The trio
Nice, Cannes, Monte Carlo was a trio that always stood in the back of our minds and we were in a dilemma whether to go or not.. We were tempted by Cannes because of our interest in cinema, but we also had a nice little view of Nice in our head.. They said E Monte Carlo was so magnificent, so wonderful that we couldn’t remove it from our list.. In this situation, we had no other choice and we started this trip by saying that we will remove all three of them.. We reserved about 1 week for them (which we think was too much) and we did not leave any places we visited in these 3 cities.. To tell the truth, we had a lot of disappointments, especially in Cannes and Monte Carlo, but we’re proud to present our Nice Attractions Guide, sir!
***Beginner’s note: We also have a Nice Eating and Drinking Guide, you might want to take a look at it as we discovered extremely good things.. You may also want to check out our Monte Carlo Guide and our Cannes Guide if you’re going around.. I guess we won’t write the guide just because we didn’t like it.. Please….
When to Go/How Long to Stay in Nice?
We had many question marks on our way to Nice. Yes, it looks very nice and cute from the photos, but it also has a bit of a “boring” feel when you look into it.. Moreover, we want to see places such as Cannes, Monte Carlo, Antibes and Eze while we are here, so we need to spend a lot of time here! Or do I discover Sicily instead of going there? Hey okay man, calm down and put your computer down slowly, we’re clearing this up right now.. (Don’t stop, we’re talking about something here) If you are not going to swim and your goal is to explore the city, 2 full days will actually be enough for Nice, you can spend the rest of your days for other cities that you remember.. However, if you say that you can both swim and travel, then you can extend the time a little more according to your taste.. Since this is a summer resort, you don’t have much to see and see, you will want to experience the city, so you can hang out very easily.
Let’s talk about when it would be logical to go.. If we were to categorize it as follows;
Write: You know, Nice is one of the most well-known holiday resorts in Europe, so you can miss your coworker Tuğçe and Ahmet, whom you never liked at university. You can even exaggerate and see Jay Z and Beyonce.. Well? In other words, the most crowded times of Nice between June and July. Yes, if you are going to swim in the sea, there is a very suitable weather with 26+ degrees, but at the same time, if you do not make a reservation, you will have to wait everywhere or you may be turned away.. Let us also remind you that there are periods when prices are the highest, which can be considered important in a city that is not very cheap like Nice.
Winter: Nice a small city, moreover, according to our observations (per balcony). 2 old French uncles) and not a very young population from what we’ve read. Therefore, it may not be a much better idea to go to Nice in the winter months, because when you want it not to be too crowded, you can come across the moments when there are straw balls around like in cowboy movies and there are 5 people on the huge street after 7pm and you may be on the verge of a nervous breakdown.. And since this isn’t an Almodovar movie, it wouldn’t be very entertaining.. (We kiss the recipients here) The good thing about the winter months is that it will coincide with the most affordable period in the city and you will not have trouble finding a place in restaurants.. But if you ask our opinion, Nice is the city of nice weather.
Spring/Autumn: If you are not going to lie on the beach with tweezers in one hand and a mirror in the other, the best times to explore the city are definitely look for. periods. Because the weather is not overwhelming compared to the rest of Europe, neither too hot nor too cold, and the months when the city slowly starts to come alive or maintains its vitality.. Prices throughout the city are also much more affordable than in summer.
-If you want to determine when you will go to Nice according to the events in the city, it is a very sweet Nice, which turns into a big event every year in February to keep the city alive. There is Carnival and Pink Parade town or Antibes where Picasso even Abidin Dino lived for a while. There is also a Picasso Museum in Antibes.. For those who are interested, Eze has a train stop on the way to Monaco by bus/train, and Antibes has a train stop on the way to Cannes. You can easily reach both of them in 10-15 minutes.
–The information here is valid for all your train journeys, after you buy your ticket, if you ask the attendant what time the train will depart from which platform (Plots A-B-C) you will head directly to your train without having to chase the sign there.
-Both There are very frequent trains for Istanbul, too, so instead of setting a time and moving according to it, you can take the first train you come across when you reach the station.
-There is a discount because it is included in the “young adult” category under the age of 26. If you are in this group, there is a discount. Do not forget to say it if you seem to be included in the image too.
Places to Visit in Nice
In fact, we slightly showed our color above. How will I raise it?” it’s not a city where your feet will swell at the power of 3 grandmothers from wandering around. You can enjoy it to the fullest, enjoy the city, explore any local venue, small gallery or street where you will question where you live because of the extreme beauty of French architecture.
*Vieux Nice
Vieux Nice, which we are sure is the area where you will spend the most time in Nice, is the old city district of these places.. You can find all kinds of restaurants, cafes, shops, souvenir shops, bars and attractions in this area.. If you can’t find anything anyway, it is possible to have a very pleasant time here, even by wandering around, due to the EXTREME beauty of the buildings and streets.. Do not label this place as “the moon is very touristy, I want to hang out locally” because Nice is a small city, so touristic and local places are mixed here, it is not possible to distinguish most places as local or tourist places.. Moreover, you are also tourists and you are a part of that crowd, they do not eat…
-Chepelle de la Misercorde, whose ceilings we burned, and Museum of Ancient Musical Instruments (Is the Turkish translation weird?) host Palais Lascaris is in this area, don’t miss it.
*Promenade des Anglais
Now close your eyes (you didn’t? ) and think of the first image that comes to mind when you think of nice. It is very likely that you saw the sea and the coastline near it.. Ok, that’s exactly what happens here.. It got this name because the British had a great share in the construction of this coastline, which is full of hotels, restaurants, private beaches and public beaches today.. You can go to the sea during the day, especially in the summer evenings, you can mingle with the crowd and pass out on the beach or go for a walk.. Vieux Nice, that is, because it surrounds the old city area, when you dive into one of the side streets, you will suddenly mingle with the most beautiful part of the city.
*Hotel Negresco
The ready-made Promenade des Anglais Speaking of , we do not want to miss Hotel Negresco, the most famous hotel in the region and even in Nice.. You may wonder why they are telling me about hotels, but Negresco is not one of the hotels you know, sir, because it has a story and all kinds of features that make us smile.. Let’s leave its beautiful story to the end and let’s start with its first two features: A hotel where many celebrities prefer to stay, from Negresco Orson Welles, which is a very expensive hotel, to Pablo Picasso, from Salvador Dali to Michael Jackson.. In addition, especially the lobby section is like a small art gallery full of incredible works of art, and for this reason alone, it deserves to be seen not only outside but also inside.
Let’s come to our main story.. The owner of Negresco, Madame Augier, has asked in her will that all of Negresco’s earnings be donated to an association for homeless, street animals and animal rights. In fact, unlike many luxury hotels, you have the chance to stay with your pet, and some of the rooms are arranged in such a way that animals can also be accommodated in order to encourage people to do so.. Now you like Negresco more, don’t you?
*Massena Square
If every city has a most famous square, the most popular and touristic one in Nice of course Place Massena. Located in the middle of many important streets of Nice, including Jean Medecin Avenue, surrounded by restaurants and shops, this square is a very popular crossing point both from a touristic point of view and by locals.. The magnificent statue in the middle of the square belongs to Apollo, which we know from Greek mythology.
-If you raise your head in the square, you will see that there are 7 sitting human figures above you.. The original “Conversation a Nice” belongs to the Catalan artist Jaume Plensa and symbolizes 7 people from 7 continents. Since the work was placed in the square, there are many who love and hate, we are on the side that loves.. Especially when it is colorfully illuminated in the evening.
– During the winter period, especially around December, Massena Square becomes incredibly beautiful.. The Christmas market turns into a movie set with a giant Ferris wheel and a huge, illuminated Christmas tree installed.. If you happen to be here in winter, it’s a very happy sight, don’t miss it.
*Parc de la Colline du Chateu
“Castle Hill”, that is, “Castle Hill” Colline du Chateu and its surrounding park, which can be translated as ”, is perfect for a few hours of peace, especially if you come across it during the crowded period of Nice.. Moreover, you can watch the famous Nice coastline view mixed with the view of the Old Town from Kale Hill and capture great photos.. Everything may seem fine so far, but there’s a slight chance you’ll run into trouble: Stairs that kill people from fatigue.. You have to climb a long flight of stairs to get to this hill.. Yes, there is an elevator right next to the stairs, but there may be times when it doesn’t work and breaks down (and of course, it happens to us) and the situation can turn into Migration of Tribes.. But is it worth it, sir, you can take a rest and rest.
-Sorry, there is no place to sit in the observation area when you climb up.. You need to go a little higher for this.
-The best time to go up is in the evening, before dark.. This way you can see the city both during the day and at night, you don’t have to climb and spend time for both.
*St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral
We seem to hear you say, what is the Russian cathedral doing in France?. You are right, we and the person who set foot in Nice with us also thought about it.. The construction phase of the cathedral is as follows: After the English nobles started to visit the French Riviera frequently at that time, with the completion of the railway that reaches Nice, the Russian nobles also go to Nice and set their sights on this region.. Then various agreements are made and it is decided to build the cathedral here.. The most important feature of the cathedral for us was that it resembled St Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow in terms of architecture.. We do not know as of the period, but it is not possible for you to see inside. However, it looks quite nice from the outside, if you have time, we think you can definitely take a look.
-This place is a bit outside the city center, so you can consider using public transport at your location.. But if you’re near the train station, it’s within walking distance.
*Cours Saleya Market
Noting from the beginning that we are not one of those bloggers who like to praise the street market as if we don’t have one, let me tell you a little bit of Cours. We will praise Saleya. Because unquestionably, this Sunday was one of the cutest we’ve ever seen.. This is a very functional market where you can buy fruits and vegetables, small souvenirs, sweet and salty snacks, and regional soaps and salts.. It is actually known as the flower market and there are already plenty of florists, but other parts will probably interest you more.
-Location is in the heart of the Old Town.
-Weekdays 17 You can visit until :30, until 1:30 on the weekend.
-We didn’t want to mention salt above, because there are so many types of salt that you didn’t know existed here, we couldn’t resist and bought a few.. You can try and get many interesting varieties such as wasabi, tomato, mustard or even rose.. Don’t forget to taste it while you buy it!
*MAMAC
One of the aspects of Nice that excited us the most was the reputation of Southern France as a center for modern art.. For this reason, we visited the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art with great excitement.. As we leave, we have a subtle “I wonder if you put the tree branch in front of us and take it, modern art!” I wonder if they say there was also fear, but it was definitely worth our excitement, it was a very successful museum. If you are interested, you can spend a few hours inside.
-If you are going by tram, you can get off at Garibaldı stop, if you go with one of the bus numbers 4,7,9 or 10, you can get off at one of the Klein/Defly stops.. After seeing the building, you will say that this is a modern art museum at best.
-It is closed on Mondays, open between 10:00-18:00 on other days.
-Address: Place Yves Klein. Fee: 6 Euros.
*Musee Matisse
During your visit to Nice, you will have the chance to get to know two famous artists much better.. One is Henri Matisse and the other is Marc Chagall.. Musee Matisse is considered one of the most important artists to have come out of Nice. The museum, on the other hand, was established on the hills of the city’s Cimiez district in 1963 and became a much more functional museum since it was founded with the support of Matisse while he was alive.. In the museum, whose building we admire, there are works by the artist in many different fields such as painting, sculpture and ceramics, as well as donated or bequeathed to the museum.
-Address: Avenue des Arenes de Cimiez. You need to get off at “Les Arenes/Musee Matisse” stop with any of the buses 15, 17, 20, 25.. It is very difficult to reach without public transport, because it is very hilly.
Open between -10:00-18:00. Entry is 6 Euros.
-The museum is located right next to the Roman ruins, if you are interested, you can take a look there.
*Musee Chagall
We came to Marc Chagall’s museum, which we are very pleased to meet and we are waiting for you.. Sir, let’s be honest, we approached him with a bit of prejudice because we read that he only created works with religious themes, but we regret it, we apologize.. It is really impressive when you read the works, especially when you examine them together with their stories.. (But not as impressed as Ayşe Arman goes on pilgrimage.). Since this is on the side of Cimiez, it would make sense to put Musee Matisse and Musee Chagall on the same day.. You can easily reach it if you go to the direction you reach here from the stop near Matisse.
-Let us remind you that there is a discount for under 26 years old.
-By the way, we don’t know if we were very hungry, but mysteriously, the cafe of the museum Are the potatoes a little too good? Give it a try too.
Brief in Brief..
-Of course, it’s a very logical plan to move on to Monte Carlo and Cannes while you’re here.. It might be a good idea to also take a look at our Monte Carlo Directory and Cannes Directory.
–Parc Phoenix: another of the popular city parks. Inside, there is the Museum of Asian Art, one of the largest greenhouses in Europe and a botanical garden.. If you have time, you can stop by.
–Espace Ferrero: Another gallery that proves Nice’s success in modern art. It is free for students, located on Place Gautier and the entrance is 10 Euros.
-Place Rossetti: One of the most crowded squares in the Old Town area, which you will most likely come across while wandering around the city.. A very busy, visually beautiful, small square especially in the evening. Nice Cathedral is also located here.
-Musee des Beaux-Arts de Nice: Nice’s fine arts museum. Inside you can find works by many French artists. Located on Avenue des Baumettes.
Shopping in Nice
For shopping in Nice, or to make it a little more specific, for clothes shopping You have 3 main options; Avenue Jean Medecin, Rue Massena and Rue Paradiso. 99% of them are made up of famous brands and designers that you can find in Turkey and it is not uncommon to buy them from there.. If you come across the discount period, maybe it would make a little more sense.. Let’s summarize the shopping streets in Nice so that you don’t forget;
Avenue Jean Medecin: This is the biggest shopping street in Nice, as well as the most popular touristic place.. It is not very special boutiques or overly expensive stores, but it is possible to find everything you know about ready-made clothing on this street.. For this reason, we cannot say that it has a great feature, but you can still come across 3-5 brands that are not available in Turkey and cafes where you can take a break on the way.. The famous Galeries Lafayette is also located on this street, but to be honest, it’s pretty crap compared to the one here in Paris.
Rue Massena: This street is located very close to Avenue Jean Medecin and is located in the city center. another of the main shopping streets. Again, it mostly consists of the brands we know, cafes and fast food restaurants.
Rue Paradiso: This is a slightly more expensive place with designers (Chanel, Armani etc.) and brands than the other two streets above. a smaller street. Since it is extremely close to the other two streets, you can take a look at it.
-Let us remind you that many shops close especially after 7 o’clock and on Sundays, then don’t have a nervous breakdown there.. Civilization in the house!
Nice Tips
*Nice is definitely not an affordable city. If you’re after a low-budget holiday, it would be a logical decision to push Nice, or even the entire Cote d’Azur area, to another period, in order not to have a nervous breakdown and not be homeless.
*In addition to the fact that the city is not affordable, Nice It is actually quite difficult to find affordable flight tickets to. Already nearby Cannes, St.. Tropez, Monaco, etc. Since you will need to fly to Nice first, you will need to buy all kinds of plane tickets here.. To solve this issue, if you check Picodi from place to place, you may have a chance to fly to Nice at a more affordable price.. Flight tickets etc. not only for Nice but also for other domestic and international destinations.. It is possible to get discounts on topics.
*In Nice and in this environment in general, you are far away from ridiculous generalizations such as “The French are very stingy, they will spit in your face if you speak English”. When you have a problem, they try to help you as much as possible.
*It is not possible to prepare a Nice Travel Guide and not talk about the beaches.. If you want to swim, there are both public and private beaches on the Promenade side.. You have to pay for private beaches, in return they meet your needs such as sunbeds and towels.. A private beach can make sense, as the coastline is not made of sand but of small, scabies-inducing stones.. If you say you don’t care, you may have to look at the sea shoes, one of the ugliest fashions ever, here, let’s say.