Nice is the pearl of French Riviera and the symbol of glamorous vacation. This is the favorite place for European aristocracy, the center of gathering world popular millionaires. You may hire the car in Nice and be ready to live in the best ritzy hotel in France – Hotel Negresco, or the best restaurant in the seaside – Le Chanteclair. You can find casino, boutiques and lux yachts here. Nevertheless, you, the easy-going backpacker, can go to Nice to get some rest for free!
Nice has everything that you need for good and BUDGET rest: pleasant sea, hot sun, clean beaches, tasty food, mass of interesting attractions, and impressive cultural atmosphere. Of course, Nice is a kind a French city where you want to come back again and again. Your car helps you to visit the biggest cities of the seaside such as Cannes, Monaco.
Promenade des Anglais
Address: Promenade des Anglais
Price: Free
There is nothing more pleasant than meeting sunrise in the seaside cafe in the Promenade des Anglais. The seaside is 5 kilometers long. There are many shops, bars and cafes, hotels and interesting architecture monuments from the left side. The right side is busy with the free and private city beaches. The beaches are stony. So, if you like sandy covering you should go 15 minutes far. If you want to have excited rest, you should go to Monaco. It takes you a half an hour by car.
Hotel Negresco
Address: 37, Promenade des Anglais
Price: Free
You can say for sure that Negresco Hotel is the best-known building in Nice. This is the place for friendly or romantic dinner. The most of touristic routs starts right here. Of course, it is enough to learn the building outside and inside but not stay for nigh. You can see the amazing pictures of the 17-19th centuries, big dome, constructed by Eiffel, four meters lamp. Coco Chanel, Salvador Dali and other prominent people stayed here. Your excursion is going to be free if you come to see the beauty of the hotel but not live in it.
Massena Museum
Address: 65, Rue de France
Working hours: Wednesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Price: Free, special excursion – 6 €
This museum is the pearl of the local architecture. It is situated in the Promenade des Anglais in the ritzy villa of the end of the 19th century. More than 15 000 of exponents meet you with the history of Nice. The proud of the museum is the mask of Napoleon and Josephine’s jewelry. You do not need to pay for ticket if you do not need to take special excursion.
Jardin Albert I Garden
Address: 2-16, Avenue de Verdun
Price: Free
This is the small but very beautiful city park that is organized on the river Paillon at the end of the 19th century. You can stop and have some rest here under the tall palms and aromatic flowers. The most interesting that you meet in the garden is Green Theatre pavilion. The main city trade street is situated on the left hand from the garden.
Place Massena
Address: Place Massena
Price: Free
The central square of Nice is the center of the city and the most unusual and interesting place in the city. The Old Nice is situated near here. The square is done in neo classic style to impress you with the small details. There is an interesting and rather strange sculpture: human bodies are placed in different poses on the high thin columns. There is also a big fountain with the big sculpture of naked Apollo in the middle. The tile on the floor is black and white color. It is better to come here in the evening, when the statues are lightened with different colors, or during the holidays. You can see the beauty of the square for free!
Avenue Jean Medecin
Address: Avenue Jean Medecin
Price: Free
This is a main trade street of Nice that is full of boutiques, top brand shops, souvenir shops. Besides, there are two the best visiting shopping malls in Nice – modern Nice-Etoile and classic Galeries Lafayette. You should go along the street and come closer to the streets of the Old Nice.
Vieux Nice (Old Nice)
Address: Rue de l’Opéra, Rue Alexandre Mari, Rue Saint-François de Paule, Rue Saint-François de Paule, Rue Saint-François de Paule, Rue Saint-François de Paule and others
Price: Free
This place looks like Italy, not France. Look at those narrow streets, old yellow houses, orange tiled roofs, little workshops, orange trees and cozy squares! You can see the family cafes to have some rest there. You feel like you came back for many years ago here. Probably, you can find something interesting in this city. Pay attention to the most beautiful building in the Old Nice – Opera Theatre, 4, 6 Rue Saint-Francois-de-Paule. The ticket price starts from 10 €. If you wasn’t to have free excursion, you may look at the building from the outside and continue your trip.
Cours de Saleya
Address: Cours de Saleya
Working hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 6 a.m.-5 p.m.
Price: Free
The Square Saleya is a place where the main city market is situated. This is the most interesting place in the city. You can find everything here, including food, souvenirs, clothes, antique things, spices, flowers. You should visit the Junk Market on Mondays. If you are not lazy to talk to people around, you can get something for free! There are many restaurants around the square, where you can taste seafood and traditional French dishes. Never forget to buy wine and cheese.
Want something for dessert? You should go to the Rue de la Poissonnerie. You are offered to buy famous French ice-cream Fenocchio of different and strange tastes. It is recommended to try ice-cream with the taste of violets, roses, beer and olives. In short, Nice is a place of experiments! The most of these experiments you can do for free with no money or little money. Come and see!