Nice is a good city to travel to if you have a family. A lot of 'city break' holidays are geared more towards adults, couples and more cultural activites but Nice city has the benefit of that beautiful sweeping coastline and rich history as well as being a regualar dynamic town. As a city, Nice has a great range of activities and attractions to suit every age and every family.
Visit the beaches in Nice
Nice beach is suitable for all ages. It is a pebble beach which stretches for 7km with the Promenade des Anglais running the full length of all of the beaches. It makes Nice a unique city, to have such a user friendly beach right at the heart of it.
The Promenade means that there is easy access, plenty of facilities and other activities close to hand. There are beach clubs with sun loungers and restaurants attached, there are beach volleyball courts, water sports and man made sandy playground areas. There is also wheelchair access which takes your right down onto the beach, not just perched at the edge.
Castel Beach club in Nice
Choose your beach club carefully, some are more suitable for children, others are better for adults and some belong to the hotels and are for residents only.
Watersports in Nice
Some of the beach clubs operate the water sports activities too including pedaloes, parascending and jet-skis. Some of the jet-skis require a permit, depending on the engine size but the operators will have all the information that you need.
There are diving courses, sailing courses, boat trips along the coast, snorkelling and lots of other activities on offer too. Apart from the wide open space of the Baie des Anges, there are lots of little coves and bays to explore along Nice's coastline. You will also find operators in the Port of Nice
High factor water proof sunscreen is essential.
Motorised watersport activities are kept to 200m offshore. This is to protect other users of Nice beach and particularly bathers.
Plan your visit around big events
Nice has one of the longest running street Carnivals in history. Originally Nice Carnival was a last blow out before lent but nowadays it is a two week long fun family event with floats, light shows, flower battles and fireworks.
Nice Jazz festival during the summer months is a wonderful weeks long affair set in stunning outdoor venues in Roman ruins and attracts international musicians and artists across a broad spectrum of genres. Previous guest have included Kanye West, Tracy Chapman, Stony Rollins and James Taylor.
'Jazz' is a flexible definition.
There are musicians from all genres and all countries so don't worry about being a jazz expert.
Rollerblading on Nice's promenade
The 'Promenade des Anglais' is so named after the English Royalty and aristocracy who used to holiday here, 'to take the sea air', in the late 1800's and early 1900's. The palm trees that line the Promenade were a gift from the English to the French city as a gesture of goodwill and mark of thanks.
It is still a place where the Nicois like to 'take their sea air', however, the activities are a little more boisterous than the simple 'promenade'. Running, cycling, skateboarding and rollerblading are all common activities.
Promenade des Anglais in Nice
Skate in the evenings when it's cooler. You'll get better performance from the wheels on your skates and it's much more pleasant.
Visit the grounds of Nice's old Chateau
The grounds of the Old Chateau in Nice are situated on the top of the rock that juts out into the mediterranean and looks down over Nice city. Unfortunately the building no longer stands there but the grounds and park are beautiful. A steep climb, there is also a lift if you can't face it.
Watch out for the magnificent waterfall, if you look up from the Coeur de Saleya you can see it appearing to cascade over Nice's Old Town. It's a great spot for a picnic, there's a childrens playground, wide open space and the views are stunning too
Tip: take the lift up and walk down.
Don't forget to bring your camera with you. From this viewpoint you can get a complete photo of Nice city and its sheltering mountains.
Take a trip around Nice's parks
The parks in Nice always have playground areas and little fun fair rides for children to play on and entertain themselves. In every French village along the South of France coast you will find fairytale round-a-bouts located in the streets and parks
Under the shady coolness of great umbrella pines or leafy plane trees your boisterous little ones can exorcise some energy running around, take turns on the merry-go-round or climb on various climbing frames. They are a good spot for young children and provide a little shade.
Tip: Look out for particular times of year to visit
At christmas there are winter fairs with ice skating, at carnaval time fun parks and ferris wheels.
what to do in Nice
For a group of friends
Nice is an incredibly vibrant city. Some of the smaller towns along the French Riviera can swell to almost ten times their usual population during the summer which means that they can be very quiet by comparison in the Winter. Nice has no such problem. Of course Nice is busier in the summer but it remains a fun city to hang out in all year round.
Hit the Beach, Nice
Nice beach stretches the entire length of the Promenade des Anglais. You'll find beach clubs, bars, food and drink, volley ball courts, petanque (boules) and lots of watersports operators all along it. It stretches for 7 kilometres but is at it's most pleasant further into Nice nearer the Old Town.
In the long summer evenings people group together playing music and watching the sun go down. Some stretches are not as safe as other so follow your instincts. The sea is wide and open at this point and the waves can get boisterous if its windy.
Tip: freeze bottles of water to take with you.
The beach clubs can be expensive, especially if you are going to the beach everyday, alternate by just using the bar or restaurants.
Hire a boat in Nice
It doesn't have to be a Mangusta 130. Hiring a boat between a bunch of friends is the best way to get out on the water. When the cost is shared the boat is bigger and the fun is doubled. You do need to have a license for boats over a certain size but if none in your group does then you can hire a boat with a skipper.
It's not as expensive an activity as you may think and it's brilliant to get out around the small coves and beaches that are otherwise inaccessible. Don't forget to bring snorkelling gear and lots of sunblock.
Tip: Take a course
If you don't have a license then this a good time to get one. Use this opportunity to take a course through English and get your boat competency license.
Check out Nice's bars
Nice has got some great bars and plenty of them. The old town of Nice is probably the most concentrated, the most fun and the easiest to bar hop. This tiny corner of the Nice city is packed full of restaurants, bars, clubs and shops.
The crowd is mixed with locals and holiday makers, young and old, entertained by buskers, midnight markets and the general atmosphere. Most of the bars have live music everynight and look out for special drinks promotions, many of the bars usually have something on offer.
Tip: look out for the 'happy hours'
Drinks are significantly cheaper during happy hour. Look in the Riviera Rental Guide directory for a list of Bars in Nice including short descriptions and addresses.
Go Exploring beyond Nice
The beauty of Nice city and the French Riviera is it's accessibility. The train runs right along the sea front and you have a huge number of destinations open to you, all within a days trip. Nice is such a fun city that it's easy to forget that there are lots of other places to see too.
Explore the beaches in Cannes, the Casino in Monaco, the yachts in Antibes, the islands off the coast and the markets in Ventimiglia and San Remo. Get out and explore it all.
Tip: Use the sea
The roads are often super busy in the summer, don't forget that there are Ferry's and boats to multiple locations.
what to do in Nice
For Couples
The French Riviera has that old school sense of glamour and style about. It's more recent famous residents; artists and writers, fading Hollywood starlets and old Royal families lend it a mystique and romance that other cities don't have. Everywhere you go you get a glimpse of the grandeur that has made Nice so well known from crumbling sea front villas to the polished refurbishment of former palaces. An ideal location to wrap yourselves up in fanciful abandon.
Go to Nice Opera
The Opera house in Nice is an absolutely beautiful building, a real landmark in the Old Town of Nice and worth a visit even if you are not an Opera fan. The building and site have their own dramatic history. Originally a wooden theatre built under the jurisdiction of the Kings of Sardinia in 1776, it was raized to the ground in 1826 and rebuilt in the style of a Grand Italian Opera house.
In 1881 a gaz explosion all but destroyed it and in 1885 it was rebuilt to the beautiful standard it is today. See ballet, recitals, symphonies and musicals performed here.
Tip: Have pre opera drinks in Pub de L'Opera.
Check online to book your tickets and see the yearly programme of events. You'll find contact details in the Riviera Rental Guide directory.
Wine and Dine in Nice
France is of course well known for it's food and wine. Tradional Nice fayre is lighter than the more northerly heavy gourmet French cuisine with an emphasis on fresh fish, given it's location. There are lots of restaurants, from cheap and friendly local to the more expensive and gourmet.
Also try the wine from this region the sunny 'Cotes des Provence'. Nice is home to the smallest wine region in the world called 'Bellet', it can be hard to find but it is worth searching out.
Tip: Try the local 'Socca'
Look out for the ice cream parlours too and the variety of unusual flavours.
Nice wines "In wine one beholds the heart of another" - Anonymous
The Bellet wine growing region is the smallest wine region in France and quite possibly one of the oldest. Production has shrunk to a tiny 650ha and, due to the steepness of the slopes, grapes can only be harvested by hand. The wines carry the AOC standard and King Louis XIV was known to be an admirer.
Today the wines rest in the hands of just 15 wine growing families with a strong sense of the tradition this wine has. White wines carry hints of pear, white flower and gunflint, aromas of toasted almonds while the reds are intense with aromas of wild rose, notes of pepper and spice and bouquet of candied fruits. Excellent with the pungent dishes of the locality, anchovy based Bagna Cauda for the whites and rich Tomme de Roquebilliére cheese for the reds.
Visit Nice's Museums
Visiting museums is not everyones cup of tea. It conjures up images of vast halls and aching feet but the museums on the Riviera come in all shapes and sizes. From the dramatic edifice of the Museum of Modern Art to the smaller more intimate setting of the Matisse Museum located in the famous painter's final home in the South of France, in Cimiez, Nice.
See some of Nice's beautiful architecture too as displayed in Palais Lascaris on Rue Droite, that runs through the heart of the Old Town.
Tip: Free admissions on certain days
Look out for special events that are sometimes held in the grounds of the museums.
Hit the Casinos in Nice
Gambling is probably more associated with neighbouring Monte carlo than it is with Nice but you will find Casinos all along this coast. It is an age old activity that has grown up with the French Riviera.
The Casino Ruhl, situated right on the Promenade des Anglais, is one of the larger Casinos in Nice and has a full offering of cabaret floorshow, dinner and dancing. If you are looking for high glamour too then take the train into Monaco and hit the magnificent Monte Carlo Casino. You don't have to be Onassis to play, although it helps.
Tip: Bring your passport with you
Some of the Casino's will require your identification in order to enter, and certainly in Monaco, where Monegasques are forbidden to enter the Casino.
Go to the Theatre
Going to the Theatre in a foregin country is not the first thing that you might think of to do, especially if you are not a native language speaker. There are said to be in the region of 120,000 English laguage speakers resident on the French Riviera, not to mention how many visitors vacation here all year round.
So a new Theatre company has sprung up to facilitate english speaking theatre fans. Check out their 2007 programme and do something unexpected on your holiday.
Tip: Find website contacts in our RG directory
Limelight Theatre Company put on english language plays in theatres in 6 locations including Nice.
Renting holiday Accommodation in Nice
These are just some suggestions on what to do during your holiday. To see who else is visiting while you are there then try looking in HolidayCentral under 'who's going'. To begin browsing Nice holiday rental apartments and vacation lettings simply select the accomodations type below or go straight to 'Browse Rentals' on the menu on the left. To learn more about Nice please continue on to the next section.
Beautiful large two bedroomed apartment in the heart of Old Nice. This is the perfect apartment for visiting this famously exciting and romantic city. The apartment is newly fitted out and delightfully appointed.
A beautifully appointed large studio in a gated art deco haven with direct access to the Promenade des Anglais. Enjoy al fresco dining on the balcony with sea views overlooking the private gardens.
Charming four-bedroom apartment, ideally located in the old town of Nice, overlooking the Flower Market. Within walking distance of shops, restaurants, cafés, beaches and the famous promenade des Anglais.
"Get on your bike. Velo Bleu are a recent addition to the city of Nice. A network of bike stations are dotted around the city and all you have to do is sign up on line or go through the process at the digital screens at the bike stations themselves and you have a fantastic added freedom of the city.
Just pick up a bike at one station and return it to another. Cycle the Promenade like the locals do or use them as a fast get around during your holidays.
You can sign up for a day, a week, a month or a year. Make sure you go on line and check it out or you may end up paying per hour which is always more expensive. The website is available in English. A welcome addition to the city of Nice."
"Carnaval in Nice was fun this year. The new route is much better and the stands in Place Massena are amazing. The night shows are the best with those huge floats drifting past Nice's beautiful buildings, it's sort of eerie and then down on the ground it's all fun and music and chucking things around. I love it, worth braving the weather for, maybe!"
"We went to Nice for the final of the 6 Nations Rugby championship and because Ireland was in it, we were recommended to go to Ma Nolans in old Nice.
It was really packed with Irish supporters and a few Welsh, and the atmosphere was electric.
The pints of Guinness were flowing fast and we spent a great day there. We also had food, a huge fish and chips and some Calamari, both were good, and perfect pub food for the occasion.
Ireland won the match at the last kick of the game and the emotions ran high in the bar, this was one of our best days on the Rivera, even though it had nothing to do with the South of France, more like the large numbers of friendly Irish who live on the Riviera.
So regarding what to do in Nice, I would definitely go to Ma Nolans when there is any rugby match where Ireland are playing."
"Personally, one of my favourite things to do in Nice is take a walk up the chateau in the old town. There is an elevator but you'll live to be 100 if you manage all the steps every morning!"
"If you are lucky enough to visit Nice in summer, I can recommend that you take the train ride from Nice through the mountains to Tende and back again. You will just go higher and higher into an almost different world of 100s of year ago. It is completely upspoiled.
The train goes through Peille, L'Escarene, Breil sur Roya and lots of other tiny little mountain towns and villages. The scenery is spectacular and the welcome extremely warm everywhere you go.
You can get off at any stop and explore, then catch a later train either up or down. The Carte Isabelle that you buy at the train station covers your trip for 12 euros for the day.
We went to Tende and had lunch and a few drinks, went to the loacl museum which is all about the Valley Des Merveilles (Marvels) in the Mercantour National Park which is accessed from the town. Brilliant!"
Bedrooms: 3
