In the late 1700s, English aristocrats developed a fondness for the city of Nice, spending their winters along the shore. During the harsh winter of 1820, English visitors found themselves surrounded by a wave of beggars. The solution? Build a walkway along the seashore-funded by the Anglican Church. A brilliant idea that benefited everyone.

The city leaders took the plan further, greatly expanding its scope. After Nice was annexed by France in 1860, the “Promenade Path” became known as the English Promenade. Today, locals simply call it La Prom, and it remains a favourite spot for walkers, families, skateboarders, and cyclists.

The Promenade stretches for about four miles around the Bay of Angels”. On the seaside, private and public beaches stand side by side, often crowded during summer months. Don’t be surprised if you have to share your patch of sand. Above the coastline, in the hills of Nice, former aristocratic villas have been transformed into grand hotels and museums.

Tip:
Restaurants along the seafront tend to be more expensive. For a more authentic experience, try the traditional eateries a little farther inland. One of the most vibrant stretches lies between Boulevard Gambetta and the Old Town, where you’ll find the grand Belle Époque hotels, elegant residences, and plenty to explore.

Masséna Square, named in the honour of André Masséna, a Marshal of France during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, was designed by Joseph Vernier in 1844. It is spacious and bordered by ochre-coloured Italianate buildings, palm trees, and stone pines.

It is a popular venue for concerts, public events, and festivals. The Carnival Parade, Bastille Day celebrations, and other traditional festivities are often held here. One of the square’s most distinctive features is the Open Sky Museum - seven sculpted Buddhist figures perched on high stilts above the square. At night, they glow in shifting colours, adding a dreamlike atmosphere.

The Open Sky Museum also includes a display of blue-green “fairy” lights arranged in a kind of poetic Morse code. Opposite the lights stands “Nine Oblique Lines”, a monumental sculpture created to mark the 150th anniversary of Nice’s annexation to France. Nearby, in the Sun Fountain, the god Apollo stands proudly, watching over the city - and the city, in turn, seems to watch him.

Beside the square lies the Paillon Promenade, a lush green park lined with palms and flowering shrubs. Its Mirror Fountain features jets of water that spray in rhythmic bursts from the ground, creating reflections on a polished stone base. Children - and often adults - delight in running through the misty water clouds.

Facing the Paillon Promenade is the Albert I Garden, a public park dating back to the 1880s. Stretching from Masséna Square toward the English Promenade and Old Nice, it hosts summer festivals, including the renowned Nice Jazz Festival. With its fountains, exotic flowers, and shaded paths, it offers a calm, green retreat.

A trip to Nice absolutely must include a stroll around the Cours Saleya Markets. This lively stretch once served as the city’s main square, but today it’s an open-air market bursting with colour, fragrance, and energy. The sights, sounds, smells, and friendly bustle make it one of the highlights of any visit.

Every Monday morning, the area transforms into an antique market where you can hunt for the perfect piece of Art Deco design or a one-of-a-kind souvenir. From Tuesday through Sunday, the market is devoted to flowers and seasonal produce. The selection changes with the time of year, but everything sold here is fresh and full of Mediterranean flavour.

If your accommodation includes a kitchen, don’t miss the fresh fish stalls - the taste of fish caught just hours before is incomparable, especially when paired with local herbs, bread, and wine.

During summer evenings, the Cours Saleya becomes a craft market. You can shop for flowers, fruit, cheese, olives, and bread in the morning, then return after sunset to browse handmade jewellery, art, and souvenirs. The surrounding cafés and restaurants make it easy to linger - the perfect way to spend a summer day in Nice.

For early birds, this market is a delight. Bring reusable bags for your purchases, along with small bills and coins - the vendors are busy and often prefer quick transactions.

Tip: Be there around noon. You’ll hear the daily cannon fired - a long-standing tradition that began with the Duke of Nizza, who used it as a reminder for his shop-loving wife to come home for lunch.

If you’re looking for a place to spend a leisurely day simply watching the world go by, head to the famous Rossetti Square. This charming public square is reached by several winding streets of the Old Town, each leading into a lively open space centred around a beautiful Baroque-style fountain.

The surrounding buildings are centuries old, their façades slightly tilted with age, giving the square its distinctive old-world charm. Look up and you’ll often see laundry strung across balconies - a touch of everyday life that adds to the atmosphere.

While you’re here, be sure to treat yourself to a scoop of artisanal ice cream from Fenocchio, a beloved local institution. And when it’s time to sit down for a meal, take your pick from one of the inviting cafés or restaurants bordering the square. Bon appétit!

Castle Hill is a must see with its breathtaking views of the city and the Mediterranean Sea. This area is where Nice was founded in the third century BCE. From high on the hill a trading post was established and then a defensive post was maintained. A large wall was built around the city only to be torn down in the early 1700s.

Don’t go to the hill expecting to see the “Castle”, as a few ruins still remain but that is all. The area is still intriguing nonetheless. Aside from the exquisite views, there is a beautiful park, the Naval Museum, stepping stones that depict the Odyssey by Homer and a beautiful old cemetery filled with gorgeous headstones.

There is also a man-made waterfall along the way, which sometimes gets shutoff in the late afternoon, so be sure to visit early if you want to see it. There are plenty of benches around the area so take a few minutes to revel in the Mediterranean splendor of the park. This is a great place to pack a picnic lunch and spend the afternoon. There is a small cafe in the area too.

Getting to the hill can be accomplished several different ways depending upon time constraints and fitness. For those who like to walk, take the steps up to the observation platform. There are 213 steps but the view is spectacular along the way. For a fee, there is also an elevator or a motorized train. The train does not really allow for any wandering, so for those who like to stroll and look on their own schedule, take the steps or the elevator or a combination of the two.

There are several kinds of marche des puces (flea markets) in Nice, found in some of the most interesting parts of the city, where you can walk around and look for second-hand bargains for hours.

But if you are pressed for time, just head straight for Puce de Nice. Perched right near the Old Port with picturesque views of the yachts on Quai Lunel, shaded by the Chateau/Castle Hill, this professional flea market represents a cluster of (30!) little storefronts and open-air antique stalls, grouped together under the same name and crammed to the brim with attic treasures, unique oddities, and one of a kind finds. Here you can find practically anything, from genuine antiques (e.g. jugs and plates from a bygone era) to Asterix annuals to vintage clothing and costume jewellery, and more – all of good quality. "Vide grenier" ("empty the attic"), they say.

Market fans love this place and usually come away with more than they can fit in their suitcase. Antiques are openly displayed, and the owners are always friendly. You can join the hunt and ask for discount on several items, or have a coffee and watch the hunters go by.