Nice [url=http://www.nice.fr/]](pronounced like the English word "niece") is a large city in [[France[/url]] on the [wiki=2e0f6187b01d8a7b5c961bc0b831873e]French Riviera[/wiki]. It's a popular destination for vacationers both young and old, with something to offer nearly everyone. It is well known for the beautiful view on the Promenade des Anglais, its famous waterfront, and is an ethnically diverse port city.
Nice Airport [url=http://www.nice.aeroport.fr/include_en/]] is one of the busiest in France and has frequent daily flights to [[Paris[/url]], and direct to most major cities in [wiki=912d59cdf1d3f551fae21f6f0062258f]Europe[/wiki], including [wiki=7e35e74e610188414ad24235dd787c78]Moscow[/wiki], as well as [wiki=d97e023dce2bb237a0d44f46d8ee9438]New York[/wiki] and [wiki=6c9b4471c045debdd03a7b291016dad6]Canada[/wiki] (seasonal), and a number of destinations in [wiki=9ec6663a5a9d96845a1e887a647afe53]North Africa[/wiki] and the [wiki=158b06e50632e27d494593ba389ef918]Middle East[/wiki]. The airport is located at the western end of Nice on a landfill. Arrival and departure in good weather often provides beautiful views of the [wiki=2e0f6187b01d8a7b5c961bc0b831873e]French Riviera[/wiki].
Most airlines use Terminal 1 (the older terminal) while Terminal 2 is used primarily by Air France (and partners) and Easyjet. There is a free shuttle bus between the terminals.
Airport to Nice - The best and most reliable way to get from the Airport to central Nice or the Nice Ville train station is the airport express buses. Take the 98 to the Nice bus station (Nice Riquier) or take the 99 to the Nice main railway station (Gare Nice Ville SNCF). Routes 98 and 99 cost just €6 and are accessible from both T1 and T2. They run every 30 minutes during the following hours: the 98 from 6AM to midnight, and the 99 from 8AM to 9PM. Pay the driver on boarding and the ticket acts as a "Pass de Jour" for unlimited travel on local buses and the tram that day. The airport website [url=http://www.nice.aeroport.fr/acces_stationnement_en/bus/default.asp]]has information and timetables for ground transportation. The cheapest connection with Nice is the local bus service 23 (Terminal 1 only), costing €1, and running between 5:30AM and 8:05PM. The journey takes about 30 minutes from T 1 to the major train station (Gare Nice Thiers).
Convenient for some destinations, there is also a small train station close to the airport (Nice St Augustin) where you can pick up a TER train eastward to Nice, [[Monaco[/url]] and all stations to the Italian border at [wiki=5e7a7f4010d93c6bbe5d3acfa3ea3a40]Ventimiglia[/wiki], or west back to [wiki=a0fa7fc5688d952306ba65d253a394e3]Antibes[/wiki] and [wiki=ac85909cc2f96e6ad93e26add940f597]Cannes[/wiki]. The station can be reached by foot (approx. half a kilometre) via underpasses and road-crossings, on the other side of the Arenas office complex. Be sure to take out some Euro (€) coins from the airport if you are reaching Nice St Augustin before 9AM. The ticket vending machine does not accept notes. There are note-to-coin changer machines in the airport. €10 change per person should be sufficient for any journey.
Some hotels offer shuttle buses from the airport, inquire with your hotel before or upon arrival.
Alternatively, you can book a private transfer with an executive vehicle in advance. This is especially convenient for business trips. There is a number of companies, which can offer this kind of service, such as:
* [url=https://easyprivatetaxi.com]Easy Private Taxi[/url] has Nice Airport to the city at 38€ for a Sedan, 55€ for a Minibus
* [url=http://www.airport-transfers-nice.com]Nice Airport Transfer Company[/url] has Nice Airport to the city at 39€ for a Sedan, 59€ for a Minibus
* [url=https://airport-private-transfer.com/book/france/nice/961/962]Airport Private Transfer[/url] offers a transfer from Nice Airport to the city for 38€ for a Sedan, 50€ for a Minivan
If there is no transportation running, it's reassuring to know that it is quite possible to walk the six km to town or vice versa to airport, in a little over an hour. This may be a useful in the current social discontent in France, where "manifestations" (demonstrations) and "grèves" (strikes) frequently affect public transportation. Recently (June-08) for example, lorry (truck) drivers created a blockade to airport to protest about rising fuel prices. It is prudent to check the local newspaper ("Nice Matin") where you will usually receive advance warning of potential problems.
Nice is connected to the rest of France via the SNCF train network. A direct TGV train from [wiki=e20d37a5d7fcc4c35be6fc18a8e71bfa]Paris[/wiki] to Nice takes about 6 hours, fare for an adult is about €100, and on TGVs a reservation is obligatory. The train arrives in Nice at the central station, called simply "Gare Nice Ville" (not to be confused with the stations at the city limits, Nice Riquier and Nice St Augustin). A new service called "IdTGV" [url=http://www.idtgv.com/]]is now available: it offers low-cost TGV tickets (starting at just €19 for a single trip between Paris and Nice). These tickets have to be bought online, and are not refundable.
Trenitalia trains connect Nice to Italian cities like [[Milan[/url]], [wiki=5e59a42459a2d6cd3d93d5aab0764ca6]Genoa[/wiki], [wiki=1f49f770adc6c84629f50ce3ca2a2109]Rome[/wiki] and [wiki=607d28488d1859e84884914a1b3598bd]Venice[/wiki]. Connections to Trenitalia destinations are generally made in Ventimiglia, the first train station in Italy after the French-Italian border. Note that Trenitalia tickets are generally cheaper when purchased in Italy rather than through SNCF.
A weekly long-distance night train from [wiki=7e35e74e610188414ad24235dd787c78]Moscow[/wiki], making stop-overs in [wiki=8787a878258ef18bb38d9163f41b846c]Minsk[/wiki], [wiki=ab014f5797b79c42d078976b9d1a413c]Warsaw[/wiki] and [wiki=601f9226a92f0a314068aa4395f65528]Vienna[/wiki] amongst others, have now starting running. The train leavs the Moscow Belorussky station at 5:21 PM each Thursday and and arrives in Nice almost at the same time two nights later.
The A8 autoroute is the easiest way to access Nice either from the west ([wiki=ac85909cc2f96e6ad93e26add940f597]Cannes[/wiki], [wiki=366e6884a3ac2e641c5ea28344c81c88]Aix-en-Provence[/wiki]) or from [wiki=1007e1b7f894dfbf72a0eaa80f3bc57e]Italy[/wiki]. From the West take exit 50 and follow the signs for the Promenade des Anglais which takes you into Nice and is a lovely drive along the coast. Coming from the east take exit 55 and follow the signs for 'Nice centre'.
Approaching the city from the East, the three 'Corniches' ('Basse', 'Moyenne' and 'Grande') offer a wonderful panoramic route from Menton to Nice. The 'Grande Corniche' is the highest one; it goes up to more than 500 metres on the sea level in La Turbie.
Long distance buses connect Nice with other major European cities. Eurolines, and the French LER "Lignes Express Regionaux" connect Nice with [wiki=8377de0f1845174610bd8b815b9a285e]Marseille[/wiki], [wiki=46d0c4fa4a6958a775a5219e61b7aa8d]Toulon[/wiki] and [wiki=366e6884a3ac2e641c5ea28344c81c88]Aix-en-Provence[/wiki] at a reasonable price and acceptable three hour journey time via the motorways.
Nice is right along the coast, so you should be able to find your way easily no matter if you run on gas or let the wind help you. However, remember to contact the local port before arrival to reserve a place for your boat. Otherwise there will most likely not be room for you.
Nice has direct ferry routes to: [wiki=6c40f8b97e4bf034372dc2d3ebf59ba6]Ajaccio[/wiki] ([wiki=ada9a060b058259f01de14e24997f87d]Corsica[/wiki]), [wiki=1dedabe74de633c6f7224a065d942e37]Bastia[/wiki] ([wiki=ada9a060b058259f01de14e24997f87d]Corsica[/wiki]), [wiki=c54eb7fd5937ed4b7b0cccd601ed3355]Calvi[/wiki] and [wiki=f3e4f724009cac524cb42bcf0a2a70ba]Ile Rousse[/wiki]. Advance booking is advised in all cases.
Each main town on the French Riviera has its own local bus network, for Nice it is Lignes d'Azur[url=http://www.lignedazur.com]](Antibes has Envibus, Cannes has Palm Bus, and so on), and the 100 or more Lignes d'Azur routes are the main form of urban transport for locals going to work or school. Of more interest to tourists, an inter-urban network, the TAM (Transport Alpes-Maritimes)connects all the Eastern Riviera towns between Cannes and Menton and all the main villages like Èze and Vence. Its routes radiate from various bus stops near Vieille Ville (until the new bus station is completed in 2016). Bus fares are only € 1.50, with a change to a non-return connecting service also permitted within 74 min, so it is worth mastering the bus system to get around.
The Lignes d'Azur and TAM routes overlap in and around Nice, so the ticket and tariff system is integrated to a common ticket zone, in which the local Lignes d'Azur tickets and passes are accepted on the longer distance TAM buses (only between Cagnes-sur-Mer to the west and Cap d'Ail short of Monaco to the east). The fare is identical on both networks - € 1.50 for any distance - but with TAM, you must always tell the driver your intended destination, so he can judge whether you should purchase a TAM ticket or a Ligne d'Azur. Outside the common zone, Ligne d'Azur passes are not valid and you need to pay the €1.50 fare in cash.
The one exception to the € 1.50 fare is the Airport Express bus, which has a €6 flat fare. This buys you a Lignes d'Azur all day pass in the bargain - handy if you're arriving, maybe not as beneficial if you're leaving.
There are "multi-10" tickets (10 journeys) for € 10. Several persons can travel on the same "multi-10" ticket if they stamp the ticket once per person when starting the journey. Note that you have to validate your ticket again when changing bus even within the validity period of 74 minutes. If your ticket is still valid, it will not be stamped again, but a registration will be made on the magnetic strip to record that you changed vehicle. If several people share the same multi-10 ticket, they should "stamp" it only once when changing bus for a connection, else you lose one journey unnecessarly every time you insert a still valid ticket after the first time.
Visitors depending on the bus system should promptly consult the first local information center they can find, or do some on-line research. Several local sites report that the main bus station was demolished in January. Until the new station and several inter-dependent, major civic projects are finished (2-4 years), various bus routes will be served by different temporary "stations".
The long awaited tram line opened in November 2007 and forms a U-shaped route from Las Planas to the northeast to Pont St Michel to the northwest. It links the main train station, bus station, downtown and the university, but it is basically a mass transit system designed to get workers and shoppers to the centre of Nice from the suburbs and is not of any particular value to tourists. It uses the same tickets as the buses, but you buy these from the machines at tram stops (unlike buses, where it is usual to pay the driver or show your pass on entering the bus). Another innovation is the hourly "commuter express" bus service direct to Monaco via the Autoroute, the 100Express, though visitors may still prefer the slower and more scenic 100 route along the coast.
The SNCF rail service also links all the main coastal towns, so which is the best way to get around - bus or train? The journey from Nice to say Cannes by the 200 bus at € 1.50 is considerably cheaper than the train, which is currently over €5. But buses are liable to dreadful overcrowding and you may face standing for nearly 2 hours as it is slow with frequent stops and many traffic lights along the route. If you're short on cash and don't mind discomfort, take the bus. If you're short on time and prefer to sit, take the train.
When taking the bus, be aware of the somewhat odd way the bus schedules are laid out. They list the departure time at the first bus station, not the one you are currently at. At the right hand side of the bus schedule, you have a list of stations, and, next to some, you will find the time listed it will take the bus to get there (+20', for example). This means that you will have to do a lot of guessing. It is best to ask a native and leave some extra padding time if you plan to take a bus to any scheduled event that you really do not want to miss (airport, train, concerts, etc.).
You can find local bus and tram route maps and timetables online [http://www.lignedazur.com/index.asp[/url]. Route maps are listed under 'Maps' and timetables as 'Timetables' in PDF format. Also, a new service ('Stop timetables') purports to display the times at your stop. From previous experience with the bus company, those should stand somewhere between educated guesses and outright fiction, due to unpredictable road traffic conditions (like one hour traffic jams around Villeneuve Loubet).
Apart from the airport express routes 98 and 99, buses rarely run after 8:00PM. The tram however operates from around 4:30AM to after midnight. Five nightly bus routes (called Noctambus) serve the main parts of city, from 9:10PM to 1:10AM, and TAM has also now introduced infrequent buses throughout the night on the 100 line. The night buses leave from the Station J.C. Bermond, near the bus station, and the day fares apply on these night routes. If you are planning a visit involving a late evening return, consider train services, which provide the most reliable form of late travel.
Nice has no metro and little need for one. The main train service is the national French railway SNCF, which boasts the high speed TGV (slow to [wiki=282a8c85299a28fcb75e98221d7998fc]Marseilles[/wiki] and then extremely fast on to [wiki=e20d37a5d7fcc4c35be6fc18a8e71bfa]Paris[/wiki] and the local TER stopping trains, which serve the main Riviera towns between Cannes and Ventimiglia across the border in Italy, including the daily commute to Monaco. Less well-known is the little narrow-guage railway Chemin de Fer de Provence, which runs from Nice through the Var valley and along the Route Naploeon, three hours to Digne in Upper Provence. In the summer months, the latter part of the journey switches to a real steam train, the Train des Pignes.
The best access is by car from the A8 autoroute. The airport is well-signed from the A8 and the A8 is well signed from the airport. Just make sure that you know which way you need to go when getting on the A8 and which terminal when leaving. Especially in the morning and evening rush hour, allow extra time to deal with accidents and traffic jams. The A8 has a ferocious bend right near the airport and accidents are frequent.
Even if it is going better, driving a car on the Riviera is for the brave: the region has one of the worst accident records in France and every local has a favourite story about a mad driver. However, all major car rental firms, as well as some less well known ones, are present. Most are located by terminal 2. If you have a choice, try to pick a car that is already well dinged so that no one notices the new dings and scratches that you will add. Never forget to lock the doors of the car at all times, so as not to tempt carjackers.
If you can, avoid the notoriously expensive taxis, though sometimes you do not have a choice. It is not always easy to find a taxi when you need one. Most will not respond to being hailed, and only ply from a taxi rank, from where cabs take passengers in turn. Taxi-drivers have great solidarity with their fellow taxi-drivers and will not accept offers to jump a line of waiting passengers. Taxi ranks will be found outside the train station and deluxe hotels (for example outside Le Meridien at 1 Promenade des Anglais).
Taxis are registered and licenced but like anywhere, it's not unknown for one to take advantage of tourists. If possible, agree on the rate BEFORE entering the cab. If running on the meter, insist on the meter being on the whole time. Try to sit where you can see it so that you can immediately query the driver when/if it goes off "accidentally." Taxi fares within Nice should be less than €20, to Antibes €50, Monaco or Cannes approximately €70 and St Tropez €250. The airport run to Nice is a fixed tariff around €35, depending on time of day, but you may be hit for surcharges on luggage or the presence of a 4th passenger (designed to discourage cab-sharing).
Under no circumstances, anywhere or anytime, get into an unlicensed "cab". That applies doubly so at times like the Film Festival, especially if you are female and have been drinking and partying late. Not unless you want your friends to read about you in the next day's newspapers, as happened (again!) this year.
Nice is a large, sprawling city of 300,000 population (5th largest in France) with large public housing projects spreading its surrounding suburbs, but most of the tourist and historical attractions outside of Cimiez are within the centre - a radius of a twenty minute walk at the most. You will most likely be concentrating your visit within the old town and the central shopping districts, so you will not need buses, taxis, or other forms of motorised travel. Car hire is a complete liability as parking is scarce and expensive. The only downside of "by foot" is the notorious volume of "dejections canine" (that's doggie-poo to you and me) and the lack of attention to the needs of those with reduced mobility - wheelchairs - as the dropping of kerbstones is entirely haphazard.
Unless you are very experienced, travelling by scooter is not recommended. By the time the first 9 months of this year was up, according to Nice Matin, there were 16 permanently fewer scooter and motorcycle riders in the city.
There is a place you can rent skates from called Fun 'N Roll on 13, rue Cassini 06300, (slightly northwest of the port/harbor/quay), [http://www.fun-n-roll.com].
Since July 2009 Nice has installed a public bicycle rental system called Velo Bleu. Subscriptions rank from one euro per day to 25/year. The first 30 minutes of usage is free and you will not need any more time to get around in the city. Velo bleu stations can be found all over the city. Their website at http://www.velobleu.org/ provides a map of stations.
As Nice itself is hilly (the highest point within the city limits is above 300 meters) an eBike is the ideal way to move farther afield.
Bike and eBike tours:
* [url=http://www.nicecycletours.com/]Nice Cycle Tours[/url] - Best way to see Nice is on a bike! 3 hour bike tour of Nice taking in the Old Town, Promenade des Anglais, Place Masséna, Promenade de Paillon, Place Garibaldi and the Château Hill.
* [url=http://www.ebiketheriviera.com/]eBike the French Riviera[/url] - Best way to see the French Riviera is on an eBike! 4, 5, or 7 hour tour of the French Riviera using eBikes (electrically assisted bikes). Options: Villefranche tour, Cap Ferrat tour, Bellet vineyards tour
Bike rentals:
* [url=http://www.roller-station.fr/]Roller station[/url] - best value bike rental open 7/7, rent even for 1 hour.
* [url=http://www.hollandbikes.com/bike-rental-in-nice.htm]Holland Bikes[/url], 2 Rue Blacas 0033 9 63 06 00 76, opened Tuesday-Saturday 09.30-19.00. Rents out Dutch city bikes and Ebikes, one day rental price for a city bike is 17 euro. Holland Bikes also organises bike tours, covering all the highlights of Nice. The tours commence at 10.00, 14.00 and 21.00. The evening tour is a unique experience because Nice is beautifully lit at night.
If you go to Nice for bathing or general lounging on the beach, you may wish to think again. The beaches of Nice consist entirely of large flat stones ("gallets"). A few private beaches have added a layer of sand, but the free public beaches are a stony experience. Besides towels or mats, you should definitely bring sandals as walking on the stones can be painful, and a cushion, if you want to sit. Showers are provided (for free) on all public beaches and there is a beach volleyball area that is netted off with white sand.
Although the beaches are mainly pebbles it is important to note that many visitors enjoy the beautiful light blue sea for a swim. If you can bear to walk for few steps on the pebbles it is definitely an opportunity for swimming rather than playing in the water as the beach drops quickly and the tidal pull can be very strong, and not for beginners. Lying on the beach for a sun tan or relaxation is also manageable as long as you rearrange the rocks/pebbles to a comfy surface for sitting and lying. Private beaches offer various services from restaurants/bars to the rental of lounge chairs and towels.
Much nicer beaches exist in other towns close by, such as [wiki=aba2a94cee9155602e28f8219cf8aeb6]Villefranche-sur-Mer[/wiki], [wiki=a0fa7fc5688d952306ba65d253a394e3]Antibes[/wiki] and [wiki=ac85909cc2f96e6ad93e26add940f597]Cannes[/wiki], which are far more sandy. Villefranche is a particularly preferred beach choice, especially if travelling with children, only twenty minutes away by the TAM 100 bus.
For views of Nice the best vantage point is the heights of Mont Boron. From the derelict old Fort and the nearby villa of Sir Elton John there are fine views over the city to the mountains and east over Villefranche and Cap Ferat.
Go to [wiki=3856f54edc335918dc266c16a0827c90]Eze[/wiki]. It is a small village on the way to Monaco. The village is situated on a small mountain and there is a beautiful cactus garden with a spectacular view (a must see, 6 € entrance fee). Unfortunately the old town is fully commercialized with restaurants, souvenir shops, and art galleries. It is hard, if not impossible, to find an unobstructed view of the western coastline (towards Nice) without having to pay for it. There is also Fragonard perfume factory which you can visit for free. To reach Eze by bus, take the 112 to Eze Village (not the 100 which stops at Eze Gare, a 90 minute steep walk away from Eze Village). If you missed an infrequent (up to 3 hours) 115 bus in Eze Village, there is a path that goes down the mountain from Eze Village to Eze Sur Mer (also Eze Gare). This is the Path of Nietzsche (named after the famous German philosopher Friedrich W. Nietzsche), with some fantastic views and a waterfall (listen carefully, you cannot see it from the path). Walking downhill through this path takes about 40 minutes. The best views of the coastline are found in the lower third of the path. Buses run from Menton-Monaco through Eze Gare back to Nice every 15 minutes or so and vice versa, making treking back up the hill unnecessary.
Also close by is the magnificent Villa ile de France, of the Baroness Ephrussi de Rothschild, straddling the magnificent peninsula of St Jean Cap Ferrat in the so-called Golden Triangle of Villefranche, Beaulieu and Cap Ferrat.
Hiking trails emanate from La Turbie high above Monaco and the Grande Corniche, which are double the height above sea level of Eze and offer the hardened walker truly spectacular vantage points over the Riviera.
To combine several of these proposals, a magnificient, but long and hilly path for the active traveler is the route from Eze-sur-Mer up to Eze Village (Nietzsche Path) and from there the ongoing walk on roads and hiking paths down to Saint Laurent. Take the effort to visit a slightly hidden and secldued beach offering even the possibility of discovering caves unaccessible by foot to the experienced swimmer. After Saint-Laurent, there comes a beautifully renovated walk directly at sea level next to steep cliffs leading all the way into Monaco. The whole tour takes approx. 6-9 hours, depending on your breaks and walking speed.
Cheap & cheerful food in Nice is hard to come by if you don't take your time to look for it, though a baguette with different fillings range from €4-6, which is very reasonable by Nice standards.
The best deals in the center can be found in the port area.
Old Nice and all along the sea front the prices cannot be described as budget.
However, lunch-time set menus are certainly good value, if not 'cheap' per se. €10-12 should get you two courses, often with coffee and wine, and like much of continental Europe lunches can drift happily into the afternoon.
*Restaurant Le Lodge, 14 Rue Halévy, 06000 Nice, +493884189 If you're watching your budget but want to have a gourmet, healthy meal, this is the place to go for lunch. For €11 you get a main course, a drink such as wine, beer or soda and after the meal, a coffee. Try the trio of fish. For €13, add the dessert of the day. Hopefully it's cinnamon creme brulee. Don't be put off by the one waitress to a full restaurant ratio, the chefs get the food to you quickly. The meal deals are more expensive during the night, starting at €19.
*Lou Pilha Leva, place Centrale, Old Nice. Local dishes including the best tasting Socca, which only costs €2.50. Locals (and the lots of French tourists) seem to love this place and it is often quite busy. Order your food at the counter and take it with you to sit at the benches outside. Try Daube pasta/polenta and soupe au pistou, and socca. Very nice atmosphere and very decent price. For example, big plate of daube pasta costs €7 as well as chicken and fries and a side salad. Worth a try, even though the baked food can be somewhat soaked in oil. Avoid red wine at this place, though, as they serve it chilled rather than warm.
Casa Mia, Rue Pontin, Old Nice. Does amazing Italian in a very homely environment. The menus around €20-25 offer excellent value for the service and quality.
* Domaine de Lintillac, 37 Rue d'Angleterre, +33-4-93885075. Specializes in duck. Main dishes are an excellent value at a little under €10.
* Delhi Belhi is an award winning family owned and operated restaurant specializing in Indian cuisine. Open daily for dinner, a-la-carte or prix-fixe menu. Great curries and tandoori specialties. Delhi Belhi is the only Indian restaurant on the entire french riviera that has been included in the prestigeous Gault-Millau guides since 2005. Fluent English also spoken here. Behind the popular cours Saleya flower market. This is a very popular restaurant so reservations are highly recommended (at least a few hours ahead).
* Le Shalimar, 11 Rue Biscarra, +33-4-93139578. Has tasty Indian food. The lunch menus are a good deal.
* L'Occitanie, 54, bd Gambetta, +33-44-9382114111. In the Musician's Quarter, about 5 blocks from the Promenade des Anglais. A delightful, authentic brasserie/bistrot with delicious food. Reasonable prices, €15-30 per person. Gambetta is a main North/South Street. The area is quiet at night, and safe.
*Restaurant du Gésu, 1, Place Jésus, +33-4-93-62-26-46. In the heart of Vieux Nice, this is a friendly, vibrant, old-fashioned restaurant with as much Italian influence as Provencale. The beignets, and daube with gnocchi are particularly good. €15-€30.
*les hussards bleus, 68, Rue de France, at the corner of Rue St. Philippe, behind Neptune plage.
Guided by two brothers, originally from Paris. Guests: locals, lots of inside information, less traffic after 7PM.
Fish, meat, pizza, tagliatelle, omelettes, delicious salads
*Chez Juliette, 1, rue Rosetti.
Truly excellent food, one of the very best in Nice. Don't expect quick service, it's not that kind of place. Dining here is an experience so why would you want to rush it? Grab an outside table if you can and while you're waiting for the next course, just watch the world go by.
Fresh local produce cooked with care, imagination and flair, and wonderful desserts
Le Safari, 1, cours Saleya, +33 4 93 80 18 44, (Fax: +33 4 93 62 62 14), [url=http://www.restaurantsafari.com/].]Long established in the old quarter, now caters more for tourists than the locals. This reflects in the price and language spoken by those dining next to you. Overpriced compared to other local similar establishments. For a 3 course meal with wine, expect to pay more than €60/head.
* L'Univers, [url=http://www.christian-plumail.com/[/url].]Signature chef Christian Plumail's own restaurant in Boulevard Jean Jaures, very serious gourmet French. Expect to pay €100 per person. A rival to Nice's most expensive restaurant Chantecler in the Negresco.
* Le Tire Bouchon, [http://www.le-tire-bouchon.com/restaurant-gastronomique-nice-06-english.html/[/url]. Located in the center of Nice, Le Tire Bouchon is an attractive, desirable restaurant to enjoy a gourmet meal. The restaurant has a picturesque atmosphere which everyone is sure to enjoy.
[url=http://www.foodtoursofnice.com/]A taste of Nice food tours[/url] - 4 hour food tour taking in the best of local food and sites. Try socca, petit farcis and more.
* [url=http://www.winetastinginnice.com/]Wine tasting in Nice[/url] - 2 hour wine tasting of 6 organic French wines in a real wine depot.
Mont-Boron, Route Forestière du Mont-Alban, [url=http://www.hihostels.com/dba/hostel020023.en.htm].]Situated 4 kms from Nice in a forest.
* Les Camélias, 3, rue Spitalieri. Situated near the shopping center Nice Etoile, in the heart of the city center.
* Villa Saint Exupery Beach, 6 Rue Sacha Guitry, [url=http://www.villahostels.com[/url].]Located right in the city centre and about a 5 minute walk from the beach. Clean and well-run hostel with spacious dormitories, a vibrant/cheap bar, and helpful staff. Look out for the free walking tour, which ends in a picnic in a beautiful park overlooking the city! Open year round.
* Villa Saint Exupery Garden, 22, Avenue Gravier, [url=http://www.villahostels.com[/url].]An amazing hostel with a great party vibe, includes free internet and free breakfast. Situated a short way to the north of the town centre in a former monastery. You can easily catch a bus there from Nice Ville train station (1, 2 or 23), the staff are very helpful, knowledgeable and will even pick you up free if you arrive late. Closed in the winter.
* Backpacker's Hostel Chez Patrick, 32, Rue Pertinax, [url=http://www.backpackerschezpatrick.com/[/url].] A clean, cheap hostel with dorm rooms. The host is very kind and helpful and you're just a few minutes from the Nice train station (Gare SNCF) and a few meters away from the next tram station.
*PV-Holidays Résidence Maeva Nice Les Palmiers [http://www.pv-holidays.com/scripts/fiche_produit.php?id_ofr=417&id_sai_passe=1[/url] +33 1 58 21 55 84, A recently renovated three-floor residence, located in a private garden in the heart of the Fabron district. Only 500m from the shops, 800m from the beach, 4km from the old port of Nice and just 6.5km from the airport.
*B&B situated on a hill above Nice with views to the Sea and the Mountains. 4 spacious rooms for rent in a villa surrounded with large gardens. Pool, Gym, Tennis and outside kitchen at disposal. Parking and Wifi for free. Well situated to visit the region. By car you leave the quiet place to reach the busy city center or the airport in 15 minutes.
Being a heavily touristed city, it's easy to find a number of small hotels which are perfectly acceptable, and usually at a decent rate.
* Hotel 2* located in the centre of Nice
* La Résidence.
* Le Vendôme [http://www.vendome-hotel-nice.com].
* Le Mas des Selves, +(33) 04 93291027. Beautiful Bed and Breakfast.
* Twilightblue hotels in Nice [http://www.twilightblue.eu/en/france/provence-alpes-cote-d-azur/alpes-maritimes/nice/hotels.aspx].
* Citadines Nice Buffa, Well appointed and plenty of room but, be prepared for a bit of a walk to most attractions and the city centre. Several supermarkets close by and several bus routes pass right outside (if you can decipher the timetables!).
* Hotel Canada, Two star. Quaint would be too nice to describe this place. Is not the best. But it is in the middle of Nice, good friendly staff too. Circa 55/65 euro a night for single/double.
* Located in the ‘old town’ part of Nice, this hotel offers a gym, sauna, swimming pool and complete luxury.
* Located in the heart of the old town with many restaurants and cafes in the vicinity - a perfect base for visiting Nice on foot
* Located very close to the sea and the old quarter. Free WiFi in the lobby. The Superior and Privilege rooms have a small balcony with a table and two chairs where you can sit and view the surf along the entire Nice waterfront. The rooms are small but nice and the service is excellent. Even though it has only three stars, it has amazing views and service.
Holiday palaces are numerous in Nice, there are 14 four-star hotels. The following is just a sample of the four-star offerings in Nice:
* Negresco [http://www.hotel-negresco-nice.com/].
* Sofitel [http://hotel-sofitel-nice-centre.accorhotels.net/].
* Located on the edge of the old town with large windows overlooking the lively place Masséna and the fontaine du soleil
* Palais de la Mediterranee [http://www.hotel-palais-mediterranee-nice.cote.azur.fr/].
* Westminster [http://www.westminster-nice.com/].
Holy mass in Catholic churches in vicinity to the Convention center Acropolis (Palais des Congrès et des Expositions) [http://www.nice-acropolis.com/]:
*Notre-Dame Auxiliatrice, 36, Place Don Bosco. Sa 6:30PM, Su 8:30AM and 10AM, M-F 4:15PM and 6:30PM.
*St. Joseph, 21, Rue Smolett. Sa 6:30PM, Su 9AM, Th 6PM.
*Saint Jean-Baptiste, Place du Voeu/Rue Alfrede Mortier. Sa 6PM, Su 11AM, M-W 6:45PM, Th-F 8:30AM.
*St. Martin-St. Augustin, Place Saint-Augustin. Sa 4PM and 5:30PM, Su 9:30AM and 11:00, Tu-F 4PM.
Some other Catholic churches in downtown Nice:
*Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate, Place Rossetti. Sa 6:30PM, Su 10AM and noon, M-F 10AM.
*Notre Dame du Port, 8, Place Ile de Beaute. Sun 10AM, M-F 6PM.
*Basilique Notre Dame, 2, Rue d’Italie. Sa 11AM and 5:40PM, Su 9:00AM, 10:30AM, 6PM, M-F 11AM, 6PM.
Protestant churches
*Reformed temple, 21, blvd Victor Hugo. Su 10:15AM.
*Lutheran church, 4, Rue Melchior de Vogüé. Su 10:30AM.
*Baptist church, 32 rue de l'hôtel des postes. Su 10:30AM.
*Evangelical church, 51bis, avenue de Pessicart. Su 10AM.
*Anglican church Holy Trinity, 11, rue de la Buffa. Su 11AM, M&Th 12:15AM, Tu 6:15PM, W&F 10:30AM, Sa 9AM.
Orthodox churches
*Greek orthodox church Saint Spyridon, 2, Avenue Desambrois. Su 10:30AM, M-Sa 10:15AM.
*Russian orthodox cathedral Saint Nicolas, Avenue Nicolas II. Su-Sa 10AM.
*Apostolic Armenian church, 281 Boulevard de la Madeleine. Su 10AM.
Mosques
*(Sunni) Mosque in Rue de Suisse (in the city center, near the cathedral - open at prayer times only)
Orthodox Synagogues
*(Sephardic) Beit Yossef 16 rue Alexis Mossa 06000 Nice