de La Poissonnerie where it is typically quieter. You can always walk to the beachfront to eat your ice cream. 

But – be careful of getting your clothes dusty if you sit on the stone beach.

There are many hidden gems in the Old Town, such as the stunning church exteriors you will stumble across, and the countless (and inviting) wine bars dotted around. So, make sure you thoroughly cover the streets.

Lunch

It’s time for lunch, so if you fancy something relaxed and simple, you can return to Place Massena for a sandwich from The Original Focà.

We enjoyed our sandwiches from the Original Foca. There are a few tables out the front where you can eat with a view of Place Massena. It’s a great spot for people-watching.

Or, if you are happy to eat somewhere more formal with a bigger menu, you should eat at Lavomatique. It was hands-down the best restaurant we ate at during our most recent holiday in Nice, and you can’t go to Nice without trying it, in my opinion.

There is also the option to go to Lavomatique in the evening for dinner if you want a lighter lunch.

It is open from Monday to Friday, but make sure you have reserved a table as it is one of the most in-demand restaurants in Nice.  

Cours Saleya

Before you exit the Old Town, make sure you walk along Cours Saleya. It is one of the most famous streets in Nice and where you will find a market every day of the week.

On Mondays, you will see merchants selling antiques and on Tuesdays to Sundays, you will find the fruit and veg market. There is the Flower Market (Marché aux Fleurs) operating every day except Sunday on Cours Saleya.

One of my favourite photos we took in Nice was of a shop on the corner of Rue Barillerie and Rue Jules Gilly near Cours Saleya. (Note: it is best when the Thomas Boulhol café is open, rather than in the evening and it is shut).

Castle Hill

It is time to walk off lunch and head to Castle Hill, known as Colline du Château. You can either walk up the steps (it takes around 5-10 minutes from the bottom to the main viewpoint), or you can take the lift.

There is usually a queue to take the lift to the top – so if you are fit and able to climb the steps, I recommend walking up.

The views from Castle Hill are unbeatable, especially on a sunny day when you can see the luminescent sea earning its name of Côte d’Azur (meaning blue coast).

You may be surprised to learn there is a whole park at the top of Castle Hill, so you can spend some time walking around the different areas. Make sure to check out the waterfall and the view towards Nice Port.

There are public toilets, and some refreshments stops, but make sure you have some coins to use the bathroom facilities. This is common in the French Riviera to need to pay to use a public bathroom.

Nice Port

Make your way down from Castle Hill towards the port. There is a gentler sloping route down the back that leads you to the port.

Sometimes there are huge cruise ships in the port. Other times, I saw incredibly large luxury yachts – you can usually find out who owns the ship by searching the name of the boat online.

The view of the fishing boats from the other side of the port is another of my favourite views. Additionally, it is where my partner’s favourite cycle sportswear shop is, Café du Cycliste.

Promenade des Anglais

Start walking back towards the Promenade des Anglais. This can take around 30 minutes from the port, but it is such a lovely walk along the coast. If you need a drinks break, you can stop for a 5 Euro mojito at La Shounga, a place I used to visit every week when I lived in Nice.

It is amazing that the mojitos are still EUR 5 after nearly a decade, but I imagine they are not as strong these days.

If you have the legs for it, keep walking along Promenade des Anglais as far as Le Negresco Hotel. It is a famous spot in Nice.

There are many beach bars along the promenade for a drink. You can also rent a lime bike and cycle with the e-bike to your next stop.

Depending on the time, you could also stop for a swim in the sea.

If you have a hotel nearby where you can shower and change before dinner, bring your swimming gear and enjoy a refreshing swim. Otherwise, just the chance to even dip your toes in the water is worth it. The temperature of the water will vary based on the time of year.

If you decide to sit on the beach, you should note that the pebbles on the Nice beach are dusty, so make sure you have a towel to sit down on.

Some flip flops or water shoes would also be helpful to wear to the edge of the water as the pebbles can be painful on your feet.

If you have a hotel, you should go back to freshen up. Also, don’t be afraid to stop for a midday nap earlier in the day. There’s a lot of walking involved and it can get hot in Nice, so you may want some time to recharge in a cool and quiet room.

Evening Drinks

There are so many great places to go for a pre-dinner drink in Nice. There are countless bars along the Promenade des Anglais or little wine bars in the Old Town.

One of our favourite places to go for a drink was Barrique on Rue Barillerie. There is no wine list, but you can explain your likes to the server, and they will give you a wine that will meet your needs. It is on a quiet street and there are plenty of tables outside, so it has a nice ambience.

The significance of this place to us was that it is located on the street where my partner used to live while in Nice as a student (we were both living in Nice when we met). After our engagement, we went straight to Barrique for a celebratory drink, and we took home the coasters as a souvenir!

The far side of Promenade des Anglais is a great place to see the sunset. But be aware – some strange characters come out at night along the beachfront. I always avoided the promenade in the evening if I was on my own.

The walkway directly next to the Old Town was always fine for us when we walked home from dinner back to our hotel, La Perouse.

Dinner

If you did not go to Lavomatique at lunch, I suggest you make a reservation for dinner.

Otherwise, I would recommend Bocca Nissa for dinner. It is a rooftop bar and restaurant, but you need to make a reservation to get a table on the top deck where the best views and atmosphere are.

There were several people hoping to get a last minute table at Bocca and they were turned away, otherwise they were offered a table in the main part of the restaurant, not on the rooftop.

The food was tasty, and the cocktails were refreshing. It is a great place to spend your evening while the sun goes down. Service was a little slower, but it didn’t impact our evening as we weren’t in a rush.

What to Do in Nice If It Rains?

We had a few rainy days in Nice, but we did not let it stop our plans. Luckily the rain wasn’t constant, so there were sunny spells as well.

There are several museums in Nice, so if the rain is quite disruptive to your plans, you can check out the Matisse Museum or the Marc Chagall National Museum.

Alternatively, you could go shopping. We went to Galeries Lafayette to look around. You can also go into some shops to pick up local goods for souvenirs, such as wine, and soaps, or visit some of the fashion shops in the Old Town. There are some lovely linen outfits.

But one of the best things to do when it rains in Nice is to find a cosy bar or restaurant and stop for a drink or a meal. Feel free to take your time at any of the lunch or dinner stops.

Conclusion

That is the end of your Nice one-day itinerary. This is the best way to see everything in a day, although you can shuffle the order to suit your plans.

If you are looking for other things to do in the French Riviera, you should read about the best excursions from Nice, as these all work from other nearby bases, such as Antibes or Villefranche-sur-Mer.

If you need a hotel while visiting Nice, I suggest La Perouse, which is where I stayed on my most recent trip. It is in a great location, the staff are helpful and friend, and the rooms are comfortable. Additionally, it has a great rooftop deck.