Nice travel guide
Nice Tourism | Nice Guide
You're Going to Love Nice
With a population of 338,620, Nice is a must-see destination in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Nice has to offer.
When to visit Nice
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Nice in July, when the average temperature is 24 °C, and the highest can go up to 27 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 5 °C, with an average temperature of 9 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in October, when precipitation is around 133 mm. In contrast, July is usually the driest month of the year in Nice, with an average rainfall of 12 mm.
How to Get to Nice
Plane
When flying to Nice, you’ll arrive at Nice Cote d'Azur Airport (NCE), which is located 7 km from the city centre. The shortest flight to Nice from New Zealand departs from Christchurch and takes around 50h 10m.
Train
SNCF is the most popular train carrier serving Nice, followed by Trenitalia. The train journey from Nice to Marseille takes 2h 29m and costs around $58 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Aix-en-Provence, expect to pay about $37 for a 2h 40m trip. Located 0.5 km from the city centre, Nice Ville is the busiest station in Nice. Another popular train station is Nice Saint-Augustin, located 6 km from the centre.
Car
Another option to get to Nice is to pick up a car hire from Lyon, which is about 297 km from Nice. You’ll find branches of Hertz and Rentscape, among others, in Lyon.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Nice, including FlixBus, BlaBlaBus and Union Ivkoni. From Marseille, the bus ride to Nice takes 209 km and will cost you around $37. From Aix-en-Provence, the ticket costs about $28 for a journey of 209 km. The most popular bus station is Nice Gare Routière, located 2.0 km from the city centre of Nice. Nice Bd René Cassin is also a commonly used station, and is 6 km from the city centre.
Airlines serving Nice
Where to stay in Nice
From 5-star hotels such as the Hyatt Regency Nice Palais de la Mediterranee to great affordable options like the Hôtel Helvétique, Nice offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around $236 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $439 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Trocadero and Hotel Danemark. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Nice, with prices from $101 to $1,055 per night. Vieux-Nice is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Nice are about 31% cheaper than a hotel room in the city.
Arénas - In Nice’s most popular neighbourhood to stay, recommended hotels include Novotel Nice Arenas Aeroport, ibis Styles Nice Aéroport Arenas and Hôtel Villa Victorine.
Vieux-Nice - Here you’ll find travellers’ favourites such as Mercure Nice Marche Aux Fleurs, Hôtel La Pérouse Nice Baie des Anges - Recently fully renovated and Hotel Suisse. The average nightly price for a double room in Vieux-Nice is $222.
Where to stay in popular areas of Nice
Most booked hotels in Nice
Hiring a car in Nice
Hiring a car in Nice costs $88 per day, on average, or $263 if you want to hire it for 3 days. Budget, Alamo and Sixt are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in Nice is the Goldcar Rental SP branch at Car Rental Center, which is 7 km from the city centre.
You’re likely to save money by hiring your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 17% more expensive than at Nice Côte d'Azur.
Expect to pay $3.39 per litre in Nice (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $40.67 and $54.22. The most frequently booked car type in Nice is Compact (Peugeot 2008 or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini car hire (Peugeot 108 or similar) is, on average, 60% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.