I fell in love with France ever since my first time visiting Paris in the 6th grade. The delicious cuisine, beautiful views, the history and culture, and getting a chance to practice my otherwise rarely used French skills from high school made it one of my favorite places in the world. Fast-forward to my mid-Twenties and I am now lucky enough to work at a company headquartered in Paris, France and get to travel there once a year for our yearly summit. Every year, me and a couple friends plan a Europe trip beforehand. Last Summer, we chose to go the beautiful south of France, specifically Nice, for the first time in my life. We had the most amazing, magical, fun-filled time and I can honestly say it is now in the top 3 of favorite places I have ever visited.

Nice, France is known as a place of relaxation and a vacation spot for not only the French, but tourists from around the globe. It is a picturesque beach town in the French Riveria, not too far from the famous Cannes (where the world famous Cannes film festival is located), and luxurious Monoco and Monte Carlo Casino, where the Formula 1 Race occurs every year. However, the French Riveria is not just a place for the rich and famous – we lived like queens in the most amazing Airbnb with a view of the port and all of the boats, ate the most delicious food, drank rose, and had the time of our lives when we visited (saving a lot of money by choosing Airbnb).

I compiled a list of the top 10 things I recommend doing while there. There are a million more things to enjoy in this paradise, but I wanted to highlight some of our experiences for any of you looking to travel there soon and need some suggestions!

1. Walk the Promenade des Anglais

The heart of Nice is the Promenade des Anglais, a long pedestrian walk way on the beautiful crystal waters of the Mediterranean. Lining the walk and along the waters and beautiful pebble stone beaches are beach clubs, shops, and hotels. I highly recommend taking a stroll down this street to get a beautiful glimpse of the heart of Nice and enjoy the Mediterranean breeze at your leisure.

2. Go To a Beach Club

Lining the Promenade, there are tons of beach clubs that you can enjoy day or night. Our favorite was called Castel, and we had an amazing time drinking wine and/or Mojitos by the beautiful water and tanning by day, or there is dancing by night. We were joking that the white wine they gave us was happy juice, because we were so happy just relaxing with the beautiful views and enjoying a drink. You do have to pay for a chair to lay on at the clubs typically and you can get food and/or drink – and it is worth every penny. The beaches are known for being pebble-filled, so definitely not the most comfortable to lay on – much better to have a cozy chair with drink in hand!

3. Eat Macarons

The first day we were in Nice, we had to get Macarons as of course they are famous in France. In the Old Town we found a tiny Macaron place called L’Angea – and from the second we tried them, we were in love. The lady that worked there became basically our new best friend, as we returned every single day to get more because they were by far the most delicious Macarons we had ever had. I brought home packages of these little guys with me and have been going through withdrawals ever since. I HIGHLY recommend this place, or bare minimum – getting Macarons while you are in the home of the best pastries on earth!

4. Enjoy the French Cuisine

There are tons of delicious restaurants to enjoy both along the Port where our Airbnb was, as well as in the Old Town. My favorite things to eat aside from heaps of Macarons and Gelato – would have to be the crepes as well as the Italian food they had there. There was a delicious crepe place right outside our Airbnb called “Le Pass’Port” by the Port, right on the water, where we fell in love with the breakfast crepes. They also had delicious lunch crepes or Nutella crepes, alongside the most beautiful view. Additionally, Nice culture is influenced a lot by Italy – in fact, it reminded me quite a bit of the Amalfi Coast. You can find delicious Italian food here – one of our favorites being La Pizza Cresci, which had absolutely amazing pizza and was highly recommended to us beforehand.

5. Go to a Rooftop Bar

We were able to see the most AMAZING views from a rooftop bar we stumbled upon that overlooked the beach, while enjoying a nice glass of wine (having a glass of wine in hand was definitely a staple for the trip – Haha). Not only could we see the most amazing views of the crystal clear waters – but we actually saw a rainbow! I would highly recommend visiting La Terrase, Nice restaurant on the top of the Meridien Hotel for the best views of Nice.

6. Go on a Boat Tour:

We had planned to go on a boat tour in Nice – with snorkel gear, lunch, drinks, and our own skipper included – but unfortunately due to wind and the fact that we were going to be taking a small boat, it had to be cancelled. However, I have heard amazing things about taking a boat trip. There are options you can find to boat to Cannes, Saint Tropez, and more – either half-day or full-day excursions. Although we missed this, it is definitely something I would highly recommend looking into if you are headed to Nice. What is better than floating along crystal-clear blue waters in the Mediterranean along the coast of France? I can’t think of much!

7. Visit Monoco

If you are going to be in Nice – you definitely have to take the trip over to see the luxurious Monoco, and the world famous Monte Carlo Casino. It is unlike any place I have ever seen, and we had the experience of a lifetime. Long story short – we got to explore where the Formula 1 Race had just taken place, go to clubs where celebrities go, and we ended up on a luxury yacht, and stayed up until 4 am (WELL past my usual bedtime). This definitely won’t happen to everyone, but visiting this luxurious spot is one for the books and I would not miss it. I do have to say that the Monte Carlo Casino itself was a bit of a let-down and nothing too exciting to see- and we did not pay to gamble there (yes, you have to pay to get in). However, I would recommend going just to see the luxury cars, yachts, as well as checking out the clubs at night if you are into the night-life! Additionally – we actually took an Uber there so it was super easy to get to. You can typically take a train, but Uber was so much easier!

8. Walk Through the Old Town

The Old Town is right in the heart of Nice and is one of the main attractions to visit while there. It is known for its history, it’s beautiful, narrow streets – as well as being a place full of activity, day and night. It is a place perfect for photos due to the unique and colorful architecture. It is also full of fun shops, restaurants, and more – and is the perfect place to explore for hours and get lost in. We visited many of the shops here throughout the day, as well as enjoyed delicious drinks and dinner here at night. They have so many cute stores and a market where you can find food, drink, souvenirs, artwork, jewelry, and more. I got a mini water-colored painting of Nice here I still cherish to this day. Alongside the beach clubs, this is where we spent most of our time!

9. Hike Castle Hill

We had planned on hiking Castle Hill but unfortunately did not end up having the time to do so. However, if you have the time I would definitely try to squeeze this into your schedule. You can either hike up the 300 feet of stairs, or take a lift to the top – where you will find some of the best views in all of Nice. There are walking tours additionally that you can take if you want to go with a group!

10. Walk Down the Pebble Stoned Beach

Nice is known for its beautiful pebble-stoned beaches – very different from a typical sandy beach. While you’re there – you should definitely take a stroll down these beautiful beaches, and take a dip in the crystal-clear blue water, as there truly is nothing else like it in the world!

I hope these suggestions were helpful! Would love to hear if any of you have been to Nice and what you’re experiences were 🙂