Nice – Capital of the French Riviera
Nice
The French city of Nice is the fifth-largest in the country, it is located on the French Riviera and despite it being known for the glitz and glamor of places like St. Tropez, Monaco or Cannes, there are many other interesting places alongside this part of the Mediterranean coast, Nice being the largest of them.
Nice is a holiday destination that is popular with both young and old alike and is well known for its famous waterfront, the Promenade des Anglais and top-end scandals, however in recent years, the city has rebuilt some of its stateliness while still retaining its specific Mediterranean atmosphere.
The Promenade des Anglais is the main attraction and sight of the city, it is not uncommon for people to spend entire short vacations just strolling on the Promenade and enjoying the view that melds sea and sky together.
The Promenade is almost five miles long and it curves round the Bay of Angels, the entire length is dotted with palms and pergolas. The place has been the place to be seen ever since the British community built the initial Promenade in the 1920s, that’s where the promenade gets its name from. What was fashionable back then has changed drastically, and nowadays the extended Promenade is home to joggers, bicycle riders and dogs.
The “old town” is much like a labyrinth with narrow paths, and this was all there was of Nice before the foreign aristocrats started making their presence felt starting with the beginning of the 19th century. They were packed very tightly back then, and they still are, but now it’s more focused on selling tourists a mixture of dodgy art, Provencal frocks and olive oil. The restaurant terraces fit so snug one next to each other that you’ll probably find yourself sitting in the coffee shop opposite to a particular restaurant.
The Cours Saleya virtually explodes in a sea of colors and aromas on each flower market morning, which is every day with the exception of Monday. It’s a seductive spectacle of sight and smell and it manages to create a solid hunger in you, which you can deal with in any of a number of colorful eateries which you can find in the Cours itself or on the side-streets surrounding it.
We’ve only talked about three major sights of Nice, and even about these we’ve only just mentioned them, going into detail would require much more space than we have allotted, however keep in mind that the city of Nice offers so much more than just this, consider it for your next trip to the Riviera.
