The 11 best free things to do in Nice, France
See the yachts of the rich and famous moored at Port de Nice from atop Colline du Château. Pocholo Calapre/500px
As one of Europe’s most glamorous, star-studded corners, the sun-kissed Côte d’Azur can take a toll on your wallet. Yet there are plenty of free things to do in Nice, its largest city, without having to burn through a bundle of euros.
While meals and accommodation can be pricey, this seductive city is well-stocked with free things to see for those traveling on a budget. From panoramic hilltop vistas to some of the world’s most famous beaches, you can enjoy Nice for free from dawn to dusk and still have a memorable city break.
To help you avoid the expensive entry fees and pricey beach clubs, here’s a look at the best free things to do in Nice.
1. Bask in the beauty of the best beaches in Nice
The arcing blue sweep of Nice’s gorgeous coast is the first thing you'll notice as you descend on the Côte d’Azur. Thankfully, it’s a moment you can revisit again and again without paying a cent. Alongside swanky private beaches that charge an entry fee, free-to-visit public beaches line the shore in the center of the city. As an alternative to the busy beaches along Promenade des Anglais, seek out the tiny, tucked-away pebble coves at Coco Beach and La Réserve.
While the stones of Nice’s beaches aren’t quite as idyllic as the sand further along the French Riviera, the views are beautiful, and you can spend a whole afternoon stretched out in the sun for free. Be sure to bring a towel to lie on, and perhaps a beach umbrella, as shade is limited.
Planning tip: If you’re craving proper sand, take a short bus ride around the headland east of the center to the sheltered shores of Villefranche-sur-Mer, where you can enjoy the strands at Plage Villefranche-sur-Mer and locals' favorite, Plage des Marinieres.
2. Saunter down the Promenade des Anglais
Taking its name from the English gentry's 19th-century infatuation with the Côte d’Azur, the Promenade des Anglais is an elegant palm-tree-lined walkway stretching for 6.5km (4 miles) along the city’s seafront. The promenade gets busy during the summer with joggers, cyclists and wide-eyed tourists, but no trip to Nice would be complete without a stroll to admire the grand hotels and casinos along the waterfront (including the famous Hôtel Negresco).
Planning tip: For a memorable experience, come here for sunset as the Mediterranean waves gently roll in over the pebbles. As darkness descends, the lights flicker on and the hills to the east become stunning silhouettes, while the metronomic flashing light from the distant lighthouse at Port Lympia adds extra atmosphere.
3. Enjoy panoramic views from Colline du Château
Nice is a spectacular city at ground level, but to truly appreciate its magical allure, you need to scale the stone steps up Colline du Château (Castle Hill) – one of the top things to do in town at any price. As you ascend from the eastern end of the central beach strip, the turquoise curve of the coast becomes more pronounced and the crooked apricot-colored roofs of the city start spreading out before you.
On a clear day, you may be able to glimpse the snow-dusted peaks of the Alps in the far distance, while the opposite side of the summit offers grand vistas looking down towards the bobbing yachts and sails of Nice's Old Port.
Planning tip: The best time to come is late afternoon as the golden-hour light gives way to vivid sunset colors.
4. Look up to admire la Maison d’Adam et Eve
One of Nice’s most unique architectural curiosities is – surprisingly – hidden away in the most tourist-choked part of town. Head to Rue de la Poissonnerie to find the so-called Adam and Eve House, one of the oldest structures in Nice, and an architectural reminder of the city's golden age.
Dating from 1584, the house is easy to miss among the Old Town’s narrow streets, so remember to look up as you wander along Rue de La Poissionerie. You'll soon spot the beautiful relief fresco on the first floor that gave this historic mansion its nickname, featuring Adam and Eve dressed in leaves in the Garden of Eden.
5. Find serenity at Jardin du Monastère de Cimiez
A secluded escape from the bustle of central Nice, the garden of the Cimiez Monastery (Jardin du Monastère de Cimiez) hasn’t changed much since it was created in 1546 as an orchard and vegetable garden for the resident monks. It's worth making the 2.7km (1.7-mile) trip from the waterfront to enjoy these calm surroundings.
Pretty climbing roses add sprinkles of pink and red to the lush green terrace, and there are fabulous views back across the rooftops toward the hilltop lookout at Colline du Château. The gardens are free to enter and offer a serene spot in which to unwind after a busy morning exploring downtown.
Planning tip: In the same area, the Musée Matisse charges an entry fee, but there's no charge to visit Henri Matisse's grave in the cemetery at the Monastère de Cimiez. Be sure to also take a peek at the monastery's attractive chapel.
6. Check out the contemporary art scene at Villa Arson Art Gallery
Nice’s Villa Arson is far more than just a few high-ceiling corridors lined with pleasant paintings. It’s an institution that’s deeply and actively involved in the cultural and artistic life of the city, and as such, it makes for a fascinating detour from the center.
Set inside a brutalist building hidden away in a neighborhood to the north of central Nice, Villa Arson has housed a national center of contemporary art, a national school of art, a media library and a residence for artists for over 40 years. When you’ve finished admiring the art inside, head out to the hanging garden to enjoy a dramatic view over the city.
7. Go people-watching at Place Masséna
Grand city squares are always perfect places for a spot of people-watching, and Nice’s Place Masséna is one of the best in France. Vast and always alive with activity, the plaza was designed by Joseph Vernier in 1843, at a time when Nice was part of the Italian state of Piedmont-Sardinia.
Today, modern trams glide through the square, passing the soaring water jets of the glimmering Fontaine Miroir d’eau. Take a seat on the marble rim of the Fontaine du Soleil, with its statue of Apollo, and watch the world go by while admiring the bright peach and pink Italianate architecture surrounding this famous square.
Planning tip: Place Masséna is just a stone’s throw from the narrow, meandering streets of the Old Town. Running east from the southern end of Place Masséna, Rue Alexandre Mari provides access to this terracotta-tiled neighborhood with its abundant ice cream shops.
8. Say a prayer in the Cathédrale Orthodoxe Saint-Nicolas de Nice
The ornate Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate is right in the heart of the Old Town, but for a unique church visit, we recommend making the trip to the Cathédrale Saint-Nicolas, one of Nice’s more unusual sights. Located a couple of streets behind Nice-Ville train station, this Russian Orthodox church has five tiled onion domes that are unlike anything else in the city.
Considered one of the most important Russian Orthodox buildings outside the Russian Federation, the church has a surprisingly snug interior filled with delightful blue floral patterns and icons of the saints in decorative gilded frames. The grassy grounds outside are a peaceful spot to sit back and admire the architecture.
9. Stop and smell the roses at Marché aux Fleurs, Cours Saleya
The Cours Saleya in the Old Town is a well-trodden tourist spot with restaurants spilling into the street, and it’s also home to one of France’s most famous flower markets. From Tuesday to Sunday, flower arrangements, bouquets, and plants of all colors spring out from the stalls of the Marché aux Fleurs.
The market at Cours Saleya has been in operation since 1861, and it was a shopping spot for locals long before the jet-set and holidaymakers discovered the charms of Nice. In addition to the flowers, the market also offers fresh fruit, colorful vegetables, local artisan products and gourmet specialty stalls.
Planning tip: Just west of the market, you can admire the looming facade of the Opéra de Nice, while just east, you can dip your toes at the free-to-access Plage des Ponchettes.
10. See live music – and art – at La Cave Romagnan
Entry is free at La Cave Romagnan, a much-loved hub for creativity and culture on Rue d’Anglaise. Owner Manu welcomes visitors to admire his eclectic library and photography exhibitions in the daytime (it's closed from 2pm to 4:30pm, naturally). In the evenings, you might catch poetry slams, theater shows or live jazz from 7pm to 9pm (also free).
Performers are paid via a hat handed around, so if you do have some spare euros, show your appreciation. Seats are limited and the venue is mostly standing-room-only; late-comers crowd around the door to soak up the convivial atmosphere.
11. Stroll through Cimetière du Château
Just a 10-minute walk from the busy summit of Colline du Château is the more contemplative space of the Cimetière du Château. This terraced hilltop cemetery is a quiet spot with fine city views and some finely carved tombs, including that of prominent republican politician Léon Gambetta.
Next door is a smaller Jewish cemetery that houses some unique Romanesque-style and neoclassical monuments, as well as a poignant Holocaust memorial with small marble urns. Nice became a sanctuary city for Jewish migrants in the medieval period, but thousands of Jewish residents were deported during the Nazi occupation from 1943 to 1944.
Planning tip: If you exit Colline du Château to the east, via Montée Montfort, you can take a walk around Port de Nice to admire – from a distance – the superyachts of the rich and famous.
