An Alternative Guide to Nice, France

The latest trend in France is for “escape” games. You play in teams of 2-6 people, are locked in a room or a series of rooms and given clues to help you escape within 60 minutes. They’re actually normally very hard and the one in Nice, Aventure, is no exception. There are 4 different games to play, so they are great for a group of friends or families with teenagers. It’s open from 11am to 11pm most days, but check out the Facebook page for updated details.

24 rue Meyerbeer, Nice +33 (0)4 38 39 66 18

It might not be the first thing you think of when you come to the French riviera, but people love this small, intimate Brazilian restaurant and claim, “it’s like eating in someone’s house”. The staff are very friendly, the chef is accommodating and they often have live music. What’s not to like? Check out their page on Facebook for details.

10 rue Meyerbeer, Nice +33 (0)4 93 62 29 49

Whilst this still might be touristy, it will give you a different flavour of Nice and let you see the sights in a slightly different way. Either hire bikes yourself (electric bikes are all the rage and you don’t have to exert as much effort to cycle up Nice’s hills) or go with a touring company so you don’t even have to plan a route. There are lots of companies but the most highly rated are Nice Cycle Tours and Ebike Riviera Tours. If you want to go it alone, try Holland Bikes for your hire.

The South of France is a diving haven and offers lots of great opportunities to see underwater Nice. The Centre Internationale de Plonge (Diving Centre) is located in the old port and is highly rated. It also offers boat tours and the staff are very friendly and speak English.

2 ruelle des Moulins, Rue du Lazaret, Nice +33 (0)6 09 52 55 57

Segways are the new craze in any major town and Nice is no exception (even the police use them). It’s a speedy alternative to walking around town, particularly for people who might not be able to walk so far. There are a few companies that run tours in Nice. Try Urban Motion which is very highly rated.

One way to avoid all the crowds is to take a boat tour and see Nice from offshore. The coastline is amazing, the climate is perfect and you can pick out the perfect place to have a drink afterwards. People love Nice Boat Tour.