Sitting on one of Europe’s most iconic coastlines, Nice, France, has long been an enchanting destination for travelers. As the unofficial capital of the French Riviera, the Provençal city offers a unique mix of cosmopolitan allure and laid-back Mediterranean lifestyle—and, according to a new report, it could be the best bang for your buck in 2025.
Recently, Skyscanner named Nice the best value destination for 2025. According to the travel search engine’s annual report on travel trends, Nice saw the biggest drop in airfare prices from the United States—down a whopping 27 percent—in 2024 compared to 2023.
Among the other nine cities on Skyscanner’s “Best Value Destinations” ranking, four are in the United States, two are in the Caribbean, and the rest are in Africa, Europe, and South America.
Read on for the cities that are set to offer incredible value in 2025, with more competitive pricing and potentially fewer crowds than more in-demand (and higher-priced) hot spots.
What makes Nice, France, the best value city for U.S. travelers
As travel continues to rebound, many of the world’s most iconic destinations remain overwhelmed by crowds, driving up prices for everything from airfare to accommodations. To find the best value cities, Skyscanner’s report looked at proprietary data based on millions of searches and insights from more than 20,000 travelers.
According to Skyscanner, Nice—besides having the most significant decrease in flight prices—is also a good value because it “offers a mix of natural beauty, cultural experiences, and affordability. . . . Once in Nice, there are plenty of affordable dining options and fresh, regional produce for foodies. Also, many of the city’s top attractions, including the Promenade des Anglais, Castle Hill, and the Matisse Museum, are either free or low-cost.”
The report also noted travelers’ spending behavior. According to Skyscanner, the top factors determining a vacation destination for Americans are the cost of flights (51 percent), the price of food and drinks (34 percent), and the cost of hotels (50 percent).
Here’s how the best value cities were ranked.
Right behind Nice for the best value destination is the eastern Caribbean island of St. Lucia.
Photo by Corinne Kutz/Unsplash
10 best value destinations for U.S. travelers
- Nice, France: 27 percent price drop
- Castries, St. Lucia: 25 percent price drop
- Bridgetown, Barbados: 24 percent price drop
- Rabat, Morocco: 24 percent price drop
- Fargo, North Dakota, United States: 24 percent price drop
- San Jose, California, United States: 23 percent price drop
- Charlotte, North Carolina, United States: 22 percent price drop
- Salt Lake City, Utah, United States:19 percent price drop
- Amsterdam, Netherlands:19 percent price drop
- Barranquilla, Colombia: 19 percent price drop
Head to Nice’s Old Town for charming side streets, markets, cafés, and restaurants.
kavalenkava/Shutterstock
Why now is the time to visit Nice, France
The year 2024 was a big one for Nice. The Tour de France ended in the coastal city in July, marking the first time in the race’s 111-year history that it didn’t end in Paris. American Airlines launched a service from Philadelphia to Nice over the summer, and United announced it would increase the number of daily flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to Nice in 2025. The city also saw the opening of two new luxury hotels in 2024, including the 88-room Hôtel du Couvent, a Luxury Collection Hotel set in a former 17th-century convent, and Le Victoria, a boutique property with 102 guest rooms and 30 suites that is part of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts group.
If you’re going to Nice for the first time, start your exploration on the iconic Promenade des Anglais (Walkway of the English, referred to locally as “La Prom”), a roughly four-and-a-half-mile, palm-lined boulevard that hugs the coastline. Whether you’re cycling along the waterfront or simply strolling, the views of the turquoise sea are spectacular, especially at sunset when the sky is set ablaze in hues of orange and pink. The Baie des Anges (Bay of Angels), with its pebbled beaches, is popular for sunbathing or for taking a dip in the azure Mediterranean waters.
But Nice is more than just a beach town. The city’s heart is its Old Town, with a labyrinth of narrow, cobblestone streets, pastel facades, and bustling markets. At the Cours Saleya Market, local farmers and artisans offer fresh produce, fragrant flowers, and artisan goods. For a true taste of the region, try the famous socca (a crispy chickpea pancake) or a traditional pan bagnat (a Niçoise sandwich) from one of the many cafés with outdoor terraces. You might also visit the Libération market, which includes the food hall Docks de la Riviera, home to everything from bakeries and cheesemongers to bars and delicatessens.
For art lovers, Nice is a veritable treasure trove. The city was formerly home to many renowned artists, including Henri Matisse and Auguste Renoir, and their legacies are preserved in the Musée Matisse and the Musée Renoir, the latter of which is in the nearby town of Cagnes-sur-Mer. The Modern and Contemporary Art Museum offers a deeper dive into 20th- and 21st-century art, while the Musée des Beaux-Arts, housed in a beautiful villa that was once the private residence of a Ukrainian princess, boasts an impressive collection of European art from the past four centuries.
Nice is also a gateway to exploring the surrounding Côte d’Azur region. Just a short drive away is the glamorous seaside city of Cannes, as well as the charming hilltop villages of Èze and Saint-Paul-de-Vence.
