Nice was the city that redefined what a beach destination could be for me. I’d always associated seaside cities with lazy, simple vibes — but Nice is anything but simple. It’s a place where the azure Mediterranean meets Belle Époque architecture, where the old town smells like socca and lavender, and where the light is so beautiful that Matisse and Chagall both chose to spend their final years here 🇫🇷☀️.

I arrived at Nice-Ville station by TGV from Paris, and stepping out into that warm Provençal sunshine after the gray of northern France felt like a revelation. The station is just a short walk from the Promenade des Anglais, and within minutes I was standing on the famous Promenade des Anglais — a 7-kilometer seafront walkway lined with palm trees, grand hotels, and that iconic blue Mediterranean stretching to the horizon. The water really is that blue, almost impossibly so 🌊.

Getting There & First Impressions

The Vieille Ville (Old Town) completely stole my heart. This maze of narrow, winding streets is bursting with life — laundry hanging from shuttered windows, tiny bars spilling onto cobblestone squares, the smell of freshly baked fougasse bread drifting from bakeries, and at its center, the legendary Cours Saleya Market. Every morning this open-air market fills with flower sellers (Nice is famous for its flower market dating back to 1897), fruit vendors, local cheese and olive producers, and the most colorful displays of Provençal produce imaginable 🌸.

Top Highlights & Must-See Spots

I climbed Castle Hill (Colline du Château) for the most spectacular panoramic view of Nice. The hill rises 92 meters above the old town, and from the top, you can see the sweeping curve of the Baie des Anges, the terracotta rooftops of the old town, the port, and the Alps in the distance. The castle itself was destroyed in 1706 by Louis XIV, but the ruins, gardens, and waterfall make it a beautiful spot. I watched sunset from here and it was one of the most memorable evenings of my trip — the sky turned pink and purple over the sea while the city below lit up like a jewel 🌅.

Nice’s food scene is uniquely its own — a blend of French and Italian influences that creates something called Niçoise cuisine. I had my first real salade niçoise (nothing like the versions back home — made with fresh tuna, local olives, anchovies, and no lettuce), socca (a crispy chickpea crepe cooked in wood-fired ovens that’s the ultimate Niçoise street food), and pissaladière (a caramelized onion tart topped with olives and anchovies). At Chez René Socca, a legendary no-frills spot in the old town, I had the best socca of my life for just a few euros 🍽️.

The art scene in Nice is extraordinary. The Musée Matisse, set in a stunning 17th-century Genoese villa in the Cimiez neighborhood, houses one of the world’s largest collections of Matisse’s work. The Musée Marc Chagall nearby is devoted to Chagall’s biblical message paintings and features stained glass windows that flood the gallery with colored light. Both museums are beautiful, uncrowded, and affordable — a refreshing change from the packed galleries of Paris 🎨.

More Things to See & Do

A day trip to Èze, a medieval hilltop village perched dramatically above the sea about 30 minutes from Nice, was unforgettable. The exotic garden at the summit, filled with cacti and succulents, offers views down to Cap Ferrat that are genuinely dizzying. Nietzsche used to walk the steep path from the shore to Èze while writing Thus Spoke Zarathustra, and the trail still bears his name 🏔️.

Final Thoughts

What I loved most about Nice was the rhythm of life. Mornings at the market, long lunches in shaded squares, afternoons reading on the pebbly beach (yes, pebbles not sand — bring a mat), aperitif hour watching the sunset from a rooftop bar, then late dinners in the old town. The city runs on its own clock, unhurried and deeply pleasurable. The locals call it the Nissa la Bella way of life, and after a few days, I never wanted to leave it 🤍.

Planning a trip to Nice? 👉 Check out my full Nice travel page for all the details and tips!