Vieux Nice on Foot: From the Ponchettes to Castle Hill

This walk focuses on the historic heart of Nice: the old town of Vieux Nice and Castle Hill, which closes it off toward the sea. All the stops are close together, so you'll spend the whole day on foot and won't need a bus or tram.

You start at the edge of the Jardin Albert I by Bernar Venet's steel sculpture and walk along the Quai des États-Unis into the old town. There, the Palais de la Préfecture, the Palais Rusca and the Clock Tower sit within a few squares of one another; via the stairway passage of the Porte Fausse you reach the edge of the old town for lunch. In the afternoon, you head through the quieter northern part of the neighborhood, past the Tour Saint-François, and up Castle Hill. At the top, you have time for the remains of the old fortress and the view over the Baie des Anges. The descent leads to the rocky promontory of Rauba Capeu, after which you take a break at the Plage des Ponchettes before the day winds down in a small cocktail bar in the lanes.

This tour suits you if you're visiting Nice for the first time and want to experience the old town at a relaxed pace, without rushing from museum to museum. Expect a few flights of stairs at Castle Hill; otherwise the distances are short and flat.