3 Days in Nice
When we visited Nice in September 2023, the weather was perfect for a beach trip! We flew into Paris, spent the day there, then took the early morning direct train to the south of France the very next morning.
Train Ride
The train to Nice from Paris was seamless! We stayed at the Hilton Camille Paris, which was right across the street from Gare du Nord, where our train departed from.
The train cost about $100 round trip and was about 5 hours. It left at 8:22am and we arrived around 1-1:30pm. It was a direct, but with quick stops along the coast, which made for gorgeous views. The train ride to Nice did not have a snack car, but we packed some snacks from the train station to enjoy.
The train ride back had a major delay - about an hour - but once we got going, it was smooth sailing. This train did have a snack car, so we got some chips and beer and made friends!
Where We Stayed
We stayed at Hotel Apollinaire and we absolutely loved it. It was very clean, very spacious for a European hotel, and had a bathtub! For 3 nights, it totaled $734 ($244/night), which was a great price for the area.
We were about 10 minutes walking distance from the beach and Place de Massena.
I was a bad travel blogger and did not take any photos… But do not let the Best Western name cause any worry! The hotel is NICE and just far away from the thick of it to be quiet, but not too far to be a nuisance.
What We Did
Day 1
We arrived in Nice around 1pm and were able to check into our hotel early. So we took an Uber from the train station to the hotel, which was kind of a waste of money because the hotel was less than a mile away from the train station, but the idea of rolling our luggage a mile on cobblestone was enough to want to spend the extra money :)
Once we dropped our luggage, freshened up and changed, we went to walk to Place de Massena and get lunch at The Original Foca - a yummy focaccia sandwich shop.
After lunch, we walked to the beach and then grabbed a cocktail right off the beach. The drink wasn’t great, so I won’t recommend the place, but there are plenty of places along Place de Massena and the beach boulevard to grab a cocktail and enjoy the afternoon.
Before our dinner reservations, I grabbed some postcards and we went to La Part de Anges. This spot was one of my favorite finds of the entire trip. It is a natural wine shop where you can eat freshly shaved meats and cheeses and try very unique wines! We sat here and wrote our postcards.
For dinner, we went to Bocca Mar, a beach club. The vibe, view, and location were great! The food was just okay. I got the truffle pasta and a Moscow Mule, and the pasta was not the best. However, how bad can pasta on the beach be?
Day Two
On our second day, we took a day trip to Monaco and Eze. You can take a train, bus, or an Uber. We figured the Uber would be most convenient to Eze and then to Monaco, then we took the train back to Nice.
Day Three
Beach Day! We booked a beach chair reservation while at dinner at Bocca Mar and it was super convenient. We went from 9a - 3p and had such a relaxing day. Coming from Southwest Florida where the beaches are basically empty, having to pay for a beach chair is pretty foreign to me.. But I get it. We had a waiter on the beach and even got foot massages!
For dinner, we went to Gina and this was quite possibly the best meal of the trip for me. I got a plain cheese ravioli wit tomato sauce and it tasted so fresh and clean. The interiors were gorgeous (I hope to decorate my house like this one day), and the wait staff was incredible.
Tips
It’s not necessary to stay right on the beach or along the main streets. Nice is relatively pretty compact, so you shouldn’t have to walk more than 10-15 minutes anywhere.
Take some time in Place de Massena - there are LOTS of shops and restaurants.
The main beach street is hotel after hotel - they have the best rooftop bars!
The beach clubs usually only accept reservations in person. Go the day before or early in the morning to secure a good chair.