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Docking and Transportation in Nice

The port of Nice is also known as Lympia port. This name comes from the Lympia spring which fed a small lake in a marshy zone where work on the port was started in 1745.

DOCKING Smaller ships dock right near downtown Nice; larger ships anchor in Villefranche, France. It is quite possible to walk into Nice to enjoy the beach, shopping and general sightseeing from Villefranche which is some 3.83 miles away.. But you can also take the train or the bus to Nice.

Stop by the tourist office (5 Promenade des Anglais,) for information on transportation while in Nice

If you will be docking in Villefranche check out my website for transportation choices to Nice . HERE

THE PORT
      The Port of Nice is often overlooked on a visit to Nice, unless you're docking here, as you need to circumvent the small castle hill to discover the Port. The Port has quiet charm and order. It is not  large and flamboyant like the Port at Antibes, yet there are a several quite impressive yachts here. The Port has three sides. The west side at the bottom of the Castle Hill has several restaurants and a car park. Ferry trips to Corsica can be booked from here, along with day-trips to St. Tropez, Monaco and San Remo.  Scuba diving can also be arranged here. The north edge of the port is very attractively laid out with neoclassical symmetry of columned arcaded shops. There are several appealing restaurants here plus an imposing church in the middle - the Notre Dame. On the far east side of the Port, there are more restaurants, for example, the Barque Blue. There are also hundreds of bakeries and patisseries selling everything you might need for a simple picnic, including wine.

     Don't  miss the little harbor at Nice. The harbor is very picturesque, and many restaurants and shops line the Quai Lunel.  The harbor is easy to reach if you are heading east on Promenade des Anglais whose name changes to Quai des Etats-Unis near the Old Town, then becomes Quai Rauba-Capeu, and finally, as it turns north along the harbor, Quai Lunel. The port area has been the heart of Nice since the 13th century. Here fishing and transport ships arrive and depart, bearing flags from all over the world.
TRANSPORTATION  There are numerous shuttle buses and local bus services to Nice and other Riviera cities, as well as overpriced taxis, to take you into the city when you arrive. If you want to travel by rail, Nice has three rail stations.

     The primary public transit within the city is by bus. You can obtain a system map and a brochure listing timetables at the tourism office on the Promenade des Anglais, or at the main bus station in the Place Massena. There are also regional buses to nearby cities, and most stop at the Gare Routiere just north of Place Massena. There are rail connections to most neighboring cities as well, with the most frequent stops at the Nice Ville station. You can rent a car, but know that it can be quite difficult, if not impossible, to park a car in Nice.

TOURIST TRAIN:  A quick way to get a brief overview of Nice is by taking the Train Touristique de Nice. This small sightseeing vehicle takes under an hour to show you most of Nice's most popular tourist sights.  It departs from the Promenade des Anglais by the Albert Premier Jardin every half hour or so and trundles through the Old Town and up the Chateau Hill for a brief stop then back down again. It is an easy way to take in some of the Old Nice experience but far less informative than the walking tour.  It has a pre-recorded commentary in both French and English which means that the commentary in often out of sync with the surroundings. Good fun to do once... especially if you have children!  Click HERE

OPEN-TOP BUS : "NICE LE GRAND TOUR"
Visit the city by open-top bus - Tour lasting 1.5 hr with commentary in 5 languages (individual head-sets) - All year round.  Tickets can be purchased from the driver with schedules and additional information on the stops. This is perhaps a better, but more expensive, alternative (Adults €20, Children €5) and gives you a much better idea of the city layout.
First departure : 10:05 AM SNCF Train Station
End of the tour : 6:05 PM Train Station
The service makes 11 stops and you can hop on and off anywhere you want. It includes Cimiez (Roman ruins and Matisse Museum) and the Acropolis (Museum of Contemporary Art).  (A bus stop is located directly in the port at Quai Lunel (stop #2). You can also take the bus at the stop #3 Place lle de Beaute or at the stop #4 Croisieres-Bleu Rivage which is on the Boulevard Franck Pilatte near the Harbour Masters office)

TAXIS:  Taxis are available, but pricey.
Switchboard 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.   Night rate from 7pm to 7 am
Main taxi stations:
• Esplanade Massena
• Promenade des Anglais
• Place Garibaldi
• Rue Hτtel-des-Postes
• Gare SNCF
• Acropolis

The Nice tram line has been one of the largest infrastructure projects in Europe, because along with the new line the local authorities have taken the chance to completely regenerate the downtown area of Nice.

See YOUTUBE   DEMO of NEW TRAM SERVICE HERE                  

    
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