If you are looking for memorable things to do in Nancy, I hope this article gives you a few ideas — especially if, like me, you only have a short time in the city.
I stayed in Nancy from 31 May to 1 June, at the invitation of Destination Nancy, the city’s tourist office. It was a very short stay — just one night and roughly twenty-four hours on site — but it was enough to remind me why Nancy is one of the most elegant cities in eastern France.
I stayed at the Hôtel Stanley HappyCulture, not far from the railway station, which made it very convenient for arriving by train and leaving the following day.
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24 hours in Nancy
Twenty-four hours may not sound like much.
And in Nancy, it really isn’t.
It is barely enough time to drop your luggage, walk to Place Stanislas, say “wow”, take far too many photos of gilded gates, hunt for macarons, discover that the shop is closed until the exact moment your train leaves, calmly reorganise your plans with great dignity… and then leave.
But a short visit has one useful advantage: it forces you to choose.
So here are seven wonderful highlights from my 24-hour visit — not an exhaustive guide, not a military-style itinerary, but a personal selection of places and experiences I genuinely enjoyed.
Things to Do in Nancy #1: Revisit Place Stanislas
Let us begin with the obvious.
I know, it is not exactly a hidden gem.
But some places are famous for a very good reason.
For me, returning to Place Stanislas is always a special moment. I know the square. I have seen it before. I have photographed it in different seasons, under different skies, with different levels of Lorraine clouds threatening to become dramatic.
And yet, every time, it works.
There is something wonderfully theatrical about Place Stanislas. You do not simply arrive there. You enter it, almost like stepping onto a stage.
The classical façades, the gilded gates, the fountains, the Hôtel de Ville, the elegant proportions… everything seems designed to impress without overwhelming.
It is grand, but not cold.
Majestic, but not arrogant.
And above all, it is alive.
You see visitors taking photos, locals crossing the square as if passing through one of Europe’s most beautiful urban spaces were the most ordinary thing in the world, students chatting, families strolling, and café terraces doing what café terraces do best: making everyone else wonder whether they should sit down too.
Place Stanislas is one of those things to do in Nancy that you really should not skip, even if you have seen a hundred photos of it before.
Because photos are useful.
But they cannot quite reproduce that first moment when the space opens in front of you and the golden gates catch the light.
And then, of course, you take your own hundred photos.
Just to be safe.
Things to Do in Nancy #2: Find the Best Angle on Place d’Alliance
Just a short walk from Place Stanislas lies Place d’Alliance, a quieter and more intimate square.
It belongs, along with Place Stanislas and Place de la Carrière, to Nancy’s UNESCO-listed ensemble. But while Place Stanislas takes the role of the grand royal stage, Place d’Alliance is more discreet.
More confidential.
Almost conversational.
At its centre stands a fountain, framed by trees and surrounded by elegant façades. It is the sort of place that rewards patience. You may not gasp immediately as you do on Place Stanislas, but the longer you look, the more charming it becomes.
Naturally, I gave myself a very important mission.
To find the best angle for photographing the fountain between the trees.
This is the kind of mission that can look mildly ridiculous to anyone passing by.
You take three steps forward.
Two steps back.
A little to the left.
No, too much.
A little to the right.
Then a car appears.
Then a pedestrian.
Then a bicycle.
Then, at last, the composition looks perfect — and someone stops exactly in the middle of your frame to check their phone.
Such is the noble art of travel photography.
But this is also part of the pleasure of exploring a city. You slow down. You look more carefully. You notice how architecture, greenery, light and everyday life all fit together.
Place d’Alliance may be less spectacular than Place Stanislas, but it has real poetry.
And if you enjoy photography, it is one of the quieter things to do in Nancy that deserves your attention.
Just try not to alarm the local residents by circling the fountain too many times with a camera.
Things to Do in Nancy #3: Photograph the Roses in Parc de la Pépinière
Behind Place Stanislas, Parc de la Pépinière offers one of the city’s most enjoyable contrasts.
In just a few steps, you move from golden gates, classical stone and architectural grandeur into a generous sweep of greenery.
And when you only have twenty-four hours in a city, that kind of transition feels precious.
I went there partly for a walk, but also to photograph the roses in the rose garden. And this turned into one of those simple travel pleasures that I always love.
The roses were generous, colourful, and in various stages of bloom. Some looked as if they had been waiting all morning for their portrait. Others had clearly decided to live their best rose life without any concern for my framing.
Which I respect.
Parc de la Pépinière is not just a pretty green space. It is a place where Nancy breathes. You see walkers, families, children, benches in use, shaded paths, old trees, and that relaxed rhythm of a city park that is genuinely part of local life.
After photographing the grandeur of Place Stanislas, the roses offered a completely different pace.
From architecture to petals.
From UNESCO splendour to delicate details.
From grand urban design to a flower doing its very best in the early summer light.
If you are compiling your own list of things to do in Nancy, make room for the Pépinière — not just as a park to cross, but as a place to pause.
Things to Do in Nancy #4: Dine at the Art Nouveau Brasserie L’Excelsior
For dinner, I went to L’Excelsior.
Even the name sounds as if one should sit up a little straighter.
L’Excelsior is one of those brasseries where you do not go only for the food. You also go for the setting, the atmosphere, the history, and that small moment when you look around and think:
“Ah yes. This was a good decision.”
With its Art Nouveau décor, woodwork, stained glass and grand brasserie atmosphere, L’Excelsior is one of Nancy’s emblematic addresses.
And in Nancy, Art Nouveau is not just a decorative detail.
It is part of the city’s identity.
You find it in façades, villas, ironwork, glass, furniture, floral curves and architectural details inspired by nature. Dining in a place like L’Excelsior extends that immersion in a very pleasant way.
It is also, let us be honest, an excellent way to end a busy day.
After walking, taking photographs, visiting monuments, looking for angles, making notes, checking the weather, changing lenses, and trying to remember why you came down a particular street in the first place, there is deep satisfaction in sitting down.
Especially in a beautiful room.
The sort of room that allows you to tell yourself the meal is part of the cultural experience.
Which, to be fair, it is.
And if you are interested in Art Nouveau, this is one of the most atmospheric things to do in Nancy after a day of sightseeing.
Things to Do in Nancy #5: Buy Macarons from Les Sœurs Macarons… Almost
Ah, the macarons de Nancy.
It would have been unthinkable to leave the city without buying some.
So I planned to visit Les Sœurs Macarons, the historic house associated with one of Nancy’s best-known local treats.
There was just one small problem.
On Mondays, the shop opened at 2pm.
My train left at around 2pm.
This was, obviously, a tragedy.
Not a Greek tragedy.
A Lorraine pastry tragedy.
Fortunately, all was not lost. The tourist office opened at midday, and its shop sold macarons from Nancy. So I waited patiently for the doors to open with the calm determination of a man who had accepted his culinary destiny.
And I got my macarons.
Mission accomplished.
What I love about these small travel episodes is that they give a story to a local speciality. Buying macarons is nice. Buying macarons after checking the shop opening times, discovering the logistical impossibility, finding a Plan B, waiting for the tourist office to open and saving the honour of your Nancy visit is even better.
The Macarons de Nancy are not like the colourful Parisian macarons you see everywhere.
They are simpler in appearance.
More rustic.
More discreet.
But they have character.
And perhaps that is part of their charm. They do not need to perform. They just need to be good.
If you are looking for delicious things to do in Nancy, tasting local macarons should definitely be on your list — preferably after checking opening hours first.
I say this from experience.
Things to Do in Nancy #6: Visit the Interior of Villa Majorelle
Nancy is one of the great Art Nouveau cities in France, and Villa Majorelle is one of its treasures.
Visiting the interior was one of the things I was most looking forward to during my stay.
And it did not disappoint.
Villa Majorelle is not merely a beautiful house. It is a complete artistic statement.
Every detail seems to speak to the next: the architecture, the woodwork, the stained glass, the fireplaces, the staircase, the plant-inspired forms, the light.
You quickly understand that Art Nouveau was not simply about making things pretty for future tourist brochures.
It was a way of imagining space, daily life, craftsmanship and beauty.
Inside Villa Majorelle, you step into a world where straight lines have decided to relax a little. Where nature has entered the walls. Where a staircase can be elegant, expressive and almost alive. Where details matter.
And that is what I enjoyed most.
The visit makes you slow down.
You do not just pass through rooms. You observe them.
You notice a curve, a handle, a window, a floral pattern, a piece of woodwork, a small decorative choice that someone thought about very carefully over a century ago.
At one point, I found myself thinking that in those days, even a staircase had more grace than some entire modern buildings.
I say this with great diplomatic restraint.
More or less.
For lovers of architecture and decorative arts, Villa Majorelle is one of the essential things to do in Nancy.
Things to Do in Nancy #7: See the Daum Glass Collection at the Musée des Beaux-Arts
My final major highlight was returning to the extraordinary Daum glass collection in the basement of the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nancy.
And here, the atmosphere changes again.
You leave the squares, parks, brasserie and villa behind, and descend into a space where light plays with glass.
The Daum collection is one of the great treasures of the museum.
Vases, bowls and decorative objects tell the story of a company, a skill, a city and a particular artistic sensitivity.
Because Daum is Nancy.
And Nancy without Daum would feel slightly less Nancy.
What always impresses me about these glass pieces is the way they capture nature without simply copying it.
You find flowers, landscapes, seasonal colours, textures, transparency, depth and atmosphere. Some pieces seem almost to contain a misty morning, a woodland path, a flower in bloom or the glow of a sunset.
It is delicate.
Technical.
Poetic.
And sometimes so beautiful that you realise you have been staring at a vase for much longer than expected.
Which, in a museum, is generally a good sign.
The Daum collection is a wonderful way to end a visit to Nancy because it brings together so much of the city’s identity: art, industry, nature, elegance, invention and that very Nancy-like ability to turn detail into wonder.
For me, it is one of the most beautiful things to do in Nancy, especially if you are interested in Art Nouveau, decorative arts or French craftsmanship.
Final Thoughts on Visiting Nancy in 24 Hours
These seven highlights do not, of course, summarise the whole city.
They are only a glimpse.
A personal route through twenty-four hours in Nancy.
There are many other things to do in Nancy: exploring the old town more slowly, discovering more Art Nouveau architecture, visiting other museums, sitting at a terrace, wandering through the streets around the ducal palace, returning to Place Stanislas at different times of day… and, let us be honest, buying more macarons.
Nancy deserves more than a day.
But a day is enough to understand why it leaves such a strong impression.
Between the splendour of Place Stanislas, the quieter charm of Place d’Alliance, the roses of Parc de la Pépinière, the Art Nouveau world of Villa Majorelle, the atmosphere of L’Excelsior, the Daum glass collection and the local macarons, the city offers a rare mixture of elegance and warmth.
It is refined without feeling distant.
Historic without feeling frozen.
Beautiful without taking itself too seriously.
And perhaps that is what I enjoy most about Nancy.
You find grand settings.
But also small pleasures.
Masterpieces.
But also macarons rescued at the last minute thanks to the tourist office.
And honestly, any city capable of giving you all that in twenty-four hours deserves a promise:
I will be back.
If You Have More Time in Nancy
My 24-hour visit gave me a beautiful glimpse of the city, but Nancy certainly deserves more than one day.
If you are planning a longer stay — or if you are simply more disciplined than I am and do not spend quite so much time photographing gilded gates and rose petals — there are several other places worth adding to your itinerary.
Here are a few more highlights to consider.
Explore the Old Town, Grand-Rue, the Ducal Palace and Porte de la Craffe
Nancy’s Old Town has a very different atmosphere from the elegant 18th-century ensemble around Place Stanislas.
Here, the streets feel older, narrower and more intimate. The Grand-Rue leads you through one of the most historic parts of the city, with façades, small shops and details that invite you to slow down and look around.
One of the key landmarks is the Ducal Palace, a reminder that Nancy was once the capital of the Dukes of Lorraine. Its architecture tells another chapter of the city’s story, before Stanislas and before the grand classical squares.
Further along, you reach the Porte de la Craffe, one of Nancy’s most striking medieval remains. With its towers and fortified appearance, it feels like a gateway into another Nancy altogether — a Nancy of dukes, ramparts and old streets.
It is a wonderful area to explore on foot, especially if you enjoy cities where different centuries seem to sit side by side quite happily.
Walk Along Place de la Carrière
If Place Stanislas is the showstopper, Place de la Carrière is the elegant continuation.
This long, tree-lined square stretches north from the Arc Héré and forms part of Nancy’s UNESCO-listed ensemble. It has a quieter grandeur than Place Stanislas, with a sense of perspective and order that feels very 18th century.
It is the kind of place that is easy to rush through if you are heading somewhere else.
But don’t.
Take a moment to look back towards the Arc Héré, notice the symmetry, the façades, the trees, and the way the space gently leads the eye.
Place de la Carrière is one of those urban spaces that may not shout for attention, but it rewards anyone who gives it a little time.
Step Inside Nancy Cathedral
Nancy Cathedral is another site worth visiting if you have more time in the city.
Its classical façade fits naturally into the architectural language of 18th-century Nancy, but the interior offers a different rhythm: quieter, cooler, more contemplative.
After the brilliance of Place Stanislas and the busy streets of the city centre, stepping inside the cathedral can feel like pressing pause.
You enter for a few minutes, and suddenly the city softens around you.
Even if you are not planning a long visit, it is worth stopping by to admire the scale of the building, the light, and the sense of calm that large churches often offer so well — especially when your feet have begun to send polite but increasingly firm messages.
Visit the Musée de l’École de Nancy
If you are interested in Art Nouveau, the Musée de l’École de Nancy should be high on your list.
The museum is dedicated to the artists and craftsmen who made Nancy one of the great centres of Art Nouveau in Europe. Furniture, glass, ceramics, textiles and decorative objects all help tell the story of a movement that shaped the city’s identity.
After visiting Villa Majorelle and seeing the Daum collection at the Musée des Beaux-Arts, this museum would be the natural next step.
It allows you to go deeper into the world of the École de Nancy, where art, nature, craftsmanship and everyday life came together in remarkable ways.
In other words, it is exactly the sort of museum where you go in thinking, “I’ll just have a quick look,” and then find yourself examining a chair, a lamp or a vase with far more emotional involvement than expected.
Which, frankly, is one of the pleasures of Nancy.