Nice’s Secret and Hidden Bars
Hidden Speakeasy
The only way to find Zitto Speakeasy Bar in the Port is to apply on their Instagram. Once accepted they’ll confide the address, tell you how to spot the hidden door, and give you that night’s password. Open Thursday – Saturdays for more than a year now, remarkably the hidden location is still a well-kept secret. Continue the game by letting the bowtied bartender conjure up a mystery cocktail based on your preferences…
Secret Bar Hidden in a Church
The magnificent Eglise du Gesu has a secret… in the far right corner is a non-descript doorway, which if open, leads to the church’s own open-air bar, Le Bethel, tucked away in a hidden interior patio. 
In previous years the secret got out and the bar got out of control, so this year it is open only on Friday nights with a set program of DJ’s, films and concerts, and is only by paid reservation via Fever. It’s all the initiative of Father Frederic, who would like to reach out to an new generation and encourage people to stay awhile, not just see the church and rush right out. 1 Rue du Jésus, on rue Droite just off Cours Saleya. Also this is the only church that regularly keeps their doors wide open for visits until midnight during the summer, so it’s a don’t miss if you are doing a nighttime stroll through the old town.
Stealth (Sometimes) Bar in an Old Wine Press
Right across the street from Cave Bianchi, the oldest wine shop in Nice, is an unassuming half-size wrought-iron gate… it used to be where the growers dumped their loads of grapes straight into the communal wine press in the basement. At the turn-of-the-century the press came out and it was transformed into an underground bar. This magnificent relic of another era and is rarely open, so if you get the chance, don’t miss it. Some of the upcoming events held in this hidden basement bar sponsored by the Nice Opera, but there are also others that pop up that you only find by checking the posters on the door of the wine shop across the street. Cave Bianchi is at 7 rue Raoul Bosio, tram stop Opera.
Hidden Wine Bar
In the heart of Old Nice, but completely hidden from the main street, is a one-of-a-kind grapevine-covered building immortalized by the artist Raoul Dufy. La Treille has recently become a popular wine bar, so if you can find it you can sip your wine shaded by vines. Their chalkboard features a selection of local-style small plates to share as well. Opens 6pm, closed Monday. 7 Rue Saint-Augustin, Tramstop Garibaldi or Cathedrale.
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Photo credits: all photos by Best of Nice