Nice

The beauty of the coastline, the colorful architecture, the mild and sunny Mediterranean weather, and the multicultural history of the city all contribute to making Nice a unique and very desirable place.

One of the first difficulties for English speakers is how to properly pronounce the name of the city, the French pronunciation of Nice is just like the English word "niece". And, being a very cosmopolitan city attracting people from all over the world for various reasons, you won't have much trouble finding English speakers in bars, hotels, and restaurants, but keep in mind that any effort speaking the smallest amount of French will be much appreciated.

History

Around 350 BC, Greeks of Marseille founded a permanent settlement and called it Νίκαια (Nikaia), after Nike, the goddess of victory.

Through the ages, the town has changed hands many times, but its strategic location and port significantly contributed to its maritime strength.

By the end of the 18th, the city started attracting an increasing number of aristocrats from the English upper class looking for a milder climate to spend winters. In 1931, following the refurbishment of the city's main seaside walkway, the Promenade des Anglais ("Walkway of the English"), was inaugurated by Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught; it owes its name to visitors to the resort.

Nice's appeal also extended to the Russian upper classes and, after the Russian Revolution, several members of the Russian Imperial family settled permanently in Nice.

The clear air and soft light have also been of particular interest to several notable painters such as Marc Chagall and Henri Matisse amongst others, both of which now have a museum named after them (Musée Marc Chagall, Musée Matisse) in the city. International writers have also been attracted and inspired by the city. Frank Harris wrote several books including his autobiography My Life and Loves in Nice. Friedrich Nietzsche spent six consecutive winters in Nice and wrote Thus Spoke Zarathustra there. Additionally, Russian writer Anton Chekhov completed his play Three Sisters while living in Nice.

Nowadays, Nice has become the sixth most populous city in France and is home to the Nice Côte d'Azur airport, which was built on reclaimed land right into the sea and is now the third busiest airport in France. The city has also become a hub for research in industry, science, and advanced technology since the creation of such centers as Acropolis and Sophia Antipolis.

What to do and see in Nice

Nice itself is not a very large city by modern standards and can be mostly explored in a few days. Deciding where to stay largely depends on your interests and the means by which you are coming into the city, but we recommend staying near the Old Town (le Vieux Nice) area. The bus and tramway lines offer a convenient and inexpensive way to get around the multiple points of interest around the city.

Of course, there is the world-famous Promenade des Anglais (English Promenade), this wonderful walkway along the coastline Baie des Anges (Bay of Angels) that is 7 km (4.3 miles) long and runs from La colline du Château (the Castle Hill) all the way to the airport. Despite looking great in photos, the beach below the promenade isn’t a great beach as it consists of large and uncomfortable pebbles, and the water gets deep very fast. If you are time-constrained, we recommend that you at least walk on the part that goes from the old town to the Negresco hotel, passing through the Jardin Albert 1er.

The pedestrian street Rue de France is worth a small detour, it has many bars, restaurants and delicious gelato ice cream places and usually comes to life after sunset in summer when the temperature cools down.

The Place Masséna, a large public plaza is also a recognizable landmark in the city and well worth seeing on your way to the Vieux Nice (the Old Town), the city’s narrow pedestrian cobblestone streets and typically Mediterranean vibrant buildings that is home to many restaurants and distinctive stores selling Provençal textiles, lavender, herbs, perfumes, soaps, as well as meats and cheeses. The old town has several old churches that are worth seeing, and there are many places serving Socca outdoors, one of the culinary specialties of the city made from chickpea flour (more about that later).

Not too far is the Cours Saleya, which holds the famous flower market every morning except Monday when it holds a big open-air flea market.

The Parc de la Colline du Château (Castle Hill park) is well worth the short walk as it offers one of the best viewpoints over the old town overlooking the entire bay, with great photos guaranteed! It owes its name to the military fortress that overlooked the bay of Nice from the 11th to the 18th century. On the way down towards the harbor, make sure to stop at the unique Confiserie Florian for some delicious sweets, rose-petal gelly, and slow cooked candied fruits.

The Cimiez neighborhood holds a few interesting surprises, such as the arènes de Cimiez, the ruins of a Roman amphitheater that held up to 5,000 spectators, the Jardins du monastère de Cimiez the Monastery gardens overlooking the city and the bay, and several art and historical museums. Keep in mind that it is mostly a residential neighborhood, don't expect too many bars and restaurants.

A bit further west and somewhat out of the way is the Byzantine-style St. Nicholas' Russian Orthodox Cathedral, the most important Orthodox worship religious building outside Russia and a remaining trace of the city's ties with the former Russian Imperial family.

There is also the Avenue Jean Médecin, one of the main arteries and the city's main shopping street.

If you have more time, Nice is also the gateway to the Provence region and a convenient place to take a day trip to cities such as Cannes or Monaco by train.

It is difficult to recommend specific restaurants in Nice as there are so many choices. However, one place stands out, the iconic Le Café de Turin is definitely a great place to enjoy a seafood platter and fish soup.

There are also many places where you can find delicious and refreshing sorbets, a close relative to the fruity Italian ice, as well as ice cream.

In addition to the traditional French cuisine, there are also several food specialties of the "cuisine Niçoise" that you should try while in Nice, they include:

• Socca - a thick crepe made from chickpea flour, served as street food mostly in the old town of Nice.
• Panisse - another specialty made from chickpea flour, most often fried.
• Pissaladière - a pizza-like pie topped with onions and anchovies.
• Salade Niçoise - a classic dish that combines lettuce with potatoes, green beans, olives, tuna, tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, and anchovies drizzled with olive oil vinaigrette.
• Pan Bagnat - essentially a sandwich version of the salade Niçoise: tuna and/or anchovies, raw vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, olives, and olive oil, packed into a round bread.
• Farcis Niçois - tender garden vegetables, filled with sausage and Provence herb mixture and baked until tender and delicious.
• Daube Niçoise - a beef stew and a twist on the Daube Provençale where the beef is marinated overnight in red wine before being braised with aromatics Provence herbs and onions, tomato, carrots, mushrooms, etc.

If you have a few hours to spend near the Nice airport, we recommend taking a 20-minute walk to the Maï cuisine restaurant for some great French-Asian cuisine, you won't be disappointed.