Nice is one of the surrounding cities on the French Riviera. Many tourists include this city on their bucket lists because of the beautiful sceneries on the Promenade des Anglais and its popular waterfront. This ethnically diverse city has a lot to offer its visitors from all walks of life.

Brief History

The city’s origin is found among the ruins of Gallo-Roman, perched in the hills of boulevard de Cimiez. Here you could also find some museums and a monastery, but as of today, most of its inhabitants live closer to the sea. Originally, the city was only a portion of the Italian Duchy of Savoy and later on, the Kingdom of Sardinia until its unwilling surrender to France in 1860. The ancient mother tongue is Nissart, but everybody speaks French; not everyone knows how to speak English, so it’s a must to learn the language of La’mour.

Sites to See

The Colline du Chateau rising above the Bay of Angels and the harbor gives a picturesque viewpoint overlooking the city. There isn’t much left of the ruined castle, but a climb up the stairs gives a better vantage point. If you take a ride on the lift, you would have saved at least 75 percent of the climb. Be careful not to stay after sunset because the park closes around this time and they may have you escorted out.

But for the best view of Nice, you don’t want to miss out on the heights of Mont Boron. Your eyes will surely feast on the spectacular views from the old fort, the Villa of Sir Elton John, Cap Ferat and Villefranche.

Museums

Nice is a city also known for its many museums, most of which has no entrance fee. Here are some of the most popular ones:

  • Museum of Asian Art , 405 Promenade des Anglais: for those people who appreciate world art (No entrance fee)
  • Parc Phoenix, 405 Promenade des Anglais: for those who love plants and animals (€2 Entrance Fee)
  • Musee Chagall: for people fascinated with stained glass (€9.50 Entrance Fee)
  • Muse Matisse, 164 Ave des Arenes de Cimiez: to feast your eyes on a charming collection of drawings, paintings and sculptures in the 17th century (free entrance)

Beaches

Coming to Nice for sunbathing or lounging out on the beach is not ideal. Its beaches mainly consist of flat stones known as gallets. Although the city has a couple private beaches that have been covered with layers of sand, the public beaches are a callous stony experience. You should bring sandals or slippers for walking, aside from towels and mats. Taking a shower is free and you can enjoy playing beach volleyball in an area filled with white sand.

Even if the shoreline is mainly gallets, many visitors still enjoy swimming in the clear blue waters, although you have to be a strong swimmer as the beach floor drops quickly and the tidal pull is strong.

Other towns have nicer sandy beaches such as Antibes, Villefranche-sur-Mer and Cannes. Villefranche is the most preferred choice, especially if you are travelling with the kids and it is only twenty minutes away from Nice by the TAM 100 bus.