Our trip to {NICE}:

After a lot of research, we picked Hôtel La Pérouse for part of the trip to Nice. The location is hard to beat — directly across from the Mediterranean, tucked into the rock beneath Parc du Château, and only a few minutes’ walk from the Old Town. Fresh from a full renovation, the design blends Riviera glamour with a relaxed beachy style. Striped fabrics, rattan textures and coral-toned ceramics give it a light, summery feel.

The 53 rooms and suites range from smaller rooms with glimpses of the sea through to bigger rooms with private balconies with wide views across the Baie des Anges. We splashed out on one of the latter rooms, which was worth it for the stunning views at different times of day: from morning light through to afternoon sunbathing on the terrace and on to early evening sunset drinks. The pool area is compact but nice, set into the rock.

The Patio Restaurant sits in a lemon-scented courtyard shaded by trees. It’s a peaceful setting that feels far from the city, even though you’re only a short walk from the market and Old Town. It was a lovely spot to enjoy a leisurely breakfast each morning.

Service throughout was warm and efficient, relaxed in tone but attentive too. Staff were happy to give local recommendations and arrange taxis when needed. The voiturier is also a good feature, parking your car for you in a nearby underground car park and fetching it for you when needed.

If you’re after a slicker, more contemporary stay with top-level amenities, Maison Albar would be high on our wishlist. We didn’t stay there, but did manage to get a guided tour! It’s clearly one of the more luxurious options in Nice. Fresh from a complete rebuild, the hotel has been designed in a contemporary style — lots of white, ivory and turquoise, with marble bathrooms and sleek finishes. It feels very international in atmosphere, with less of the local character you get at La Pérouse, but it makes up for that with comfort and polish.

The location is central, right in Nice’s “Golden Square” across from the Promenade des Anglais, so shops, restaurants and the beach are all close by. There are 132 rooms and suites, many with balconies or terraces, and a large ORIA spa with an indoor pool and Seed to Skin treatments.

The highlight is the rooftop, home to both the restaurant and an infinity pool reserved for guests. The views stretch across the city and the bay, and it’s one of the most impressive places in Nice for sunset cocktails

The star of Nice is Le Promenade des Anglais, the long seafront boulevard that runs the curve of the bay. Walking or cycling here is a must. Start near the port and work your way west, passing joggers, roller-skaters and families perched on the famous blue chairs. Stop to admire the legendary Hôtel Negresco, with its pink dome and Belle Époque glamour, and take in the view of the Mediterranean that stretches endlessly in both directions. Along the way you’ll notice a scattering of pastel fisherman cottages—once humble homes, now selling for over €1.6 million!

Nice’s Old Town is a labyrinth of narrow alleyways, colourful façades and bustling squares. Loose yourself in the twisting streets lined with small cafés, ice-cream shops, and boutiques. This is where Nice feels most Italian in spirit, with laundry strung across balconies and church bells chiming.

One of the nice shops we stumbled on was Trésors Publics. Here, you’ll find a treasure trove of traditional products, all 100% made in France, including stationery, household goods, groceries, textiles, toys, cosmetics and perfumes.

Cours Saleya is the beating heart of Nice. Running parallel to the Promenade des Anglais, just a few steps from the sea, this open-air market is a riot of scent, colour and local life, framed by pastel-hued buildings with their classic Niçoise shutters and balconies strung with laundry. The market runs most mornings (closed Mondays), and depending on the day, you’ll find different offerings.

The main draw is the vibrant and colourful flower market, Le Marché aux Fleurs. But you’ll also find a generous spread of Provençal produce: gleaming olives, plump peaches, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh herbs bundled in string, and saucisson in every flavour imaginable

Musée Matisse is a great outing when you want a break from the seafront. It sits up in Cimiez in a grand, warm-red Genoese villa surrounded by olive trees and open lawns. Inside, it’s calm and beautifully laid out, taking you through Matisse’s work across decades — paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, and those later cut-out pieces.

Villefranche-sur-Mer is only 10 minutes by train or 15–20 minutes by car from Nice. It has a small harbour backed by pretty pastel buildings. You can also spend a couple of hours wandering the narrow old-town streets. Head down to the sandy beach for a swim in clear turquoise water if you’ve brought your swimming gear. After that, grab a waterfront table — coffee if it’s earlier, or a chilled glass of rosé later on — and watch the fishing boats and sailing yachts slip in and out of the bay.

If you have time, La Corderie is an authentic and attractive spot a little bit out of town. Perched right on the harbour, with tables spilling out under white parasols just metres from the water. The space is simple but stylish, with natural wood and nautical touches. The menu is Mediterranean, with a focus on fresh, local produce: crisp salads, grilled fish and generous plates of pasta tossed with seafood.

Menton is another lovely day trip. The buildings here are all citrus tones — lemon, apricot and tangerine — stacked up the hill above the sea. The best bit is simply getting lost in the old town alleyways and staircases, ducking through little passages and popping out onto small squares with a sudden view back over the harbour. It’s known as a “lemon town” for a reason (if you’re here in February, the Lemon Festival is a big deal), but even on a normal day, you’ll spot citrus everywhere — in shop windows, on menus, and in the general look of the place. Come back down for a stroll and a drink by the water before hopping back to Nice.

Èze is a classic Riviera day trip, and it really is as pretty as people say — a hilltop village of stone steps and narrow alleyways where you keep turning corners into tiny squares, archways and lookout points over the sea. The best way to do it is simply to wander with no plan, letting yourself get “lost” for a bit, ducking into little artisan shops and stopping whenever you spot a view through the rooftops. The only caveat is that it gets very busy, especially late morning to mid-afternoon, so it’s worth going early (or later in the day) if you want the lanes to feel more relaxed and less like a slow-moving queue!

Right on the pebbles and chic without posturing, Le Galet mixes driftwood tones, rattan chairs and soft white parasols for a breezy, almost Amalfi feel. Families, couples, and locals blend happily. The kitchen serves generous antipasti, seafood pastas, grilled octopus, and excellent Neapolitan‑style pizzas.

Ruhl Plage is a beach club Riviera with a touch of Riviera elegance without being too pretentious. In business since 1920, it lines up blue‑and‑white parasols, crisp deckchairs and a front‑row terrace that hovers over the Baie des Anges. It was a favourite spot for breakfast for us. You can also go for a lunch focused on seafood — linguine alle vongole, lobster from the grill and shellfish platters.

Castel Plage is one of Nice’s most iconic beach clubs, tucked beneath Castle Hill at the far eastern end of the Promenade des Anglais. During the day, it is packed with people on the

rows of loungers, sipping on chilled rosé. But we used it in the evening when the sun began to dip, and the place takes on a more relaxed atmosphere.

There are two options for dinner. The main restaurant sits just above the beach, buzzy and informal, with tables close enough to the water that you can almost dip your toes in the sea. For something more refined, Les Bains du Castel occupies the level above, cut into the cliffside, with a sleeker, more elegant feel and a quieter crowd. Both settings make the most of the location: as the sun drops, the light stretches across the Baie des Anges, and it’s one of the best places in the city to watch the sunset.

The menu is Mediterranean in style and generous in portion, with plenty of fresh seafood, grilled fish, pastas and Provençal favourites. We began with an apéritif at the table and then shared a mix of dishes. Service was friendly, and the atmosphere was buzzy without being too loud.

This is one of the most popular restaurants in Nice, especially in summer, so booking ahead is essential.

Mediterranean rooftop: Bocca Nissa
In the heart of Vieux Nice, Bocca Nissa’s rooftop is a buzzy outdoor dining spot for a sunny evening or lunch. It’s stylish but relaxed and a good option if you want a change from classic French cuisine. The food is Mediterranean with an Italian twist: truffled burrata to share, homemade pasta and market fish.

Casual fine dining: Les Agitateurs
A short stroll from the port on a quiet side street, Les Agitateurs was the find of our recent trip to Nice. The intimate venue has only a few tables, with a pale wood and stone decor. Service is informal yet razor‑sharp. The trio behind it trained at the Paul Bocuse Institute and in starry kitchens like Mirazur and Septime. You taste both pedigree and playfulness in a daily‑changing menu dégustation (five or seven courses). It’s modern French fine dining with a Mediterranean soul.

Behind the dome of the majestic Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate, in a narrow street, Marinette is a small but pretty and perfectly formed café. It’s a great brunch spot, with freshly baked bread & pastries, caramel & peanut pancakes, homemade granola bowls and savoury options too. There’s a lovely terrace outside with parasols and green wicker chairs. Inside, patterned tiles adorn the floor with original wooden beams holding up the ceiling. There’s also a marble-topped counter inside overflowing with oven-fresh baked goods and tartines, in case you want to get food to take away.

Part wine bar, part neo‑bistro, this former electrical shop near the port keeps the old signage and adds a lively, softly industrial room—high shelves of bottles, a long counter buzzing with regulars, blackboards chalked with the day’s ideas. The kitchen has Mediterranean accents—anchovy‑tomato toasts, market‑fresh salads, grilled fish or a well‑sourced steak—while the team pours small French producers and a few fun naturals with equal enthusiasm. Drop in for a glass and a couple of plates before a port stroll, or linger and let the evening build around you.

Le Plongeoir is perched on a rock that juts out into the sea at the eastern edge of Nice, a short cycle or taxi ride from town. The location is steeped in history—it was once a diving board and before that, a Victorian-era tearoom sitting atop a fisherman’s hut. Today, it’s been reimagined as a slick, open-air bar and restaurant with a breezy, nautical feel.

Upstairs, there’s a restaurant with panoramic sea views if you’ve booked ahead for dinner. Downstairs, the more casual bar is perfect for cocktails and sharing plates. There’s usually a short queue for drinks — we only waited about ten minutes — but once seated, the relaxed vibe and ocean backdrop make it worth it.

For a more relaxed terrace facing the sea, Babel Babel is a good spot. Set along the Promenade des Anglais, it’s perfect for a late afternoon pause with a glass of rosé or a beer. The vibe is young, buzzy and friendly, and they also have a range of bar snacks. If Babel Babel is busy, there are lots of other similar sea-facing bars to choose from, including Waka Bar.