Nice

Where to stay

Most hostels sit near Gare de Nice-Ville on Avenue Thiers, a short tram ride down Jean Médecin to Place Masséna and a ten-minute walk from Vieux-Nice. The old quarter around Cours Saleya is the other pocket worth checking. It is louder on weekend nights but puts you a few steps from the beach and the morning market.

Getting around

• The Cours Saleya food and flower market runs Tuesday through Sunday mornings. Buy socca or a pan bagnat from a stall inside rather than sitting at the surrounding cafes, where the same food costs two or three times as much.
• Bus route 600 (formerly the 100) runs along the coast from Nice to Monaco and Menton for a few euros each way. It is the cheapest way to reach both towns and the corniche views come included.
• The Promenade des Anglais alternates between private paid concessions and free public beach sections. The public stretches are marked and perfectly usable. There is no reason to pay for a lounge chair unless you want one.

When to go

Prices are lowest from November through March, though a handful of budget properties close for part of winter. Hostels fill fast from late June through August, especially around the Nice Jazz Festival in late July.