Bucket list experience:
The biggest winter event on the Riviera calendar, Nice’s carnival is considered by the cognoscenti as second only to Rio’s.
Every year, enormous, animated satirical floats cover a different theme, cruising through the city in daytime (Corso Carnavalesque) and night parades (Corso Illumine) – along with a ‘Battle of Flowers’ parade, where floral floats skim along the iconic Promenade des Anglais waterfront and blooms are hurled all over.
Too tame? Then get egged and floured at the anarchic Carnaval Populaire in Place Garibaldi. On the final night – always a Wednesday – the Carnival ends with a big firework display and a bonfire of floats on the beach, both of which are free to watch.
Want more recommendations in this destination?
Destination Guide >Find dates, ticket prices and more on the official Carnival website.
The ‘tribunes’ (grandstands) are in Place Massena, in the centre of Nice, with the best lighting, music and animation (live commentary), although at ear-shattering volume. Tribune seats are numbered. Book early for seats, especially for the last Tuesday and Wednesday parades (Flower Parade and Parade of Lights).
You’ll also need tickets for standing room in Place Massena, though anyone who dons head-to-toe carnival finery will get in free to the Place Massena for the day or night Carnival parades. The rest of the route is free (and more fun) – enter via the Promenade des Anglais. For the Parade of Flowers, arrive early to get a good spot, and catch a bouquet hurled from the floats.
Kids will love it, too: under 6s go free on parents’ laps, while children aged 6-12 get reduced entry.
The carnival spans a 2- to 3-week period between mid-February and the first week of March.
Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[1.3 miles]
This attractive, friendly and affordable 4-star boutique hotel stands out for its lovely garden. It’s handily located just outside the pedestrianised area of Old Nice, close to Nice’s main sights, and a short walk to its beach.
Official star rating:
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[1.6 miles]
This fun, colourful and affordable design hotel channels this area’s beach clubs, just off Nice’s Promenade des Anglais.
Official star rating:
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[1.7 miles]
Big, full-service hotel with a flashy image, set in a historic casino on Nice’s famous Promenade des Anglais seafront.
Official star rating:
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[2 miles]
Contemporary suites and apartments set in an attractive 18th-century building, in a superb location in Old Nice. A great base for a few days in Nice.
Official star rating:
Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Cote d'Azur, France
Money, glamour and bombshell looks: this beach-trimmed stretch of French coast offers decadent hotels, lounging in beach clubs, fine restaurants and world-class art.
Cote d'Azur, France
The buzzing, art-filled, foodie capital of the French Riviera, with a charming, Italian-influenced historic centre. The ideal base for a first-time visit to the Cote d’Azur, and home to the world-renowned Nice Carnival.
Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[0.7 miles]
A spectacular train ride on a narrow-gauge railway through scenic French countryside, that you can ride from Nice on the Cote d’Azur to Annot in Haute Provence.
Best for ages: 4+ | £22 | 1 day
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[0.8 miles]
This modern museum showcases Chagall’s joyful series of artworks inspired by the Bible – an explosion of colour and light. It’s the biggest public collection of works by one of the greatest 20th-century artists.
Best for ages: 18+ | £8
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[1.6 miles]
One of France’s most splendid Belle Epoque villas, donated to the city of Nice by the aristocratic Massena family, is now home to a compelling collection of art, furniture and artifacts that track Nice’s rich history.
Best for ages: 18+ | £12
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[1.7 miles]
A beautiful 17th-century Genoese mansion that now houses a museum dedicated to the art of Nice’s longtime resident, Henri Matisse.
Best for ages: 18+ | £8
Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[2 miles]
This magnificent former private mansion – built by a Russian princess – contains a fine collection of paintings and sculptures from the 16th to 20th century, by artists who lived in the Cote D’Azur.
Best for ages: 18+ | £8
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[3.4 miles]
A superb collection of art from France’s ‘Naive’ art movement, housed in a delightful pink mansion. Over 600 works from 27 countries.
Best for ages: 18+ | £5
Villefranche-sur-Mer , Cote d'Azur, France[4.7 miles]
Tucked between chi-chi St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Nice, the charming Medieval village of Villefranche-sur-Mer is the relaxed, boho antidote to the moneybags Riviera. A kilometre of coarse, gently shelving golden sand and crystalline waters, it’s all free and open to the public.
Best for ages: Any | Free
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[6.1 miles]
Built in 1908 in an ancient-Greek-style, this villa in a ravishing seaside garden setting features replica 2nd-century AD interiors typical of the island of Delos. The project of two scholars obsessed with the period.
Best for ages: 18+ | £8
