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Nice
Trip Planning & Itineraries
10:01 PM Saturday, Jul 4
Partly sunny. Warm.
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Nice, the capital of the Côte d'Azur, is not 'nice' - what an insult! Nice is a sparky, sexy city, with a gritty underside that keeps it grounded. If Nice were a person, it would wear designer cocktail dresses with old army boots, cause lots of trouble and be livid about that insipid adjective.
Nice's beaches are pebbly. On the other hand there are a lot of them, and most are free, warm and clean as a whistle. The city itself is brash and bold (there's no such thing as being too old to wear a bikini) and enormously popular, so if you're looking for a place of serenity and Zen-like peace… move on.
Best of Nice: Top 3 Must-Do Experiences
Best Of Nice: Suggested Itineraries
Nice has always had a lot of hype surrounding it. All those rich and famous people choosing to holiday there, stories of glamour and beaches, of food and fashion. Well, it's all true. It really is one of the great places of the world. The sea is unbelievably clear and blue, the climate is kind, the food is great and it has nightlife, art, views and ice cream the flavour of flowers. Whether you want history, fashion, fun, beaches, day trips or culture - Nice is definitely the place to see - and be seen.
Start the day in Vieux Nice, the old town, and follow your nose to one of the splendid patisseries (bakeries). Buy a croissant or two and head up the hill to Parc du Chateau - you can walk the many steps or catch the Ascenseur (lift). Sit in the outdoor cafe with a coffee to accompany your pastry and enjoy a splendid view across Nice and along the coast. Marvel at the blue of the sea. Then head back down into Vieux Nice. Follow the narrow streets to the food and flower market near the beachfront, stopping in at Cathedrale Ste-Reparte built around 1650, or the Eglise du Gesu St-Jacques Le Majeur with its yellow and blue-grey Baroque exterior. (Opposite is a great little local eatery.) Chapelle de la Misericorde is also worth a visit and so is the ice cream shop Fennochio across the square.
It is essential that you stroll along the beachfront promenade des Anglais in the manner of all visitors to Nice since the days of Queen Victoria. If it's nice, venture onto the pebbly beach and sit in one of the many free sections or head to one of the plages concedees (private beaches), hire a lounger for the day and enjoy the sun in a more exclusive manner. If you need to buy beachwear, head for Avenue Jean Medecin, the main shopping area located in the modern part of Nice. Nearby Place Massena is a lovely public square.
In the evening, dive back into the old town and find one of the many lively restaurants and bars. Just in from the beach, the area that was a market during the day, has many fine outdoor restaurants for lunch or dinner. Then it's another stroll along the beachfront to enjoy that balmy night air and the be lulled by the gentle sigh of the sea.
Day 2: Art and Beauty
The French Riviera has a rich cultural history with many writers and artists calling it home. In Nice itself, there is the wonderful Musee d'Art Moderne et d'Art Contemporain, an architectural delight as well as home to works by Warhol, Christo and many French artists of note. The Musee des Beaux-Arts also has a fine collection of French artists including Rodin, Dufy and Sisley. The Marc Chagall Museum includes a beautiful mosaic of his rose window for the Metz Cathedral. And do not miss the Musee Matisse. Located in the Cimiez district of Nice, where the wealthy have always lived, the museum has a great range of Matisse's work. The artist is buried nearby and you can visit his grave in the Monastere Notre Dame de Cimiez. Nearby lie the ruins of the Roman city of Cemenelum in the Musee et Site Archeologiques. If you like Matisse's work, make sure you head to the small town of Vence in the countryside behind Nice. His magnificent Rosaire Chapel is located here.
Outside Nice itself, in the nearby town of Antibes, is the Musee Picasso in a wonderful small castle overlooking the sea.
Day 3: Explore the French Riviera
Just the names of the towns along the French Riviera conjure up an image of glamour and natural beauty. Make sure you head east along the famous coastal drives known as the Corniche. Visit the tiny principality of Monaco and the casinos and yachts of Monte Carlo. Although avoid it around the time of the Grand Prix unless scaffolding and crowds are your thing. Visit the palace where the great Princess Grace lived. Then head back via Eze, a pretty medieval village perched high on a hilltop. Have lunch or just a hot chocolate in one of the hotel terrace bars looking down along the coast and explore the amazing cactus garden.
In the other direction out of Nice, spend a day in iconic St Tropez, watching the rich young things of European royalty hop on and off their multi-million dollar yachts. Take a boat cruise along the coast, perhaps to the more modest Saint Rafael across the bay. Stop off at Cannes and imagine it teeming with movie stars, or enjoy the quiet fishing village and market streets of Antibes.
If you've always admired the paintings of the French Impressionists, head deep into lavender- infused Provence for a day trip to the village of Saint Paul de Vence. Or head over the border into Italy for a visit to those famous Italian markets full of leathergoods and fashion.
Best of Nice: Top 3 Hotels
- Plan Nice vacations on Yahoo! Travel
- Hotels in Nice, France from PlanetWare
- Accommodation in Nice from HotelsCombined.com
