Nice: Tips First-Timers Should Know
Nice is an easy, safe city to visit, but a handful of local specifics save money, time, and a couple of rookie mistakes. Here are the tips worth knowing before you land.
Get the cheap tram fare from the airport
Tram Line 2 runs from both airport terminals into the centre in 20 to 30 minutes, and a single fare is 1.70 EUR. The trap: the airport ticket machines default to a 10 EUR round-trip fare and do not sell the cheap single. Buy your ticket through the Lignes d’Azur app, or ride free between the terminals to Grand Arénas and buy a reusable card there. It is the single most common overpay in Nice.
Pack for pebble beaches, not sand
Every beach in Nice is pebble, not sand. Bare feet last about ten steps, so bring water shoes and a thick mat or padded towel; a thin towel is not enough. The upside is clear water and a quick drop-off for swimming. If comfort matters more than money, a private beach club rents a sunbed and umbrella for 15 to 30 EUR a day.
Know your two art museums apart
Nice has two separate national art museums in two different places, and confusing them is the classic planning error. The Matisse Museum is up in Cimiez by the Roman ruins; the Chagall Museum is a separate building nearer the centre, free on the first Sunday of each month. And skip MAMAC entirely: the contemporary art museum has been closed for renovation since January 2024 and is not due to reopen until 2028.
Watch your bags in the known spots
Nice is safe for people; the risk is your wallet. Pickpocketing is an organised pattern on trains, at tram stops, and in the Cours Saleya crowds, including a distraction scam claiming you are in someone’s reserved train seat. Keep bags zipped and in front of you, especially at Nice-Ville station and the Grand Arénas tram stop, and never leave a bag on a towel while you swim.
Tipping, greetings, and the salade rule
Service is included in French bills by law, so tipping is a genuine choice: round up a euro or two for good service, and skip the 20% habit. Say “Bonjour” before asking a shopkeeper anything; it is expected, and its absence is noticed. And a food-lover’s rule: a real salade niçoise has no boiled potato and no green beans. If it does, it is the tourist version.
Come in the shoulder season
May and September give you warm weather, swimmable sea, and far thinner crowds than July and August. Carnival week in February is lively but pricey. You will not need a car: the walkable core plus the coastal train cover almost everything.
Read more: our Nice guide has the full plan, and the day trips guide shows how far the train reaches.