Nice
Capital Of The French Riviera; Nice, Winter Resort Town Of The Riviera, UNESCO World Heritage Site Inscribed 2021 · Nice, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur
Nice is the largest city on the French Riviera, set on a wide bay of blue water between the sea and the foothills of the Alps. Its long seafront, the Promenade des Anglais, runs for about seven kilometres past grand hotels, beach clubs and public beaches, and is the city's main walking and cycling route. The beaches are pebbles, not sand, which surprises many visitors. Behind the eastern end lies Vieux Nice, the old town, a maze of narrow lanes with ochre and pink buildings, baroque churches, and the Cours Saleya market of flowers and produce. Above it rises Castle Hill, a park with a waterfall and the best view over the bay. Nice belonged to the House of Savoy until 1860, and its Italian roots show in its food: socca, pissaladière and salade niçoise. The Matisse and Chagall museums sit on the hill of Cimiez. Trains along the coast make easy day trips to Villefranche, Monaco, Eze and Antibes. Summer is hot, crowded and expensive; spring and autumn are gentler.
Promenade des Anglais and Vieux Nice, Nice, Nice, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, France
The Promenade des Anglais, the public beaches and the old town lanes are open at all hours and free. The Cours Saleya market sells flowers and produce most mornings except Mondays, when it becomes an antiques and flea market, and it winds down around lunchtime; evenings it fills with restaurant tables. Castle Hill park is open daily with seasonal hours, closing earlier in winter, and the lift up from the seafront may not run every day. Most city museums, including the Matisse Museum, are closed on Tuesdays, while the national Chagall museum usually closes on a different weekday, so plan carefully if you want to see both; confirm current closing days before going. Many shops close on Sunday and some for a midday break. Beach clubs open roughly April to October, and lifeguards and beach facilities are seasonal. The Carnival in February and big summer events bring road closures and higher hotel prices. Coastal trains run frequently all day but are packed in summer; check the timetable for evening returns from Monaco and Eze.