Nice Travel Tips and Etiquette
A handful of small things make a Nice trip smoother, and a couple of them save real money. Here is what to know before you go.
The airport tram fare trick
Tram Line 2 runs from both airport terminals into the centre in 20 to 30 minutes. A standard single is 1.70 EUR, but the airport ticket machines only sell a 10 EUR round-trip fare. To get the cheap single, use the Lignes d’Azur app or buy a reusable 2 EUR card (refundable) at a tram-stop machine. It is a frequently missed detail that costs people money on arrival.
Getting around, and not renting a car
In town, walking covers the whole core, Vieux Nice, the Carre d’Or, the Promenade, Place Massena. Trams and buses are 1.70 EUR a ride with a 74-minute transfer window, or 7 EUR for a day pass, mainly useful for Cimiez and the port. For day trips, the coastal TER train reaches Monaco, Villefranche, Antibes, Cannes and Menton cheaply and frequently, so a car is a liability, not a help.
The beaches are pebble
Nice’s beaches are pebble and shingle, not sand. Pack water shoes and a thick mat or a folding lounger; a thin towel is not enough cushioning. The upside is clearer water, and a private beach club (15 to 30 EUR for a sunbed) is there if comfort matters more than saving money.
Money and tipping
The currency is the euro, and cards are widely accepted. On tipping: a service charge is built into French restaurant bills by law (“service compris”), so tipping on top is genuinely optional, not the US-style 18 to 20 percent. Rounding up a euro or two for good service is normal and appreciated; a large, showy tip actually reads as gauche here.
Safety and scams
Nice is a safe city, and the real risk is opportunistic theft, not danger. Keep bags zipped and in front of you on trams, at the station, and in the Cours Saleya crowds. A documented distraction scam on the trains has someone insist you are in “their” reserved seat to create a crowded moment. Do not leave a bag unattended on the beach while you swim, a specifically rising risk. The immediate area around Nice-Ville station is grittier after dark than the tourist core.
Etiquette that actually matters
Say “Bonjour” before asking a shopkeeper or stallholder anything; it is noticeably expected in small old-town shops. Many smaller shops and restaurants close for a midday break (roughly 12:30 to 2:30 or 3pm) and on Sundays or Mondays, so do not assume continuous hours. Dress modestly for churches, including the Russian Orthodox Cathedral, which is still a working place of worship. English is widely understood in tourism, but a few French words go a long way, and Nice even has its own dialect, Nissart, surviving in place names and menus.
When to come and other practicalities
May and September are the sweet spots: warm sea, thinner crowds, better prices. Avoid July and August and Carnival week for value. Sockets are type C/E at 230V (a plug adapter, not a voltage converter), tap water is safe, and an EU eSIM activates on arrival.
Read more: the full Nice travel guide goes deeper on each of these, and the 3-day Nice itinerary puts them into a plan.