What to do in Nice, from the best beaches, great walks, bicycling, hiking, and more…
Best Beaches in Nice Public beach or private beach? The best beaches in Nice for water sports, dining, cocktails, hipsters, families with kids, and the best beach deals if you’re on a budget.
Outside of Nice, the Best Beaches on the French Riviera, almost all easily accessible along the local train line.
Swimming in Nice For sea swimmers: jellyfish predictors and strategies, where to find jellyfish-free zones, and an odd celebrity encounter with a Riviera jellyfish. For pool swimmers: the best rooftop hotel pools, but also the best open-air public pool with a miniscule entry fee and a million euro view.
What to do in Nice with Kids So many ideas, you’re bound to find something! Best playgrounds, water fun, animals adventures, kid culture, and unexpected amusements.
Unlike Monaco or Cannes, Nice is not known for its spas, so I set out to find the Best Deal For a Spa Day in Nice based on use of the spa facilities, a 1-hour massage, and lunch… and the result was a surprise!
Walking Tours are a great way to discover the secret places and surprising stories of Nice. Nice walking tours in English range from free (true!) to just a few euros (sponsored by the city), to pricier private tours, and from overall history to themed walking tours on every subject.
Self-Guided Walks and Hikes From Nice there are many stunning (and easy) seaside walks you can do on your own… just look for the signs ‘sentier du littoral’ which means coastal walking path. Besides the coastal trails, you can explore the Islands off Cannes, or walk between counties on a scenic trail from France to Italy. And then there are the mountain hikes!
Running in Nice For casual joggers to serious runners, Nice has got you covered with an miles of running trails and an impressive slate of running events all year long.
Bicycling in Nice Take an easy guided bicycle tour, design your own self-guided velo-bleu day for 1€, or take a more serious tack with city and mountain bike rentals with a bike path map and some websites with suggested itineraries for all levels. And finish in one of Nice’s coolest cycle-cafés.
Weekend Wine Country Shuttle The hills behind Nice boast an award-winning wine-growing region with 11 wineries. This summer the city is trying out a weekend wine shuttle to facilitate winery visits and tastings. Departing from the Magnan tram stop, it has 5 stops with access to 6 wineries: Chateau Bellet, Domaine de la Source, Domaine de Vinceline, Collet de Bovis, Chateau de Cremat, and Clos Saint-Vincent. In service only on Fridays and Saturdays from July through August, it starts at 10am and each loop takes 1 hour and 20 minutes. The cost is the same as a regular bus ride, but since you will be getting on and off, best to buy the bus day-pass.
Open-air Yoga in Nice It’s a summer-only activity, but what could be more zen than to ‘greet the sun’ with the smell of the sea air and the sound of the pounding waves? Most open-air yoga classes are in French and English, and set on the tranquil top of the Nice Chateau overlooking the sea. Chloe organizes hers via Airbnb Experiences, and Antonella Yoga has a robust roster of classes and not only does them on top of the Chateau Hill but also sometimes beachside. YogaNice association offers open-air Hatha-Yoga on top of the Nice Chateau, but only in French and you have to become a member. And then there’s Yuko Harmegnies who speaks English and holds her yoga classes on the giant flat blocks making up the breakwall on the Nice Port.
Skiing near Nice In the winter you can be in the snow in less than 2 hours from Nice. Here are the best ski resorts as voted by local skiers, what each resort is most known for, how to get to each one from Nice, and links to each.
See Related Pages
- What to See in Nice
- Museums in Nice
- Sundays in Nice for what to do in Nice on Sunday
- Nice by Night for Jazz Clubs, Tango and Salsa, Quiz Nights, English Cinema and Theatre
- Shopping in Nice for Outdoor Markets, Flea Markets, and Antiquing
- and By Month for what’s happening in Nice month-by-month
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Photo credits: All photos by Best of Nice