The Bay of Angels and the Promenade des Anglais seen from above, with turquoise sea
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Nice in 1 day

  • 1 day
  • 6.4 km on foot
  • 17 stops
  • Audio guide

A single day goes a long way in Nice, because almost everything fits between the sea and Castle Hill. This plan is for cruise passengers, day-trippers coming by train from elsewhere on the Riviera, or anyone with just one free day: three walks from the Promenade to the port, socca for lunch and a proper Niçois dinner. A brisk pace, with breaks in the shade.

One day in NiceFrom the sea to the hill

Start around nine with “The Best of Nice: From the Negresco to Castle Hill”: the pink-domed hotel, the Promenade des Anglais and its blue chairs, Place Masséna and then the Cours Saleya while the market is still in full swing. Lunch on socca straight from the oven. In the afternoon, “Before Nice Was French” takes you from the Prefecture Palace to Port Lympia and drops you by the sea at Rauba Capeù. Rest on the pebbles, then, as the sun drops, climb with “Angels, Sieges and Phantoms” up to Bellanda Tower. Dinner: daube in Vieux-Nice.

  1. Morning

    The Best of Nice: From the Negresco to Castle Hill

    Mixed · 2.4 km · 2 h

    1. Hotel NegrescoThe pink-domed palace dreamed up by a former Romanian head waiter and saved by a woman who turned it into a museum.
    2. Promenade des AnglaisA dirt track paid for by English winter visitors that became the most famous seafront in France.
    3. Place MassénaNice's great red drawing room, with Italian-style arcades, chequerboard paving and seven figures that light up at night.
    4. Promenade du PaillonA buried river, a demolished bus station and, on top, the garden where the Niçois play in the mist.
    5. Cours SaleyaNice's most colourful market: flowers, vegetables from nearby market gardens and the smell of freshly baked socca.
    6. Castle Hill WaterfallA man-made waterfall over the ruins of the keep, with the whole Bay of Angels at your feet.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  2. Lunch

    Try Socca at Chez René Socca. 2 rue Miralhéti, Niza

  3. Afternoon

    Before Nice Was French: The City of the House of Savoy

    History · 2.3 km · 2 h

    1. Prefecture PalaceThe palace of the Dukes of Savoy and the Kings of Sardinia, where Nice stopped being Piedmontese in 1860.
    2. Cours SaleyaThe promenade of Nice's nobility under the Kings of Sardinia, squeezed between the old town and the sea.
    3. Palais LascarisThe home of a family of counts who bore the eagle of the Byzantine emperors on their coat of arms.
    4. Place GaribaldiAn arcaded square built as the gateway to the Turin road, now named after Nice's most rebellious son.
    5. Port LympiaA harbour dug out of dry land on the orders of a King of Sardinia, which took more than a century to finish.
    6. Rauba Capeù War MemorialA giant urn carved into the rock of Castle Hill, where Nice engraved the names of the sons it lost in the First World War.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  4. Early evening

    Angels, Sieges and Phantoms on the Hill of Nice

    Mysteries & legends · 1.7 km · 1 h 40 min

    1. Sainte-Réparate CathedralThe cathedral of a teenage saint whose boat, legend says, was pushed by angels all the way to the beach at Nice.
    2. Catherine Ségurane ReliefA washerwoman armed with her laundry paddle against the Janissaries: the heroine of Nice who may never have existed.
    3. Castle Hill CemeteryA marble cemetery on the hilltop, where the author of The Phantom of the Opera lies near the victims of a theatre fire.
    4. Cathedral and Castle RuinsThis is where the first Nice stood: a cathedral and a fortress that Louis XIV had blown up with gunpowder in 1706.
    5. Bellanda TowerA round tower above the cliff, where Berlioz dreamed up an overture and where you understand why this is the Bay of Angels.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  5. Dinner

    Try Daube niçoise with ravioli at Chez Acchiardo. 38 rue Droite, Niza

The map

Nice in 1 day, on the map

Each route’s stops are numbered in order; the stars are the extra sights.

Mixed History Mysteries & legends

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Before you go

Tips for Nice in 1 day

  • You can climb Castle Hill by the steps or take the free lift next to Bellanda Tower. The park closes at dusk, earlier in winter, so check the closing time and don't leave the mystery walk too late.
  • The daube restaurants we suggest, Chez Acchiardo and La Merenda, only open on weekdays. If your day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, have dinner at Le Safari on the Cours Saleya, which opens every day.
  • If you're flying in, the tram runs from the airport to the centre with no changes. Leave your luggage at the hotel or a left-luggage service: between Castle Hill and Vieux-Nice there are plenty of steps and cobbles.

Questions

Nice in 1 day: your questions

Can you see Nice in one day?

The essentials, yes: the centre is compact and all three routes are done on foot, no transport needed. You'll miss the Cimiez museums, the Russian cathedral and the coastal villages, which need at least one more day. For a first visit, a well-planned day leaves a great impression.

How far will I walk in a day in Nice?

The three routes add up to about 6.4 km, plus the stretches between them, so allow 8 to 9 km in total. The toughest part is the climb up Castle Hill; the Promenade and Vieux-Nice are flat.

What can I do in Nice on a cruise stop?

Ships either anchor off Villefranche or dock in Nice's port. From the port, the history route starts a few minutes away; from Villefranche, the train reaches Nice in about ten minutes. Start with whatever is closest and leave plenty of time to get back on board.

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