Nice City Guide

Nice (pronounced Neese) is located between Marseille and Italy on the Mediterranean Coast and is a top tourist destination on the French Riviera. It is a popular tourist destination with good weather, fantastic scenery and a laid back atmosphere.

The port of Nice offers ferry transport to and from Corsica whilst national and international travel is also offered by plane, train and bus. Nice Ville is the city’s main railway station and offers frequent connections to local coastal towns as well as direct trains to Marseille, Lyon and Paris. The intercity bus station has services to all over Europe as does the Nice Airport, which is located 6km out of the city centre.

The city’s beach is surprisingly disappointing as it is average looking and pebbled, but Nice has a good style about it. The Promenade des Anglais runs alongside the coast. This was built by beggars as proposed by the rich English people who would use the area as a holiday venue in the second half of the 18th century. Along the Promenade stands the Hotel Negresco, an impressive venue which was named for Henri Negresco.

Nice has a number of squares, which is a common feature of most Mediterranean cities. The main one of these is the Place Massena, which is bordered by red ochre buildings of Italian architecture. The area is used for public events and concerts, particularly during summer festivals.

Various churches are in the city, including the impressive Russian Orthodox Cathedral. This was opened in 1912 and is the largest outside Russia. Possibly the most atmospheric attraction in the city is the old town which is set to the east and up a sleep climb. Once up the hill, visitors are treated to 18th century passages which are lined with a number of cafes and shops.

This city can be used as a hub for visiting nearby coastal venues. It is a nice place to relax and has good weather, interesting architecture and a laid back atmosphere. Nice is a place to be seen in and this is obvious when walking along past the beach. As a classy section of the Mediterranean coast, this is another fantastic venue along the south of France.