In the months leading up to my imminent departure to Nice, France, where I would be studying the French language for five weeks, I scoured the Internet for guides about anything to do in the city or just general tips for those traveling to the area beyond what popped up on TripAdvisor. And I found, in the words of my once 3-year-old sister when my family would ask her what a bunny said, “not much.”
So this guide about things to do or places to eat in Nice, France is for you: a student, a parent, or anyone in-between or beyond. Now, let’s get to the good stuff first: food.
Patisserie/Café
Emilie’s Cookies, Vieux Nice location: 9 Rue Alberti, 06000 Nice, France
The café that I enjoyed the most was Emilie’s Cookies — I still miss it. I loved to pick up one of their bagels, but their Nutella brownie was also delish as were the cupcakes and Nutella swirl muffin!
Boulangerie Blanc, 10 Rue Alexandre Mari, 06300 Nice, France
This one was another hotspot for me. Almost on the water, this patisserie made a mean brioche suisse and pain au chocolat.
Lunch and Dinner
Made in Sud Pizzeria, 17 Boulevard Stalingrad, 06300 Nice, France
Hands down one of the best pizzas that I have ever had, and I have been to several cities in Italy, where I almost exclusively ate pizza and pasta. Located in the port area, this whole-in-the-wall pizzeria makes their pizza fresh and cheap—a student’s dream.
Maison Barale, 7 Rue Sainte-Reparate, 06300 Nice, France
Nestled along a tiny street in the Old Town or Viuex Nice, this establishment is exclusively a take-away pasta place that absolutely makes the best pasta that I have ever tasted. The different raviolis are divine, but the gnocchi’s were my favorite. In my oral tests for my French class, I must have said, “J’aime gnocchi pour la Maison Barale.”
Pop-o-Thym, 20, Cours Saleya, 06300 Nice, France
Want breakfast? Lunch? Dinner? Pop-o-Thym does it all and with great food and friendly service. There is a wide assortment of food and delicious sweet and savory crepes to choose from! I personally loved the Matisse crepe doused in chocolate.
La Tapenade, 6 rue Sainte Reparate, 06300, Nice, France
Located in Vieux Nice near the Cours Saleya, this restaurant was great for dinner — my family even ate here twice! The menu is full of pizza, seafood, salad, and pasta dishes, so everyone can eat here and be happy.
La Massara, 11 rue Halevy, 06000 Nice, France
This was not the best restaurant I ate at, but it was pretty good and the waiters know how to turn tables. Located near Le Meridian hotel, this restaurant is textbook Italian/Mediterranean style.
Dessert
Fenocchio, multiple locations in Vieux Nice
Practically a rite of passage in Nice, France, Fennochio is a seasonal gelato shop that hand-makes a range of delicious flavors from raspberry (the best) all the way to cactus. Be aware though: there are no samples!
Gelateria Azzurro, 1 Rue Sainte-Reparate, 06300, Nice, France
Equally as delicious as Fennocchio, this gelato shop is located in Vieux, Nice and lets its customers have two samples. Yay! I personally loved the crème brûlée flavor and my mom could not stop raving about the Oreo flavor.
Oui, Gelato, 5 rue de la Prefecture
Another great gelato place. Be sure to try the Monte-Carlo flavor!
With your bellies full, you must want to walk off some of those calories, right?
My Favorite Activities
Cours Saleya Market
I loved, loved to visit the fresh food and vegetables market. It’s open from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Be sure to sneak me back some white peaches!
The Beach
This one is pretty obvious, but I loved swimming in the sea and lying on the rocks. Rocks? Yes, unlike most beaches, Nice has rocks instead of sand. While this may at first be a shock to your feet, I ended up preferring the rocks to sand — just be sure to buy a mat or rent a chair.
Castle Hill
I walked up Castle Hill several times during my stay in Nice. The views from the different levels of the walk are stunning and the park at the top that features the castle ruins is peaceful to walk around.
Those were my favorite activities to do in Nice, but I also highly recommend visiting a few of the museums or even taking a cooking class.
Hopefully this guide was able to help you soon-to-be travelers to Nice. If you’re looking for more, then be sure to check out Best of Nice Blog for other great food recommendations and general tips for finding your way around Nice. Au revoir!
