Flights to Nice

Fly with SAS to Nice Cote d’Azur Airport and you’ll be ready and raring to begin your holiday feeling relaxed and well rested.

Nice Cote d’Azur Airport

With miles and miles of coastline Nice is the perfect destination for a beach holiday. Enjoy the Mediterranean Sea in this sunny city. If you’re looking for a time spend on relaxation, Nice is the place to go.

DECEMBER 2022

Atmospheric promenades, exquisite food and drink, memorable hotels, and day trips to Italy – Nice is the supreme destination for hopeless romantics.

Authentic French

Chez Davia

When it comes to up-and-coming trendy restaurants on the French Riviera, Chez Davia stands out. You’ll find outstanding food combined with an authentic French atmosphere. Don’t miss out on their barbajuan – deep-fried ravioli from Monaco – or the sublime pâtes au pistou.

Lunch on the pier

Lou Bantry

Stroll down the colorful pier, Port Lympia, and continue on to Villefranche-sur-mer (if you don’t like to walk, you can also take a train or bus no. 100) and conclude the excursion with lunch at Lou Bantry next to the pier. The view of the azure blue sea is just mesmerizing. Not only are the stately homes along the shore breathtaking, they also fend off the wind during the cooler months so you can enjoy a Moules frites by the sea year-round!

A historic hotel

Hotel Negresco

Along the Promenade des Anglais, Negresco towers over the beach like a dreamy, majestic sand castle. This venerable hotel, one of the most exclusive and historic resorts in France, has housed celebrities from across the world over the past century. Enjoy a cream puff aperitif in the hotel’s bar or wander over to the more modern Hotel Amour just a stone’s throw away and rekindle your romance.

Street life on Rue Bonaparte

Comptoir Central Électrique

Check out the street life on the Rue Bonaparte. This walking street, located in the busy port area just behind the renowned Garibaldi square, is the perfect place for a romantic breakfast or an evening out. It’s the France you’ve always imagined, with homes painted in lovely pastel shades and people chatting with neighbors or toting fresh baguettes on the back of their bike. When the golden sunset bathes the area in a subdued early evening light, make sure you’re sitting at Comptoir Central Électrique enjoying the famous ice cream. If you’re lucky, you might even hear live music on the street corner.

Incredible view

La Favorita

You can get to Italy by car in less than an hour. Apricale, which is just a 30-minute drive from the beach, is precariously perched atop a picturesque cliff. Make sure you make a side trip to the restaurant La Favorita, which offers an incredible view. You can enjoy Ligurian specialties from their menu or order the ravioli simmered in sage and butter with piping hot focaccia bread and a huge plate of grilled Italian salami.

Piazza atmosphere

Magiargè

Take the train to Bordighera and follow the lemon tree groves up the hill to the suburb of Bordighera Alta, where you can enjoy a wonderful dinner at Magiargè. You can order from a local wine list and enjoy the authentic piazza atmosphere on the outdoor patio.

Artist's hangout

La Colombe d’Or

If you drive less than an hour from Nice, you’ll arrive in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, a popular hang-out for artists around the turn of the 20th century. Their most popular abode was La Colombe d’Or, where they paid for room and board with their artwork. The restaurant, which has preserved its charm over the years, is traditional and rustic, yet still attracts a glamorous clientele. The hotel, which has hosted Picasso and Matisse, hasn’t changed its menu in a hundred years. After lunch, swing by the Fondation Maeght art museum, which features works by Miró and Chagall, among others.

APRIL 2022

A trip to France is never complete without browsing through a local market, and a visit to Nice is no exception.

Practical supermarkets, retail chains and webshops may be monopolizing today’s shopping habits in France as elsewhere in the world, but local markets still have a loyal following. Who can resist the satisfaction of buying fresh fish from the market fishmonger, artisanal cheese and charcuterie or vegetables that have been organically grown less than 30km away.

In France, the market is more than a place to do shopping. It’s here where people gather, socialize, stroll and browse. And for the visitor, there’s no better way to brush up on your rusty French than by heading to where the locals congregate. The Nicoise are generally friendlier than big-city Parisians and are happy to chat and share their opinions – even with strangers.

After shopping, grab a seat at a café or bar facing the market and watch the action while you sip a glass of rosé. The markets at Cours Saleya and Liberation are lined with popular restaurants, bars and cafes. Or, better still, take your purchases and head over to the beaches on the Promenade des Anglais, the Promenade du Paillon park, or the Parc de la Colline du Chateau (Castle Hill) above the old town, for an unforgettable picnic with a view.

Weekends are definitely the best days to hit a market, but in Nice, there’s a market for every day of the week.

Action-packed in the old town

Cours Saleya

This colorful market area on Cours Saleya is actually a collection of markets under its striped awnings – a flower market, a market for fruits and vegetables and stalls that sell everything from creamy cheeses, local mushrooms and olives, to typical souvenirs like lavender sachets, soaps and ceramics. This market also has the crowds, especially when the tourists arrive on weekends. Stop at Theresa’s for a typical Nicoise Socca, a pancake-like local specialty made from chickpea flour, or watch the action from one of the many cafes and restaurants that line the stalls.

Regular hours are Tuesday–Sunday, 7:00–1:00 pm. Open to midnight in July and August.

Photo: Cours Saleya, iStock

Bric-a-brac

Brocante Saleya

Brocante Saleya offers Monday market browsing when most other markets are closed. The flea market, with antiques and collectibles, basically takes over the square vacated by the regular Cours Saleya market in old Nice. It can be a little pricey, but no one will object to polite bargaining, and, who knows, you might find that antique lamp of your grandmother’s you’ve been searching for.

Mondays 7:00 am–1:00 pm.

Puces by the Port

Marché aux Puces

At this market it’s all about “brocante” or secondhand goods. It’s fun to browse around the little cluster of antique shops that spill onto the sidewalk with stands brimming with unusual objects and antiques. The small community of antique dealers might be sharing a coffee when you arrive but will always welcome your questions and conversation.

Tuesday–Sunday, 10:00 am–6:00 pm.

Book market at the palace

Place du Palais Market

Nice has inspired many writers. Immerse yourself in literary Nice by visiting the book market at Place du Palais de Justice in the old town, which is open every Saturday. Just keep track of which Saturday of the month it is when the selection changes – from antique books, postcards and records to arts and crafts. Here you can spend many hours browsing through real rarities, or botanize among fine old postcards to send home to loved ones. And while you're there, don't miss admiring the beautiful palace that dominates the square.

Opening hours: 07:00 am–5:00 pm. Antique Books : First and third Saturday of each month. Postcards and records: Fourth Saturday of each month. Arts and Crafts : Second and fifth Saturday of each month.

Local flavor

Marché de la Libération

Give me Libération any day! This is where the Nicoise go when they go to market. The stalls congregate around the Place Charles de Gaulle but sprawl out along Avenue Malausséna and Rue Raibert. There’s also a covered market, Cité Marchande Docks de La Riviera, on Rue Raibert with its cheese store, a bakery and a place to buy your “triperie” (tripe) should you so desire. Hop on the streetcar going north from the city center and get off at the Liberation stop, which drops you in the middle of the action, near the Brasserie Le Gambetta, which is always hopping.

Tuesday–Sunday, 8:00 am–12:30 pm.

Do you want to travel in even more comfort? You can always upgrade your SAS flight ticket to the next travel class. This gives you access to Fast Track, SAS Lounges, priority boarding and meals & snacks onboard.

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