The elegant city of Nice on the Côte d’Azur boasts longer The promenade of the city of France, bathed in sun and filled with hordes of happy vacationers for much of the year. Among tourists, in fact, Nice is the second most popular French city after Paris.
It’s been a favorite with artists for centuries, many of whom claim the city enjoys a special light, but it’s also a magnet for the rich and glamorous alongside posh neighbors like Monaco and Cannes. However, despite this, Nice does not have an exclusive air, and it actually draws quite a diverse crowd along with its glamorous core, ranging from young couples and families to older tourists and even the occasional bachelorette party.
Go beyond the less attractive suburbs to Vieux Nice, the old town of France’s fifth-largest city, and you’ll find a tangle of historic streets where couples stroll hand-in-hand from boutique to souvenir shop, and diners They eat outside in the balmy night air enjoying themselves live. music and a place to people watch. This is Nice’s most charming neighborhood and the best place to spend summer nights, with a lively café culture, excellent restaurants and many nice bars. If you’re exploring during the day, be sure to look out for some of the incredibly ornate Baroque churches, like Eglise de Gésu on Rue Droite, where the vivid art and sculpture inside is dizzying in detail. In the heart of the old town, the closed and pedestrianized Place Rossetti is an atmospheric place by day and by night, lined with buildings in red and yellow ocher, famous for its ice cream parlors and beautifully lit at night.
The stony beach doesn’t seem to put off the many sun-worshipers who flock to take a dip in the turquoise sea before drying off on a lounger, despite risking a rather awkward entry and exit on the slippery and uncomfortable pebbles.
Along the seafront is the elegant, palm-lined Promenade des Anglais, backed by grand pre-war villas and hotels, the most impressive of which is the pink-domed Hôtel Negresco. Prom is a favorite place for walks and for rollerblading, biking, and skateboarding. Parallel to a section is the small pedestrian zone “Zone Pietonne”, another pleasant area full of cafes, restaurants and tourist souvenir shops near Place Masséna, the main square of the city.
Nice’s colorful flower market takes place on the Cours Saleya every morning, and this traditional square is also a good place to grab a bite to eat at one of Nicois’ traditional restaurants. If you want to capture one of the best views of the city, head to Colline du Chateau and take the stairs (or take the elevator three-quarters of the way) for views of the Baie des Anges and the harbor. Although little remains of the ruined castle, the spectacular views alone make it worth the effort.
And if you can crawl inside out of the sun, Nice also has more than 20 museums, many with wonderful art collections and some with free admission. Among the best are the Musee Matisse, Musee Chagall, Musee et Site Archeologiques de Cimiez, and Parc Phoenix (a botanical garden and greenhouse).
