Visiting Nice – Jewel of the French Riviera
Nice – Jewel of the French Riviera
Salut! (Hello in French)
As the jewel of the French Riviera (Cote d’Azure), the appeal of Nice is universal. A glamorous city with blue-green beaches, year-round sunshine, fashionable boutiques, splendid museums and galleries, a vibrant and energetic nightlife – Nice is a city that truly has it all! A major tourist attraction because of its splendid beaches and spectacular landscapes nearby, Nice casts a spell on visitors with its charm and energy. A perfect destination for everyone, from backpackers to wealthy businessmen, from partygoers to art aficionados and from honeymooners to families, you could spend a fortnight here and still be left craving for more!
Best Season to Visit Nice
With year-round sunshine and cool sea breezes, there is actually no bad time to visit Nice. Summer (June to August) is the most crowded season with a horde of tourists visiting. Parties run late into the night and the Jazz Festival is held during this time. Autumn (September to November) is a great time to visit with lesser tourist activity and milder temperatures. Winter (November to March) is mild and while one cannot venture into the sea during this season, it is perfect for sightseeing with minimal clouds and pleasant weather. The Carnival is held in February and is generally acknowledged to be the best in Europe. Spring (March to May) is pretty much the perfect time to visit, with the flowers in bloom, temperate weather and fewer tourists.
Highlights (Special Things to Do in Nice)
Visit the Port – Drink in the sight of all the glamorous yachts and the colorful fishing boats arrayed together while sipping on champagne in one of the many restaurants that line the port side.
Climb up to Castle Hill (Colline du Chateau) and be rewarded with a beautiful view of the beachside and the sea.
For a glimpse of St. Petersburg in France, pay a visit to the Cathedrale Saint Nicolas. Colorful and spectacular, it holds the distinction of being the first church to be designated a Russian Orthodox Church outside of Russia!
Be enthralled by the fragrance and riot of colors at the Cours Saleya Flower Market – famous in all of Europe for the sheer variety of well-known and unusual flowers that are on display here for sale.
Take a day-trip to the nearby Principality of Monaco. Everything about this small country screams luxury – Palaces, casinos, spectacular beaches, luxury cruise ships and yachts and even a Formula One Grand Prix if you visit in May.
Try the famous beer sorbet at Fenocchio, considered the best ice cream parlor in Nice.
Visit in July to get a chance to listen to “All that Jazz” – The annual Nice Jazz Festival is held at this time and features some of the best musicians performing from around the world.
Sail to St. Tropez, the undisputed glamour capital of Europe – from celebrities to royalty, everybody who’s anybody holidays in this glitzy, resort town of azure beaches, luxury yachts and elegant villas!
Experience the quiet life of the French countryside by visiting the charming village of Eze, perched atop a rocky mountain, with its ruined castle and beautiful views of the Mediterranean Sea.
Be sure to feast on the Nicoise cuisine, especially the Socca (chickpea pancake) and the mouth-watering Pissaladiere (thick crust Pizza with a topping of caramelized onions and anchovies).
Go celebrity spotting on a day-trip to Cannes during the annual Cannes Film Festival, that attracts the who’s who of filmdom from all around the world.
Step out into the night and be entertained. Dancing to the beats all night at a disco, the thrill of gambling at casinos or quietly sipping a drink at a lounge bar – the nightlife of Nice offers you all this and more!
Attractions in Nice
Old Town (Vieux Nice)
Vieux Nice (Old Town): The Old Town in Nice is a maze of narrow streets and winding alleys that are lined with beautiful Baroque churches, elegant cafes, trendy shops and vibrant public squaresBe sure to include the Cathedrale de Sainte Reparte and the Eglise du Jesu churches, and the Palais Lascaris, once an elegant home that has been transformed into an art museum now.
Place Massena: The city’s main square, it is centrally located with the seaside to the south, the prime shopping street of Avenue Jean Medicin leading off to the north and beautiful gardens surrounding it. It retains an old world charm with many roadside cafes that one can hang out in.
Place Garibaldi: One of the larger public squares bordering the Old Town, and along the way to the Port, this square is bordered by charming cafes and elegant shops. Every third Saturday of the month, a market is setup at the square that sells all manner of treasures from antique furniture to designer handbags and even old magazines!
The Promenade
Baie des Anges: The bay that is adjacent to the city of Nice on the Mediterranean is popular for swimming. The beach is pebbly and offers a contrast from the normal sandy beaches along the Mediterranean. Swim in the waters, or relax by lying on the beachside while waiting for the famed, epic sunsets of the Cote d’Azure.
Promenade des Anglais: The runs adjacent to the bay and is a 4 kilometer long walkway that offers a leisurely stroll by the light blue Mediterranean sea. The road that runs parallel to this promenade houses many elegant cafes, hotels and shops.
Colline du Chateau: The Castle Hill is situated at one end of the Promenade des Anglais and overlooks the city. One can take an elevator or climb the 200 steps to the top, to be rewarded with panoramic views of the Old Town and the seaside.
Port Lympia: Beautiful Venetian-colored buildings line the quayside while multi-million pound yachts are parked in the sea at the port. Visit one of the many roadside cafes and restaurants and feast your eyes on the lovely yachts, home to the rich and famous tourists on their visit to Nice.
Cimiez
Musee Chagall: The Chagall Museum is a museum that is dedicated to the artwork of Marc Chagall. It houses the largest collection of paintings, sculptures and drawings by Chagall.
Musee Archeologique de Nice: The museum lies at the site of the Roman ruins and displays artefacts and sculptures from the days of the Roman Empire. The ruins of Nice are a reminder of its days as an outpost of the Roman Empire. The amphitheater here is still used to this day during the annual Jazz festival.
Gare de Nice Ville
Cathedrale Saint Nicolas: A striking Russian Orthodox Church with onion bulb domes and beautiful sculptures, this is one cathedral you wouldn’t want to miss visiting! A strict dress code is enforced that excludes short skirts, shorts and T-shirts.
Shopping in Nice
There are many shopping streets that are worth exploring in Nice. Nice boasts of high street designer brands, open air markets with a typical French character as well as large supermarkets that sell everything that you would ever think of buying. Be sure to explore the shopping delights of Nice at leisure and fill your shopping bags with the choicest of items from the markets of Nice. Bear in mind that most shops are closed on Sundays.
Avenue Jean Medicin is the undisputed main shopping street of Nice. Home to designer boutiques, high street brands and large department stores, the avenue is choc-a-bloc with some of the best stores vying for shopper’s attention.
The main pedestrian shopping street of Nice is the Rue de France that is famed for exclusive clothing boutiques. A large number of cafes and restaurants also line the street that provides a welcome option for refreshments while shopping.
The open markets of Nice are famous throughout Europe. The Cours Saleya in the heart of Old Nice is worth visiting for its famed flower market, in addition to the food, spices and fish markets nearby. Every Monday, the market is transformed into a flea market selling antiques and secondhand clothes.
How to reach Nice
Nice is a major holiday destination of Europe and well connected by various modes. Nice Airport is one of the busiest in France and has frequent daily flights to Paris as well as direct flights to almost all major European cities, as well as destinations in North Africa, Middle East and Canada. Nice is also well connected on the railway network with trains to Paris, many Italian cities and even a weekly long distance train arriving from Moscow via Warsaw and Vienna. Long distance buses connect Nice with major European cities and the motorways are a great way to reach the city from either east or the west, with spectacular drives by the coastline. Being along the coastline, Nice is extremely well connected by the sea, and all holiday cruise liners have Nice among their destinations. Ferries connect it directly to many other nearby ports.
How to get around in Nice
Nice has its own local bus network which forms the primary mode of public transport within the city. Train services are available connecting it to the other nearby tourist attractions along the Riviera. Taxis, scooters and bikes are the other ways of getting around the city.
The local bus network, known as the Lignes d’Azur is the main urban transport option for locals to get to work or school. Of greater importance to tourists is the inter-urban network called the TAM, which connects Nice with other towns on the Riviera, such as Cannes, Menton and villages like Vence.
The Tram line links the main bus station, train station, downtown and the university. It is of value to tourists other than getting them to the city center.
Regional trains operated by the SCNF link all the eastern coastal towns and are a good way to travel between the towns along the French Riviera.
Taxis are expensive and it is not always easy to find one. It is better to hire one from your hotel or from a designated taxi rank.
Cycling enthusiasts can rent cycles to explore the city and its outskirts. Nice has a public bicycle rental system and the first 30 minutes of usage is free.
While Nice is a large and sprawling city, most of the tourist and historic attractions are concentrated within the city center, around a twenty minute walking radius. Walking is a great way of getting around for tourists and exploring the attractions of foot allows visitors to drink in the sights of this glamorous city!
Top Areas of Nice
Gare de Nice Ville: The main railway station of Nice was originally built away from the city center, but the modern city has grown around the station, making it the city center. The station building is a beautiful piece of architecture. Most of the Nice hotels are concentrated around the railway station.
Promenade des Anglais: The area of Nice that began to e [populated the foremost thanks to its spectacular location by the sea, the Promenade is flanked by the Bay of Angels on one side and many hotels and restaurants on the other side.
Vieux Nice: The Old Town of Nice is a maze of alleys with many beautiful churches, cafes and shops. It is the central part of the historic town of Nice.
Cimiez: Home to the ancient Roman Ruins and the Musee Matisse, this is an elegant neighborhood of Nice that played host to Queen Victoria, who stayed at the Hotel Regina during her trips to the French Riviera.
Vieux Port: The port of Nice is a beautiful locality with Venetian style buildings and yachts and ferries crowding the quay. Yachts can also be rented from here for taking trips along the French Riviera and the Mediterranean Sea.
Palais Des Congres: This locality gets its name from the Palais Des Congres Acroplois, which is a convention center that hosts various events.
Merci! (Thank you in French)
