Visiting Nice in slow mode: our top recommendations

Written by Eglantine Chavanne

Published on July 28, 2025

What if traveling also meant slowing down? In Nice Côte d'Azur, you can explore the region differently — by taking your time to savor, understand, and soak it all in. Here are a few ideas for enjoying an eco-friendly getaway that’s gentler, slower, and more meaningful.

Taste local, seasonal Niçoise cuisine

Want to live like a local? Start by sitting down at the table.
Here, people eat what the land (and sea) provide — at the right time. Niçoise cuisine is simple, colorful, and deeply Mediterranean.

Season products - © J.Kelagopian

A few must-tries: golden socca, homemade ratatouille, sweet-and-savory Swiss chard tart, or pissaladière.
What makes them extra special? All these dishes are made with local ingredients: vegetables from the hills, olive oil from the backcountry, fish from the bay…

Eat local

Here, eating local isn’t a trend — it’s just how things are done.
In both the villages and the city, local producers and small markets are everywhere. You’ll find seasonal products grown just a few kilometers away: heirloom tomatoes, farm eggs, mountain cheeses, AOP wines, and even artisanal ice cream made with local fruit!

If you’re visiting the valleys in the upper region, don’t hesitate to stop by a farm — many sell directly to visitors, and some even welcome guests.

Experience Niçoise culture

The Niçoise art of living isn’t just about sunshine and café terraces.
It’s also a deep attachment to tradition: local festivals, heritage, the Niçard language (Nissart), crafts, lively markets, and village life.

Taking the time to visit one of the many museums in town — from contemporary art at MAMAC to the Photography Museum, or the Matisse and Chagall Museums — chatting with a shopkeeper, or wandering through Old Nice… that’s already a way to experience local culture.

And don’t forget the surroundings: perched villages, flower-filled alleys, Romanesque chapels, and artisan workshops are all waiting to be explored.

Get around the gentle way

Why drive when you can walk, bike, or take the bus?
The Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis has developed a vast network of sustainable transport: trams, self-service bikes, local trains, and even shuttles into the mountains.

Parcourir Nice à vélo - © J.Kelagopian

Perfect for getting around with less stress, less noise, and no emissions — all while enjoying the scenery.
Good to know: some hikes are directly accessible by public transport (for more info, check out this article!).

Discover precious, protected nature

Just a few kilometers from the coast, you’ll enter a whole new world: mountain forests, wild gorges, blooming alpine meadows, and picturesque villages.

Mercantour - © Agence Media H265

The Mercantour National Park, a designated protected area, is home to rich and fragile biodiversity. Chamois, eagles, marmots, edelweiss… it’s all there — but delicate.

By choosing more respectful tourism, you help preserve it. Stick to the trails, minimize waste, travel off-season, or go with a local guide — every action counts.

Maybe this is what real travel feels like?

Fewer miles, more connection. Less speed, more emotion.
In the end, you don’t need to go far to reconnect with what matters most.

Here in Nice Côte d’Azur, you can experience a trip that’s rich, authentic, and respectful.

So… are you ready to try the Niçoise slow life?

This article was written in partnership with Nice Côte d'Azur. To find out more, visit the official Toursit Office website!