Situated on the southeastern French coast on the Italian border, Nice is a good place to stop during your trip to enjoy the sun and relax. In French, Nice is called Nice la Belle, meaning Nice the Beautiful. Stroll down the sunny streets of the Old Town or walk by the sea on La Promenade des Anglais and escape the heat in one of the many art galleries.
Location: Nice, Provence-Alpes-Cote D’Azur, France
Language: French
Population of city: 343, 000
Nearest airport: Nice Cote D’Azur Airport
Main train/bus station(s): Nice-Ville,
Best time to visit? All year round, but April – September is high season.
Budget level? £££
Best for: Beach, shopping, Nightlife, art & culture, Excursions/day trips
Nice is a great city which offers plenty of options for day trips to other nearby towns. Plan to spend at least 2 nights here, or longer if you want to spend some time chilling out on the beach. Take day trips to Cannes or Monaco, or hire bikes and ride out along the Cote D’Azur.
Vieux-Nice is the name of the medieval old town. To the east, you’ll find Castle Hill and its fortress ruins. To the west is Place Masséna, the historic square. Vieux-Nice is filled with historical buildings, authentic shops and a great atmosphere. According to locals, it’s the city’s gem.
A beautiful seafront walkway, with elegant houses and hotels. Ideal for taking some snaps and wasting a couple of hours.
No you aren’t in Moscow! This Russian Orthodox Cathedral was built in 1903. It’s named after Nicholas Alexandrovich Romanov, Tsesarevich of Russia and son of one of the last Emperors. He died in Nice at the age of 21. Since 2013, after a long legal dispute, the cathedral and its land officially belong to the Russian Federation.
While you’re here, you may as well take a trip over to the ultra-glamorous Monaco or film-haven Cannes. Who could say no?! Just prepare to be wowed.
Nice is the bridge from France to Italy, and down to Spain as well. Connections to Paris are fast, but once trains reach the coast they slow down a lot. That means that getting across to Barcelona or to Italian cities will take you a full day of travel, so you’ll need more than a night if you want to see the sights.
