Little Electric Train Tour with Castle Hill Viewpoint Nice

Castle Hill (Colline du Château)

Castle Hill is the rocky hill at the eastern end of Nice's Old Town and the best viewpoint in the city. The castle that once stood here was destroyed in 1706 on the orders of Louis XIV, and today the hill is a public park with gardens, ruins, a waterfall and broad terraces. The little train stops at the viewpoint for around ten minutes, so you can step off, take photographs and see the whole Baie des Anges.

From the top you look over the orange rooftops of the Old Town, the harbour and the long curve of the Promenade des Anglais. Many people ask whether Castle Hill is worth visiting; the answer is yes, especially at sunset or on a clear morning when the view stretches along the coast. This tour gives you the view without the climb.

Old Town (Vieux-Nice) and Cours Saleya

Vieux-Nice is a maze of narrow streets in ochre and pink, with Baroque churches, small squares and restaurants serving Niçoise food. At Cours Saleya, the wide market street, flower and produce stalls open in the morning and cafes fill the terraces later in the day. The train shows you the edge of this district, and the commentary explains how the Italian and French influences shaped the city.

If you are looking for the best way to see the Old Town of Nice, use the train as an overview and then come back on foot to the streets that interest you. The lanes are too narrow for anything larger, so the small train is a good way to feel the layout.

Promenade des Anglais and the Port

The tour also follows the sea front, where palm trees, elegant hotels and a broad walkway line the bay. The Promenade des Anglais gets its name from English visitors who funded the first path here in the early nineteenth century, and it is still the place where locals and visitors stroll, cycle and skate.

The commentary covers the history of Nice as a Greek trading post, a Roman town and a fashionable winter resort. The port area adds a working side to the story, with fishing boats and ferries. Bring a hat and sunglasses, because the train is open to the air.

Practical details for the little train

The little train is a comfortable choice for anyone who tires easily, since you sit for most of the tour. It runs on a fixed loop of about fifty minutes, and the commentary is offered in French, English, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese and Russian. The train is wheelchair accessible.

Your voucher shows the meeting point. Arrive a little early, especially in July and August, when queues build up in the afternoon. Timetables change with the season, so check the departure times when you book. Entry to Castle Hill is free, and the tour is a good companion to a walk, a museum visit or a lunch in the Old Town.