4 Best Colorful Outdoor Markets in Nice
Outdoor markets in Nice are more than just a place to buy stuff. It’s an integral part of daily life.
Fresh produce, beautiful flowers, flea market hunts, and a stop for a coffee or a drink with bags full of deliciousness or treasures.
Outdoor markets in Nice – or anywhere else in the south of France are a social thing.
People return to their favorite vendors, strike up conversations, and enjoy a small moment of hello’s and how are you’s while choosing the greenest lettuce or flowered courgettes.
It’s a local thing, even if tourists do flock to see what it’s all about during weekends and summers.
If you’re interested in local life, then be sure to check out these best outdoor markets in Nice to get a glimpse of how they integrate into the french culture.
Colorful Fruit and Flower Market
The most colorful outdoor market in Nice, parallel the Promenade des Anglais is the famous Flower Market on the Cours Saleya.
Fruits, vegetables, and all types of gorgeous flowers line the Cours Saleya. This outdoor market is very popular with tourists and locals alike and often gets crowded during the summer. But you will love taking great pictures here!
But oh how worth it to smell the spices, try fresh bread, taste some local specialties, and buy fresh fruits and vegetables for your picnic.
If you’re staying in an Airbnb with a kitchen, then you have everything you need at this outdoor market to try some local recipes.
Where: Cours Saleya
When: Every day from 7 am to 1 pm
Liberation: Popular Outdoor Market in Nice
Local honey, organic herbs, beautiful fruits and vegetables, fresh fish, and the list goes on.
This popular outdoor market is one of the best in Nice according to locals and with good reason!
The stands are set up in a large square and wrap around the main street and side alley.
Be sure to admire the 19th-century facade of the old Gare du Sud, a historical
After you’ve strolled and bought delicious foods to your heart’s content, then take a stroll within the Food Hall.
It’s a great place to have lunch, a snack, or just a great coffee on a chill terrace and extra points for serving nonstop.
Here’s a video on one of the best outdoor markets in Nice
Take tram No. 1 from Place Massena and get off at Liberation stop, right smack in the market.
Otherwise, you can walk 15-20 minutes
on Avenue Jean Medecin all the way up Av. Malaussena and you’ll reach the market.
Where: Place Charles de Gaulle
When: Every day except Mondays from 7 am to 1 pm
Best Antique Outdoor Market
Every Monday, the Antique market has everything from old doorknobs, bronze statues, and rare postcards.
It replaces the fruit, vegetable, and flower market on the Cours Saleya.
Antique dealers arrive very early in the morning to set up their stands and start displaying their merchandise.
You will need time to hunt down that treasure!
Prices range from very low to extremely high, and negotiations are almost always expected.
So don’t be shy!
Where: Cours Saleya
When: Mondays 8 am-4 pm
Outdoor Flea Market on Garibaldi Square
Among other outdoor markets in Nice, this eclectic antique market is worth a look. Located between the Old Town and the Port area on Place Garibaldi.
It’s more of a flea market than an antique market, but you can still find exciting things to buy or collect.
Every 3rd Saturday of each month, about 150 artists and merchants gather here to sell their goods.
This flea market goes on from 7 am to 7 pm, and the surrounding area makes it a great stop while visiting other Nice areas.
From here, get lost in the Old Town and its labyrinth of cafe galleries and ice cream shops.
On the other side, have a great lunch or coffee in the fun port neighborhood.
Where: Place Garibaldi
When: 3rd Saturday of each month
A few things to keep in mind:
- Bring extra bags.
- Be sure to check the market’s day off.
- Have small change available vs. bills early in the morning.
- Negotiating is okay at the antique or flea market.
- In fruit and vegetable markets, you’ll find a pile of plastic or metal baskets. Take one, fill it with what you want to buy, then give it to the vendor. They will weigh it for you.
- It’s not okay to press the fruits or vegetables to see if they are hard or not.
- Buy fruits and vegetables in season – it’s the best way to ensure they haven’t traveled far.
- Be warned that the outdoor markets in Nice can get extremely crowded during the summer months – so keep your wallet and handbag safe.
Start your morning with one of these 4 outdoor markets in Nice and enjoy the sights and sounds of local hotspots!
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