Nice

I’ve always stayed by the Old Port, just beyond the eastern end of the Promenade d’Anglaise. The best restaurants and bakeries are in that neighborhood, the tram is accessible at Place Garibaldi, and like the vibe there.

I’ve not hired a guide to tour Nice, but Rick Steves’ guidebook has good information, for the city and nearby places like Monaco, Villefranche, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, and Antibes.

I stayed in Villefranche. It's only a few miles by bus.

I wasn't excited about Nice although I didn't see a whole lot of it. It's a city and I was there on a rainy day & went to the Marc Chagall museum and Old city and walked on the promenade a bit. It was okay. I'm happy I stayed in Villefranche. It's a small town and very charming and I was able to walk from there to some other seaside towns--awesome views along the way.

Vieux Nice can be a bit noisy/crowded in areas (along the major places and squares), and if you are deep in by Castle Hill, a bit further away from transport links. Apartments are less likely to have elevators or AC, due to the age of the buildings and restrictions.

The Center is quite large. The best area is roughly bounded between the Promenade des Anglais, Bd Gambetta, Bd Victor Hugo/Debougchage, Rue Arson and the Promenade du Paillon/Coulee Verte (and a block or so beyond). The advantage is the proximity to the Old Town, the sea and the best transport links, with a broadest selection of modernized hotels and apartments. Avoid staying on the pedestrian zone of the Carre d'Or as it gets a bit of traffic.

The Port and Rue Bonaparte are lively and have a lot of restaurants and food/drink related options. i would say however, it does not have a monopoly on the best restaurants and bakeries (the center and old town have plenty), but it is a great area to stay (hotels are more limited). However, you will be walking or transiting a bit, so take care with location as the far ends of the port are relatively isolated.

My husband and I used a great guide in Nice, who took us to Saint-Paul-de-Vence and Vence. She travels all over the Riviera and has a very nice, large Kia EV. Cecilia with Live Harmony - https://liveharmony.fr. She's personable and very knowledgable, also a great driver!