We arrived in Nice by train and walked into our apartment just as the sun was setting. It was love at first sight. Nice is beautiful. We looked out over the Promenade Anglais, one of the most famous stretches of beach front in the Cote D’Azure. The wide paved walkway is lined with palm trees, beach front restaurants and beautiful architecture. We spent each evening watching the people and scenery from our balcony.
Peixes Restaurant
After soaking in the view, we set out for our first dinner in Nice which turned out to be the most memorable of our visit. Peixes (pronounced pesh, Portuguese for “fish”) is a small casual restaurant just off the historic square, Place Messena. It’s known for its ceviche and it was hard to decide which one to order. The portions are small so if you can’t decide, order two! The staff was friendly (and funny) and the food was amazing and not too expensive. We should have gone back for a second visit because our other dinners didn’t compare.
I ordered the red snapper ceviche 
and this chocolate cake (with bacon!)
Promenade Anglais
Strolling down the Promenade Anglais was an activity in itself. The French sure know how to stroll. Admire the scenery, people watch, or just sit in one one of the famous blue chairs and admire the ocean.
One afternoon we dressed up and walked down the Promenade to the famous Negresco Hotel for a drink. It’s worth a visit, lots of history and a stunning Royal Lounge in the middle, but probably not worth the price of the super expensive drinks – so I’d advise to just to sneak in for a look see and have your drink elsewhere.
Old Town
The Old Town of Nice is right at the base of Castle Hill and at the end of Promenade Anglais. It has a maze of narrow winding streets, with lots of restaurants and shops. There are several busy squares with outdoor eating and great people watching. One square has a huge open market selling fresh food, flowers and crafts.
To really get to know this part of town, do not look at a map, just walk around and turn down each tiny alley until you get lost.
Castle Hill
A short walk east down the Promenade Anglais, just past the Old Town, brings you to Castle Hill. Its a steep climb up stairs and winding paths but definitely worth the hike.
Half way up you’ll reach the first lookout point, Bellanda Tower, which looks out over Old Town and the Promenade Anglais. Don’t stop here though, you’re only half way up. Keep climbing until you reach the top where you have spectacular views of the Promenade Anglais side of town and after a short walk across a hill top park, you’ll see amazing views of the marina with the huge yachts all lined up in the port.
One thing to note: there is no castle on Castle Hill, only some roped off ruins. You’re not there for the castle anyways, you’re there for the view. And, after all that climbing, you’ll feel like the king of the mountain when you’ve reached the top.
Matisse and Chagall Museums
Pablo Picasso once said: “When Matisse dies, Chagall will be the only painter left who understands what colour really is”.
Matisse and Chagall both have museums in Nice. The Chagall museum was on the top of my list so we visited that one first. The museum was built during Chagall’s lifetime and he helped design it to house his biblically themed works. I prefer Chagall’s lighter themed paintings (the ones with couples in love floating across the sky). In addition to his religiously themed works, there were enough of those romantic paintings to keep me happy. If you only see one museum while you’re in Nice, I’d pick this one.
The Matisse museum gave a nice glimpse into Matisse’s life but was not as impressive for showing his major works of art. It had photographs of his studio and a video of him twisting colored paper around his scissors to create his famous cut outs. One room projected a full wall video of a ballet for which he designed the sets and costumes based on his colorful cut outs. It was fascinating to see his works dance across a stage.
We saw the museum quickly and then enjoyed the roman ruins that we were surprised to find just outside the museum.
City Hopping
Don’t worry about renting a car while you’re in the Cote d’Azure. A coastal train goes back and forth stopping at the closely packed towns every half hour. The train stations are walking distance to the town centers and the towns themselves are pedestrian friendly. You can spend just a few hours or an entire day visiting the neighboring towns.
We spent one day exploring the towns around Nice. We hopped a train east in the morning and visited Menton during their adorable Lemon festival. After photographing towering citrus sculptures and having a crepe lunch in Menton’s Old Town, we headed back west and spent the afternoon in the glamorous city-state of Monaco. We arrived back in Nice in time for a late dinner.
Nice was a great home base for touring the Cote d’Azure. We loved coming home after a day of town hopping.
Nice Carnival
We were in Nice during their famous Carnival and you could feel the excitement as you walked around the city. The main plaza, Place Messena, was filled with grandstands and its buildings were lit up with bright pink lights. Each time we walked through the plaza or saw carnival decorations, we got more excited for the big events we’d be attending on our last day of vacation.
When our last day finally arrived, it was time to immerse ourselves in the incredible Carnival de Nice. That one day was so packed full of amazing sights that it has its own page here.