Nice
This is a real pearl of the French Riviera and the most popular sea resort in the world. The elegant and beautiful Nice spreads on the coast of the Bay of Angels. The sky-blue sea, marvelous gravel beaches, a mild climate, and a beautiful landscape have been attracting tourists from all over the world for more than 200 years! Nice was the favorite holiday destination for the renowned noble European families at the beginning of the XIX century. However, the city has so much more to offer than beautiful beaches. Nice occupies the second position in the number of museums and galleries in Europe. Numerous parks, charming embankments, picturesque palaces, and villas - the exquisite Nice has prepared a lot of interesting places for its guests.
Districts of Nice
Nice has a status of a commune which is identical to the municipality and district. According to the administrative division, the city consists of eight districts. Each of them has 41 quarters. Every quarter is extraordinary in its way. It’s hard to choose the best ones, but these are the most popular among tourists:
- Le Carré d’Or is located not far from the sea and is considered to be extremely exquisite. That’s the place with the most expensive boutiques, restaurants, and bars. Besides, Le Carré d’Or offers the most beautiful attractions in Nice: the Palace of Maria Cristina, Albert I Garden.
- Est Littoral is the favorite district among the tourists. Vieux-Nice or the Old Town of Nice is also situated here. The narrow pedestrian streets in the Medieval part of the city are always filled with travelers. La cathédrale Sainte-Réparate, Palace of the Dukes Of Savoy, Senat de Nice are the most astonishing architectural masterpieces here.
- Coeur de Ville is the heart of the city where the famous Bay of Angels begins.
- Mont Boron is a cozy green part of the city. Celebrities love dwelling here. For example, the villa of Elton John is situated in this district. The forest and park of the same name of the area is the beloved recreation place for both citizens and guests of Nice.
- Fabron is a modern part of the city, located on a hill. It offers a mind-blowing view of the sea.
Map Nice
Attractions
Elegant and beautiful Nice knows how to astonish and amaze. Several weeks won’t be enough to enjoy all the incredible places in the city. Ancient monuments, interesting museums, marvelous embankments, a sky-blue sea – Nice is ready to offer everything to its tourists. Create a list of the most significant and famous attractions, wear comfortable shoes, and head to explore the main tourist destinations.
Population
A Brief History
Nice joined the County of Savoy in the first half of the XIV century and received its full protection and patronage. However, the city frequently suffered from the invasions of the Barbary pirates. Quite often, the pirates united with the French for mutual attacks and sieges. The renowned city legend tells us about those times: During another siege, an average laundress Catherine Ségurane killed a pirate with a simple beater, took a flag from his cold hands, and showed contempt to the enemy by pulling up the lower edge of her skirt. The story doesn’t tell what happened to the heroine after that. However, the legend states that her actions stunned the pirates for long.
Within the next three centuries, the city had been repeatedly conquered by the French army but the County of Savoy had always won it back. It had been lasting until Nice was passed to France in 1860. Nice became a popular resort city in the middle of the XIX century.
During World War II, the city was occupied by the Italian and then German forces.
Nice started having a calm and slow-paced life in the second half of the XX century. The city grew and was gradually turning into the capital of the European sea resort. Its exquisite beauty attracts travelers from all over the world.
Trip budget
Before the trip, you should calculate the approximate budget that you will require for the travel:
Hotels | Apartment | Taxi | Gasoline |
Average bill | from 62 €/night | from 124 €/night | Start - 4.01 €, 1km - 2.06 € | 1.48 €/liter | 50 € for 2 person |
|---|
The best time to visit Nice
The city is filled with various carnivals and festivals in summer. The most popular of them include the jazz festival and the festival of sacred music.
Useful notes
You can attend the museums of Nice without buying tickets on the first and third Sundays of each month. On other days, tourists have to stand in long lines to the ticket offices. If you want to avoid this, buy special tourist season tickets. There are several types of them. The Carte Passe-Musee is the cheapest variant and costs €7. It allows you to attend almost every municipal museum within 7 days. The Carte Musees Cote d'Azur guarantees a free entrance to 65 museums of the French Riviera. Its price depends on the duration: €10 for one day, €17 for three days, and €27 for seven days. You can buy these tickets at the municipal museums and tourist offices.
Buses are the main type of public transport in Nice. You can purchase tickets from the driver, at the bus stop, and additional points of sale. The price depends on the number of rides. A single ticket costs €1.5. A ticket worth 10 rides costs €10. And if you want a pass for one day, you will have to pay €5. Don’t neglect to buy the tickets and don’t forget to punch them. Otherwise, you will have to pay fines. The penalty for the fare evasion is €49.5, for not punching a ticket - €33.5. In addition to the fine, you will have to pay €38 of the authorities fee.
At restaurants, you can usually choose between a menu or a card. The price of the menu is indicated in advance. It includes the main course, an appetizer, some cheese or a dessert. Mind, that you can eat in the majority of restaurants only within certain time limits: 12.00 - 14.00, 19.00 - 22.00. However, many bars and restaurants are opened all day long.
What should a tourist do in Nice?
- Stroll along the Promenade des Anglais, the most renowned embankment in France. The Promenade des Anglais was named in memory of those times when the English aristocrats used to purchase land here and build villas. As a result, an average coastal road became a promenade for the members of the haut monde. The architecture of the ancient hotels and marvelous villas bring out the refined beauty of the embankment. It’s a perfect place to sit is a cozy cafe overlooking a sky-blue sea, enjoying a pleasant breeze.
- Spend one day in the historical heart of Nice, Vieux-Nice. You can see the real life of the ancient city only if you walk along the narrow streets of its ancient quarter. The combination of styles dating different centuries astonishes tourists. Attractions can be found at every corner! After a tiring route on steep descents and ascents, you can relax over a cup of coffee in a tiny cafe. Vintage stalls will always have something special as a souvenir to remind you about the sunny Nice.
- Ascend the Colline du Chateau and admire the panoramic view of the city, the wonderful coast, and the sky-blue sea. Don’t forget to explore the ruins of the Saint Mary’s Cathedral that was built in the XI century, and the vivid Ballanda Tower dating back to the XIX century.
- Explore the legendary Nice Cathedral also known as La cathédrale Sainte-Réparate. The construction of the cathedral began in the middle of the XVII century. There is a beautiful legend related to its name. A girl Reparate from Palestine was tortured by the Romans for her beliefs and beheaded. Her body was put into a boat and set to the Mediterranean Sea. But the angels saw the boat and directed it to Nice. It moored to the bay that was later called the Bay of Angels.
- Visit the St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral, the most beautiful and the largest orthodox church on the territory of Western Europe. The temple is made of pink granite and blue tiles. It became a real decoration of Nice.
- Devote one day to visiting the Archaeological Museum of Nice located near the ruins of the Roman arena and a bathhouse.
- Admire the displays at the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nice. It occupies a two-story mansion built in the XVII century. Its collections include the creations of Monet, Picasso, Boudin, Hubert, and many other French artists. The fans of art will love the worldwide known sculpture of Auguste Rodin called “The Age of Bronze”.
- Sit in the shady alleys of the Parc de la Colline du Chateau. Feel the coolness of the waterfall and admire the panoramic view of the sea.
- Spend one lazy day at one of the many wonderful beaches in Nice. We recommend you to choose the spots in the picturesque eastern part of the bay. Coco Beach and La Réserve are also extremely popular. However, they are located out of city boundaries.
- Drop by a fabulous flower market called Cours Saleya. Be careful! The diversity of flowers and the strong odor can literally make your head spin. In addition to a bouquet, you can also purchase spices, delicious pastry, and interesting souvenirs here.
- Taste the local cuisine. The dishes in Nice are just as exquisite as the city is. You should definitely try the salad called Nicoise that consists of 15 ingredients, the soup called Bouillabaisse (it is made of several sorts of fish with other seafood), Cannelloni with a frog leg sauce. For a dessert, order the popular Fenocchio ice cream with flowers and fruit.
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