One of the favorite activities in Nice is a stroll along the Promenade des Anglais, which follows the sea from the airport almost to the Port. The sights both seaward and inland are beautiful and often evocative of an earlier time.
The Negresco Hotel is one of the most famous sights in Nice, with its pink cupola and ornate Belle Epoch facade. It has two restaurants - the starred Chantecler and La Rotonde. If you want to have a sumptuous meal, the Chantecler is wonderful. There's a special deal for lunch: for 60 euros you will get a 3 course meal and lots of wine to accompany it. If you're not ready to spring for that, La Rotonde is more reasonable and very good, with a nice terrace looking out to the sea.
My favorite terrace to sit on and have a "coup de champagne" is The Westminster Hotel, just a block east of the Negresco. The terrace makes me feel that I'm living in the 1890's.
Further east is the fancy and expensive Palais de la Mediterranee with its Art Deco facade. When we first came 10 years ago, there was just the facade: they had knocked down everything behind it and then entered a law suit that went on for many years. Finally a few years ago, the hotel, casino, and condos behind the facade were finally completed. Not an easy operation but worth it to save this beautiful facade.
A bit east of there is the Tourist Office, where you can pick up all sorts of useful information. Further on is Albert I Park; if you walk through there, you will come to Place Massena, the center of Nice. But if you stay on the Prom and go a bit further east, you will come to the beautiful Opera House. The view from the Prom is actually the back of the building - the pink marble front is on the other side.
Just a bit further on, if you go through the archways, you will find the Cours Saleya (see other review). Along the seafront are The Ponchettes, a series of two-story terraced houses and restaurants and galleries that were once fishermen's homes facing the sea and backing up to the Cours Saleya. These are charming buildings. Behind them you will look up to Le Chateau, the hill that divides the center of Nice from the Port. Look carefully and you will see the manmade waterfall high on the hill. The round building just by the hill at the end of the Ponchettes is an elevator that can take you up on Le Chateau for its wonderful views. A great place for a picnic!