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I love Nice, an outdoor playground that’s fringed by the Alps and lapped by the milky blue sea. Saturated in color, it sizzles with sensory overload. Yet beneath the veneer of Riviera glitz lies a buzzy, ever-changing city filled with hidden pleasures.  

Nice makes for an ideal weekend getaway. Within short distances, you can enjoy the beach, soak up culture, eat regally, hike in wild spots along the coast or get further into nature in the hills that rise behind the city. My family lives here, so I’m a regular. While the winter is my favorite time to come, Nice appeals in any season. 

• When to arrive: Plan on flying in Thursday evening for cheaper fares, then schedule activities from Friday morning to Sunday evening. Factor festivals like and into your planning. 

• How to get from the airport: The tram is efficient, easy and cheap, with service right from the airport terminal heading straight into town. A single ticket costs €1.70 (US$1.70); you can buy one at the machine at the airport station. Taxis are overpriced, so after hours order an Uber.  

• Getting around town: Walking is best. If you need a break, Nice’s tram and bus are super accessible, as are the coastal trains. 

• Where to stay: With well-priced rooms and a rooftop terrace,  is a solid budget option in the buzzy port district. Check into mid-range for fabulous views over the endless miles of coastline. Splurge at , with its stylish opulence and terraced herbal gardens. 

• What to pack: It depends on the season, but generally think attire that’s city cool–meets–outdoorsy. Sunglasses, comfortable walking shoes, swim kit and sunscreen are all essential at all times of year.

Friday

Morning: Nice is all about the light, so start your day with a morning dip to catch the rays. My first stop is always the Prom (aka the famous Promenade des Anglais). Anywhere along this stretch is wonderful for a swim – and you have the advantage of looking back from the water onto a cinematic, rainbow-hued line of art-deco and belle-époque buildings. Access to the sea is free, with public showers beachside – so don’t bother with private establishments, which can easily charge you €30 (US$30.90) just for a lounge chair.

The Mediterranean is temperate year long (hovering at 15°C / 59°F in winter), so feel free to take a dip in any season. (If you come for an afternoon swim, watch out for la vague, a single large wave that breaks higher up the beach. Its cause is a great source of local mystery, and it can easily soak all your stuff.) 

Afterward, head to the Cours Saleya market, tucked behind the seafront. It’s tourist territory, true – but it’s a true pleasure to weave among the crowds and loiter by the stalls. The whole scene is drenched in a bright �Ծ�ç�Ǿ��� palette of primary colors, bordered by red-striped cafe awnings and mustard yellow, burnt-sienna buildings that glow in the morning sun. (Henri Matisse lived at 1 Place Charles Felix, the top end of the Cours Saleya – and the tableau indeed resembles one of his paintings.)

The stalls that run along the avenue’s spine are heavily laden with local produce, including herbs, spices, handmade soaps, mountains of olives, jasmine, mimosa, lavender and citrus. (I bought a lemon tree 10 years ago and it’s flourishing on the balcony thanks to 147 days of annual sunshine.) The sellers are relaxed, unpressurised and happy to chat. Come Tuesdays to Sunday for the flower market, which transforms into a flea market on Sunday afternoons. If it’s not too early in the day for onions, grab a �辱�����������徱è���� (�Ծ�ç�Ǿ��� onion tart with anchovies and olives) from a stall, and a strong flat white (a rarity in Nice) at . Afterward, nip into for a sensory inhalation of Provence – think citrusy perfumes and homeware capturing capturing local color.

How to spend the day: Get lost in Vieux Nice’s narrow dark streets – and be sure to stop at for a �Ծ�ç�Ǿ��� chickpea pancake snack chopped and wrapped in paper. (Consume it quickly for maximum tastiness.) For unmissable views of the Promenade des Anglais, head up the stairs (or elevator) to Colline du Château, where you might even consider . Then walk back in the direction of the port, stopping by market to dig for such treasures as ancient coins, picture frames and musty berets. 

Traditionally a working-class neighborhood best known for catching the ferry to Corsica, the port is now a buzzy district with close-together cafe tables spilling onto the pavements. It’s perfect for eavesdropping on locals in oversized sunglasses gossiping through a haze of smoke while overlooking boats glinting in the sun. Take a break at , a great place for organic wines and tapas, then nip over for a dip at , a local favorite, where you can jump into the sea from rocks. New gallery space always has something interesting on.  

Dinner: Eating alfresco is a local tradition. If it’s warm enough, get a take-out order from , find a spot on the beach to stargaze with the moon shimmering on the sea – and indulge in nocturnal picnic heaven. You’ll be far from alone as large gatherings of families, friends and students converge to toast the weekend, creating a sociable and safe vibe. Capitalizing on the free outdoor space, groups often come armed with stereo tunes and screw-top wine, lending a friendly fiesta-style ambiance to the illuminated giant palm trees along the corniche. If you want to sit down, try for gargantuan plates of pasta and calzone the circumference of my head. Be prepared to queue, unless you arrive before 7pm.

After dark: Walk off dinner down the twinkling Prom toward Hôtel Amour’s for some summer-party action. It’s free entry as long as you buy a drink, though you’ll need tickets for designated DJ nights (check out details of summer listings at the ). I also love for meeting friends for a chill catch-up over plates of cheese, charcuterie and wine. Relaxed staff are happy for you to linger until late.

Saturday

Morning: Join in Saturday exercise activity on the pedestrianized, sculpture-strewn Prom. As long as you’re moving, anything goes – from outlandish sporty outfits to rollerblades, Segways, prams and boom boxes. (Just stick to the right lane, or risk locals’ wrath.) Use bike-share services and for a rental, then cycle as far as Cagnes-sur-Mer. Or take a seat on the famous blue chairs that line the seafront – a great spot to strike up local conversation and watch swimmers cross the bay.  

How to spend the day: Venture over to Villfranche sur Mer by bus or train – or walk around the bay from Nice along the superb and half-empty (not advisable in summer due to a lack of shade) – then meander through alleyways behind the harbor. 

Down by the marina, pop into La Chapelle St-Pierre, with its stunning wall paintings by Jean Cocteau, and trace the path along the citadel walls to to enjoy a peaceful sheltered dip in translucent waters protected by the harbor walls (a far cry from the crowded swimming spots of central Nice).

Afterward, warm up at , all white furniture on a flower-filled terrace with pétanque, welcoming guests to share an ����é����. The local dish of cod, egg and aioli with steamed vegetables, or sardines with panisse (chickpea fritters) are my favorites, both delicious and typically �Ծ�ç�Ǿ���.  

Waterside has outstanding tuna tartare, served with avocado, mango and homemade fries – and best washed down with an Aperol Spritz as you overlook the harbor. You can’t book a table so you may have to wait – but it’s well worth it. 

Dinner: Back in Nice, grab a barstool at for happy hour with a bird’s-eye view of the crowds milling about the Prom, munching on hot nuts or donuts from seafront vendors and snapping selfies at sunset. Email ahead to reserve a place on the upstairs terrace so that you can watch Nice turn apricot in the dusk light. And order the Ritch Bitch, a yummy concoction of Bacardi rum, pineapple juice and passion-fruit purée with a surprisingly strong kick. Save your appetite for stylish , a one-minute walk away. Don’t miss the spicy Zaatar Negroni, made with olive oil, and a side of fried Tomino cheese.

After dark: If you still have energy and live music is your thing, check out the cool live acts at , a small, cozy venue with a friendly vibe and a great Saturday-night lineup. 

Sunday

Morning: Hop on tram line 1 to Marché de la Libération. Grab a plate of charcuterie at D’Altra Casa, then sit back and watch farmers theatrically selling their products, and residents bargain-hunting, jostling in line and arguing, their wicker baskets crammed with fresh vegetables, cheese and fish. 

While here, buy a pan bagnat: the famed �Ծ�ç�Ǿ��� sandwich, drenched in olive oil and stuffed with tuna, eggs and veggies;  makes the best ones. On my last trip, I bought an entire picnic there, including a mini tarte tatin (sweet apple slices on thin pastry) to fortify before a hike up , with photogenic views over Nice my reward.  

How to spend the day: Head to Cimiez, home to two of my favorite places to look at art, both within walking distance of each other and set in lush gardens. At Musée Chagall, you can absorb the details of the artist’s beautiful stained-glass windows. Be sure to check ahead for special events; I saw a dance piece here with performers mirroring the floating figures from Chagall’s imaginative creations. Afterward, take lunch at the pastoral – then head over to Musée Matisse, where the painter’s love for Riviera is in glorious evidence. I could stand for hours in front of (1950). 

Dinner: If you fancy splashing out, is an elegant restaurant with beautifully presented dishes. (I’m a fan of the calamari, which is served with aubergine “caviar” with sumac – a pure infusion of Nice for the taste buds.) Or hang out on one of Nice’s multiple roof terraces to see the city bathed in gold. ’s outdoor space stays warm enough to sit outside in March; in summer try , a platform dangling over the sea.

For your next trip, come in another season – and you’ll feel like you’re visiting a whole new city.