Nice Entertainment

Nice has perhaps the best entertainment options along the Riviera, from its busy cafés in the Old Town and bustling promenade to the many clubs and pubs that are spread throughout the city. Music can be sampled in many forms at the various jazz and rock venues, while theatre also features heavily. Visitors can take it easy and save some money by taking in the atmosphere and free entertainment along Promenade des Anglais or by catching a flick at one of the many cinemas.

Nightlife

Promenade des Anglais is perhaps the best area of the city for all-round, night time entertainment in Nice. The area is awash with smart clubs and pubs and this is also where the casino resides if you fancy a flutter. Promenade des Anglais is backed by some of the city’s classiest hotels, where some of the best food can be sampled in their excellent restaurants. Street performers also inhabit the promenade nightly.

Other popular areas for entertainment are Vieux Nice and Masséna. There is a pub or bar here to suit everyone’s taste, with a variety of music and alcoholic beverages on offer. Another more sedate nightlife option includes going to the movies; Rialto and Mercury cinema have the best atmosphere by far, while the Multiplexe cinema in the Nice-Ouest district offers more mainstream movies.

Theatre and music

The opera is a big deal in Nice and the season runs from November to April. The Theatre de l'Opera on rue St Francois-de-Paule and Theatre de Nice on Promenade des Arts offer a variety of classical music and dance performances. For rock, jazz and dance music, the ever popular Vieux Nice and Masséna areas in the town have many live music venues and pubs. Those into the Latin music scene should try Barrio Latino on quai des Etats-Unis or perhaps Bodeguita del Havana on rue Chauvain. 

Festivals

Nice is a fun town and a year-round destination, with its carnivals, festivals and events reflecting this. The Carnival of Nice and the Jazz Festival are its two biggest events and excuse enough to visit Nice during this time, while traditional Riviera gatherings complement the rest of the year.

• Carnival de Nice: is a very old celebration at the end of winter which brings a touch of colour to the city with numerous concerts and parties as well as a procession of richly-adorned floats. Many of the floats are covered in thousands of fresh flowers and make for a beautiful sight, while light shows and firework displays are also part of the festival (February to March).
• Nice Jazz Festival: this jazz festival is very well known the world over and has often included some big name jazz musicians. The event hails from the 1940s and attracts around 50,000 visitors each year, who throng to the Cimiez Arenas and Gardens, where the many stages are set up at this 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheatre. Although labelled as a jazz event, the festival covers many musical genres.
• Castellada Festival: held at the Colline du Château, which overlooks Nice from its hilltop vantage point, the Castellada Festival celebrates the summer season with ancient music concerts and an array of clever children’s shows (July to September)
• Christmas Village: with the spirit of Christmas in Nice, Christmas Village takes place at Place Masséna in the main shopping area of the city (December to January).