Running the entire length of the azure coastline, this 5 kilometre promenade is a bustling walkway situated between pebbled beaches and crystal blue waters on the left, and luxurious cafés and restaurants on the right.
At the beginning of the day, this 2-metre wide walkway is packed with morning joggers, cyclists and skaters. While locals often use the Promenade des Anglais as a route to commute to work, visitors use it as a way to hop effortlessly between beaches, cafés and restaurants.
The Promenade des Anglais (Promenade of the English) won its name from the droves of English tourist that flocked to the area during the 1800s. As such, the area has become a magnet for the rich and famous. Everyone from Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates to the Sultan of Brunei has a house in Nice. For the best celebrity spotting, head down to the Negresco Hotel, a luxurious hotel with a striking pink domed roof, located towards the east end of the promenade.
Despite its immediate appearance as one continuous beach, there are in fact 30 separate beaches along the coastline. Visitors can expect to pay higher prices for an umbrella and sun lounger on private beaches such as Blue Beach.
If you’re holidaying on a budget, La Plage Publique de Beau Rivage is a popular public beach with various activities and toilet and shower facilities. It’s best to get there early as the beach can be very crowded in summer.
The rent-a-bike system is a fantastic means of getting around the city, from the beach to the hotel or from café to restaurant. Visitors need only register online to receive a code, which gives entry to any rental station around the city. Roller skates and other wheeled transport is available from the many vendors dotted along the promenade and buses run regularly from anywhere in the city, including the airport.
