Nice

A plethora of world famous beaches and the large range of Nice activities they enable, the claim that it might be one of the oldest places on earth to have been inhabited by humans, as well as modern luxury and comfort give Nice the rightful statute of jewel of the French Riviera. Dubbed The Beautiful Nice, the city has whatever it takes to be a tourist paradise.

Indeed, next to Paris, Nice is the second best tourist destination in the entire France. Its efficient infrastructure, its cosmopolitan atmosphere, the beaches, the sand and the sun, as well as its Mediterranean mild climate blend into a formula that represents the visiting card of the place.

Short History of Nice

The place as such has allegedly been inhabited since about 400000 BC, hypothesis substantiated by the Terra Amata archeological site. The Greeks were the ones to found the city proper about 350 BC, in the honor of Nike, the goddess of victory. The Italians and the French were the main forces which disputed their dominion over the city during the Middle Ages; eventually, Nice became a part of France in 1860, but Italians had further attempts to bring the city back under Italian administration. World War Two occasioned Nice to affirm itself, once again, as a safe haven for Jews. Subsequently to the end of the war, the city underwent an economic boom due to its becoming the major tourist destination that it is nowadays.

Accommodation in Nice

Beachfront hotels in Nice tend to be the most expensive of all, but tourists should be aware of the fact that prices burst in summer – the busiest season of all when tourist request rises significantly – or in February, when the city hosts the notable Carnival of Nice. On the other hand, Nice also makes available a great number of establishments offering less expensive accommodation services, such as low rated hotels, hostels or even camping sites.

French cuisine at Nice

Nice is far from lacking eateries, and, in fact, with respect to eating venues, Nice is replete with restaurants, bistros or other establishments of this kind. Bakeries, patisseries or fast food stalls are an inspired choice if in need of a snack. Besides international cuisine, which is so well represented in Nice, tourists must try some local products, of which the Nice salad (or salade nicoise), seasoned with tuna, or the socca (chickpea flour pancake), the fish soup, or tarts aux blettes, the ratatouille and tuna sandwiches are definitely worth mentioning.

Tourist Attractions and Objectives at Nice

Nice beaches belong to the category of obvious objectives. However, the city is home of a series of religious establishments, such as the St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral, the Our Lady of Cimiez Cathedral, the Our Lady Basilica. Other landmarks are represented by the Lascaris Palace, the Acropolis, the Promenade of the English (Promenade des Anglais), the Arc de Venet, or by a series of museums and art galleries, such as the Matisse Museum, the Museum of Asian Art or the Archeological Museum. Parc du Chateau or the Eden Garden, along with the many golf courses bring their contribution to the tourist asset of the place.

Events and Festivals of Nice

The Carnival of Nice (or the Mardi Gras Carnival) is the one event which gathers together a large flow of tourists every year in February. However, the Poets Spring, the Museums Spring, the Sacred Music Festival, as well as the Nice Jazz Festival or the Manca Festival express the appreciation of the place as to the cultural and artistic phenomenon, whereas the Nice Half Marathon, Nice en roller, the Fight Challenge of Henry Deglane (international wrestling competition) or the International Rowing Regatta count as the main sports events in the city.