Nice holidays

The centre of Nice sits side-by-side with a lengthy pebble beach, so it’s easy to juggle sightseeing with trips to the seaside on city breaks here.

Nice’s main beach sits right in the spotlight, running from the airport in the west to the marina in the east, and passing by the centre of the city en route. There are plenty of beach clubs fitted with sunloungers and parasols, so avoiding the pebbles is an easy ask.

While the city’s central beach tends to draw in big crowds, Plage des Bains Militaires tends to see fewer footprints. The seafront’s a lot smaller here, but it makes for a great spot during the height of summer, with its sheltered position providing plenty of shade.

Cours Saleya – the old town’s market – opens up every day, apart from on Mondays. All sorts stack the stalls here, from fresh fruit to vintage clothing and antiques.

Nice Etoile sits right in the centre of the city, and hosts a string of international shops alongside local brands. It’s fitted with a list of restaurants, too, so it’s easy to spend a whole afternoon here.

As you’d probably expect, Nice has got a place for all the big designer names on its shopping scene. Most of them can be found along Rue Paradis and Avenue de Verdun, just a short stroll from the old town.

Visits to Vieux Nice have lots of potential for laidback evenings, with cosy wine bars and classy cocktail spots heading up the neighbourhood’s nightlife scene.

Street performers usually kick the evening off along Nice’s seafront. You can take a seat and watch the show before heading for a drink in a late-night bar, where live music’s usually on the agenda.

Sliced tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs and green peas layer up on top of lettuce on this dish. It’s topped off with tuna and anchovies.

This bite is often found on street-food stalls – it looks a little like a crepe, but it’s made from chickpea flour and olive oil. A healthy shake of pepper provides it with a spicy kick.

This dish takes all the ingredients from the Niçoise salad and throws them into a bread roll. It’s drizzled with olive oil and served up cold.

This dish has a pair of personalities – it can be found on the menu under both starters and desserts. The sweet version is stuffed with breadcrumbs, apple, grapes and parmesan cheese, while the savoury dish is stuffed with a mixture of rice, Swiss chard and beaten eggs.

This dish sits somewhere between a pizza and a tart. Thick, bready dough is topped with caramelised onions, black olives and anchovies before it’s baked in an oven.