Nice Trip on a Budget

Spring is a great time to visit the south of France as airfare is usually cheaper during shoulder season. The weather is usually pretty mild—warm during the day and cool at night. Nice makes the perfect base for visiting this part of the country. It rained on my first day there, but it was warm the rest of my stay.

Promenade des Anglais

Another benefit of visiting in late spring is that the days are longer so I happily used that to my advantage, venturing to neighboring towns and getting back into the city around 6 pm, just in time to catch dinner with a glass of wine and then picking up some pistachio gelato at an Italian gelato shop on my way back to my Airbnb. With its close proximity to Italy, Nice is not short of gelato shops and Italian restaurants. Read on for tips on where to stay, how to get around, and what to do in this beautiful city.

Accommodation

After an extensive research, I chose to stay at an Airbnb located near the Jean-Médecin area instead of Vieux-Nice (old Nice), Promenade des Anglais or Gambetta. I found a very small apartment with rave reviews about its cleanliness and location. The flat was about $75 euros per night. I took the tram from Nice airport and got off just a couple of blocks from the apartment building.

Although it was essentially a shoe box, it had everything I needed except a washing machine. To my surprise, the Italian-made futon was quite comfortable. The owner supplied me with some snacks and these beautiful Marseille guest soaps. It had a kitchenette and a clean shower with a glass door.

One night, I came back to what sounded like heavy and erratic tapping on the glass balcony door which really freaked me out. Since I kept the curtains closed, I could not see what was making that sound. I slowly walked to the door, took a peek, and saw a huge seagull. The balcony was really narrow with high railing. Because of its wide wing span, it got stuck and could not fly high enough to get out. It kept flapping its wings so hard that I was afraid it would break the glass door.

So, I called the owner. Sensing she didn’t believe my story, I texted her a picture of it. The lady then sent her husband over to remove the poor seabird. After wrestling with it for a while, he was finally able to put a blanket over it and free that poor thing. It was the strangest incident that happened on that trip for sure.  

Getting Around

A car is not recommended in Nice due to high traffic. Had I gotten a rental, I would have had to pay for insurance, gas, and parking. So, I got around by foot, tram, and bus. That really saved me quite a bit of money there. I do wish I had used the hop-on-hop-off bus to get around as it goes all the way to Villefranche-sur-Mer. Hop-on-hop-off bus service is also available in Monaco. Since Monaco is quite hilly, that’s a great way to see the city and get a lay of the land. 

Villefranche-sur-Mer, France

When taking public transportation, always keep your belongings in sight. On a high-speed train from Paris to Nice, a young American tourist’s bag was stolen by a French girl who minutes later was found putting on a pair of stolen boots. The American tourist yelled at the French girl, and boy was she ready to fight the French girl to get all her things back. The train halted for quite some time waiting for the French police to take care of that matter. 

Food

My favorite restaurant in Nice is a place called Chez Pipo. It is popular among locals and they serve tapas-style dishes and have amazing soccas at a very reasonable price. The restaurant gets really busy so it is best to get there as early as you can. Although it was quite a walk from my Airbnb, it was totally worth it. 

Chez Papi, Nice

Since my Airbnb had a kitchenette, I bought some butter, eggs, bread, and some other basic items at Carrefour (a popular grocery store in France).  I also made it to an outdoor market and bought baskets of French and Italian strawberries which are in season from May to September. It is always good to get a good amount of fruits in your diet daily even when travelling. Those strawberries were mouthwatering, contrary to American strawberries which tend to taste sour and dry in my opinion. Before your trip, research the locations and hours of the various outdoor markets. Remember to bring a tote or bag with you to carry your items and bring some cash. 

Activities

When I was not visiting neighboring towns, I took long walks on the Promenade des Anglais that is located along the Mediterranean coast of Nice, then climbed up the steps of Castle Hill to the top. It was quite a hike for me, but the view was worth it. The promenade is lined with bars, hotels, and restaurants so it is lively day and night. I walked all the way to Port Lympia one night and was delighted to find beautiful night lights and boats and super yachts docked there.

Castle Hill, Nice.

Port Lympia

Locals

It seems to me that people are generally friendlier in the south of France. Going down the steps to catch the train, a local offered to help carry my suitcase. He seemed genuine but after reading so much about pickpockets and scammers, I politely turned down his offer. “Non merci,” I replied in my broken French. I was worried he would run off with my suitcase. 

Another guy I met while waiting for a bus struck up a conversation with me. He used to live in Canada for a few years and now he is back in his country, for retirement I assume. At first, I thought he was homeless due to his disheveled look, but he spoke some English and we ended up chatting until his bus arrived. It was nice to have someone to talk to, especially since I was traveling solo. The man was visiting the small village of Beaulieu-sur-Mer to spend some time on the beach there. 

Shopping

Avenue Jean-Médecin is the main shopping street in Nice. I went into a few shops and a French Pharmacie. Other than that, I didn’t do a whole lot of shopping in Nice. There is a Galeries Lafayette that is conveniently located in the gorgeous Place Masséna. Vieux Nice is another place to go shopping. You will find cute shops that sell products that are unique to Nice.

I really enjoyed my stay in Nice. I love the historic buildings and how people there are generally more relaxed, friendly, and easy going. It is centrally located which makes it an excellent base for day tripping to Antibes, Villafranch-sur-Mer, Cap-Ferrat, Èze, Monaco, and Menton. Next time, it would be fun to take a boat tour and day trip to Antibes.

If you find this post helpful, click here to read my “Museums in Florence, Italy” post.