When you think of Nice, the first thing that comes to mind is a ray of sunshine, the sea and an endless blue sky. But without disappointing you, having lived here for the last 11 years, it can sometimes rain for several days at a time. Fortunately, it rarely lasts more than 5 days in a row, and even then – unlike in Paris or London, where the sun may only appear after two weeks! Fortunately, now that I’ve been living at Nice for a decade, I’ve found quite a few things to do to enjoy the city even when the skies are fickle.
Here are my favourite things to do to turn a rainy day into an enjoyable one!
1. Visit Nice’s museums
Honestly, on a rainy day, it’s almost a blessing to be able to visit Nice’s superb museums without feeling guilty about not going out! Here are the different museums you can visit:
- The Musée Marc Chagall : A real gem. Although Chagall is not my favourite artist, I enjoyed losing myself in his colourful and poetic works. The setting is really pleasant and peaceful.
- The Musée Matisse : Located in the hills above Nice, in Cimiez to be precise, this museum is well worth a visit. The collection is superb and the setting is really pleasant, not far from the Cimiez arenas.
- MAMAC : Nice’s best-known museum, just 200m from Place Garibaldi. If you like contemporary art, this is a must-see. I particularly liked the works by Niki de Saint Phalle and Yves Klein.
- The Palais Lascaris : Right in the heart of Vieux-Nice, this little museum is a nice surprise, with its baroque architecture and its collection of old musical instruments.
2. Browsing in a coffee shop
I also love rainy days when I can discover new coffee shops in Nice and relax with a good latte and my computer or a book. Here are my cosy addresses:
- La Claque Café : A favourite address in Vieux-Nice with superb speciality coffees.
- Brume Coffee Nice: I’ve fallen in love with this cute little coffee shop. I love their lattes and homemade pastries.
- Selah Atelier : located in the Libération district, this is probably my favourite. I love sitting there to read or work. The coffee and pastries are just delicious!
On a rainy day, I suggest you go early enough to make sure you get a seat!
3. Relax in a spa
A rainy day also means time to pamper yourself. I’ve tried out several spas in Nice and here are the ones that are really worth a visit:
- Spadelic : A superbly complete institute, with divine massages.
- Le Spa du Negresco : If you want a luxury experience, this is the place to go.
- AquaFit Spa : Hammam, sauna, balneotherapy… everything you need to forget the bad weather.
- Club Metropolitan Nice: probably my favourite of all as it combines a gym, coworking, restaurant and SPA with swimming pool, sauna and hammam.
4. Shopping spree
On a rainy day, I also take the opportunity to wander around the shops! Head for Nicetoile, the city centre shopping centre, or Galeries Lafayette for a bit of window shopping, and finally CAP3000, voted the most beautiful shopping centre in 2022!
5. Attend an evening show
Rather than staying cooped up at home, I love going to see a show when it’s raining. In fact, when it’s sunny, I prefer to be in a rooftop or on the beach. Here are the different cultural venues in Nice:
- The Théâtre National de Nice offers a wide variety of plays.
- The Opéra de Nice is a magnificent venue where you can see some very fine performances.
- The Cinéma Rialto is perfect for a film session in a slightly retro setting.
Even in the rain, Nice remains a city where there’s always something to do!
