Cote D'Azur Map:
Gare de Nice (Railway Station) "The Gare de Nice SNCF Centrale is situated on Thiers Avenue is an important link for rail transport throughout the Mediterranean. There is a tourist information office here..."
The Old Town square, Nice "The streets here are narrower and winding with individual shops, cafes and patisseries. The Flower Market, or Cours Saleya, is situated here each day..."
Saint Paul de Vence, An afternoon game of Boules "Cafe de la Place Saint Paul de Vence Saint Paul is a thirty minute drive from the centre of Nice and well worth a visit, if you fancy a break from city life..."
Thinking of a holiday or short break on the Cote d'Azur? Fancy a trip to the chic city of Nice? Our online guide will help you plan your trip – we tell you what there is to see and do in and around Nice, so that you can make the most of your time when you actually get there.
We visited in Easter to travel around the city, the beaches and the surrounding area, with our camera, tripod, GPS and notebook in hand, so that we could put together this virtual tour. All you have to do now, is sit back and click! Our tour takes you straight to the south of France without leaving your armchair. We invite you to let us guide you through the Nice on our Virtual Reality Cote D’Azur tour.
Nice is a huge, busy city nestling on the French Riviera and surrounded on the remaining three sides by mountains. As well as its location, it is famous for the Promenade des Anglais, where you can see and be seen by walkers, runners, joggers, cyclists and rollerbladers. The white pebbled beach stretches for about six miles and leads into a gorgeous turquoise sea. The buildings are tall and elaborately ornamented. From these, every day, thousands of citizens and tourists spill out into the city.
Nice is also famous for its February festival. This is a wild, ten day celebrations with daily parades, music and street theatre. It has been running for over 120 years.
Hotels in PARIS, France with late rooms and last minute discounts.
Nice is now one of the most well known cities in France. Visitors come here all year round to enjoy the comforts of a modern city, with its many cultural events, whilst also being charmed by the old sector with its higgledy piggledy narrow streets, ancient port and flower market.
Promenade des Anglais
The most famous part of Nice is probably the Promenade des Anglais. This is a long, long stretch of the Mediterranean coast, which separates the beach from the city. The area is split into many different private and public, pebble beaches. You could spend your whole visit sampling the delights of each to compare and contrast. With names like Florida Plage, Miami Plage, Opera Plage, Sporting Plage, Bambou Page, you are bound to find your favourite! This is a popular place to be at any time of day; try a stroll in the warm evenings and enjoy the fabulous architecture of beautiful buildings, such as the Hotel Negresco, or the Place de Mediterranee, which gaze out onto the Mediterranean Sea.
Images and Photographs of the South of France, Nice, French Riviera, Cote D'Azur
Shopping
Of course, holidays in any French city mean shopping and Nice is no exception. This is the place for chic: you could try the boutiques of the Old Town for example, where individual shops are nestled in a maze of tiny, narrow streets and alleyways. If you are prepared to get up early, you could start your day at the famous Flower Market (Cours Saleya), before sampling an early breakfast at the spectacular and popular Place Massena, or one of the many cafes in the Old Town.
Culture and Entertainment
Culture and Nice go hand-in hand! Visit the historic Opera building, in the Old Town, the Matisse Museum on Cimiez, the Palais de Justice in the heart of the city, or Queen Victoria’s favourite place to stay, the Regina Hotel.
Music lovers flock to Nice for the annual jazz festival in July, each year on Cimiez Hill. Or for entertainment of a different sort, you may prefer to try your hand at the legendary casino, the Place de la Mediterranee
We loved the architecture of the Russian Orthodox Cathedral and the peace and quiet of Cimiez’s Franciscan Monastery Gardens and the St Reparate Church in the old square of the Place Rossetti.
A break from the city?
If all this city life leaves you gasping for a breath of fresh air, may we suggest a trip up the elevator to Castle Hill? Here you can take in some spectacular views, while enjoying a stroll around the park. If you fancy going further afield, then the lovely historic village of Saint Paul de Vence is a short drive away. This picturesque, medieval village, with its cobbled streets and fountains is crammed with art and craft shops, gift shops and places to eat and drink, all within the village walls.
Getting there
Nice has its own airport, the Nice Cote d’Azur Airport, which is where we landed. However, many people arrive here on their cruise ships, which arrive in the harbour. The marina is also crammed with the boats of the world’s rich and famous: take a stroll around and dream... For those of us with more modest means, the Gare de Nice train station also provides an excellent link to the rest of France and the Mediterranean.