The Riviera Journal · Towns and destinations
Things to do in Nice: local sights and ideas
Old Nice, Castle Hill, museums, markets and the seafront: plan a half or full day in Nice with practical local guidance.
All Riviera Guide adviceAt a glance
- Suggested time
- 3 hours to a full day
- Best for
- First visits, culture, food and sea views
- Access and getting around
- The centre works well on foot and by tram; a vehicle is useful for Cimiez, the hills or several districts in one day.
Local selection
Stops worth keeping
The essential
Old Nice & the Baie des Anges
Nice · 3 hours to 1 day
Cours Saleya, colourful lanes, Castle Hill and the Promenade des Anglais: the classic first visit.
Lively market
Cours Saleya market
Nice · Old Nice · 1 to 2 hrs
Flowers, fruit, olives and local produce: come early, then linger over coffee in the old town.
Free access
Golden hour
Sunset from Castle Hill
Nice · 45 min to 1.5 hrs
The Promenade des Anglais and Baie des Anges turn gold: the perfect finale to a day in Nice.
Free access
Museum & gardens
Matisse Museum
Nice · Cimiez · 1.5 hrs
The painter’s collection in a Genoese villa, followed by an easy walk among Cimiez’s olive trees.
Adult €12 · reduced €9 · under 18 free
Colour & light
Marc Chagall Museum
Nice · 1.5 hrs
A luminous visit centred on the Biblical Message, ideal in rain or during the hottest hours.
Adult €10 · reduced €8
Belle Époque · villa
The Riviera in the palace era
Nice · 1¼–1¾ hrs · €10
Period rooms, dresses, posters, objects and gardens tell how Nice became the Riviera’s elegant Belle Époque resort.
Full price €10
Itinerary advice
How to organise your visit
Start early in Old Nice, reach Castle Hill before the heat, then choose a museum or Cimiez for the afternoon.
Practical questions
Plan this outing well
How much time should you allow?
3 hours to a full day
What is the best way to get there?
The centre works well on foot and by tram; a vehicle is useful for Cimiez, the hills or several districts in one day.
What order works best once there?
Start early in Old Nice, reach Castle Hill before the heat, then choose a museum or Cimiez for the afternoon.