| 1. Promenade des Anglais |
A focal point as well as a popular meeting place for visitors and locals alike, the
Promenade des Anglais is a key place to spend some time. Here you will see the locals come out to socialise with their friends spending fun, relaxing time together enjoying the invigorating sea air. Many tourists will spend their time lazing in the trademark royal blue chairs lining the shore. From there they’ll watch the young at heart, rollerblading, cycling or running along its length. The promenade was named after the Englishman, Lewis Way, who paid for its construction in the 19th century. Along the palm fringed walk you’ll find temptations such as the Ruhl Casino, the Art Deco Negresco Hotel and the Musee Massena.
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| 2. Cours Saleya Flower Market |
A feast for the eyes and the nostrils now, with a visit to the Cours Saleya Flower Market, famed across France and Europe. The market is bordered by cafes and souvenir shops and sells very unusual flowers and produce as well as the better known flowers. The market is open daily but on Mondays operates as a flea and antiques market.
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| 3. Matisse Museum |
One of my favourite artists, Henri Matisse, lived and worked here in Nice, inspired by the colours and architecture of the city. Many of his paintings have the Riviera shoreline in it as he was so fond of the town and its shore. His innovative and fresh work is displayed at its best in the Matisse Museum which tracks the progress of his work throughout his life. The art is complemented with artefacts from Matisse’s daily life giving yet more of an insight into the talented artist. If you are tempted to take a print of his work home, the little gallery shop has a wide choice.
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| 4. Old Nice |
Nice has a very quaint and atmospheric old quarter with narrow streets packed with unusual shops, ideal for the last minute gifts for friends. Here you can find Provençal wares, unusual household items, regional wine, gourmet food gifts, trendy clothing and much more. When you’ve had enough of shopping, try one of the dozens of restaurants or ice cream parlours and late at night slide into a booth at one of the fun bars before heading on to a nightclub.
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| 5. Le Chateau |
Very little remains of the chateau overlooking Nice and the chateau is not the reason that many visit the hill above Nice. Instead the view from the top is spectacular. Take the lift up to the top or walk off some of the delicious food you’ve eaten in Nice by climbing the steps to see a stunning vista of the city and sea.
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| 6. Rue de France Pedestrian Zone |
If you’re not fond of shopping or have irascible children with you then you need to head to the Rue de France. Here in the pedestrian only streets you’ll be entranced by the multitude of street entertainers and be able to load up your bags with plenty of good quality souvenirs of your stay. Again, the street has some unique shops and the Ducs de Gascogne store is a must visit. Once you’ve had enough of retail take some me-time over a coffee or light snack in the little cafes that intersperse the shops.
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| 7. Theatre de la Photographie et de l'Image |
If more modern images are your cup of tea then you’ll enjoy a visit to the Theatre de la Photographie et de l’Image housed in a renovated traditional Nicoise house close to Boulevard Jean Medicine. A range of exhibitions show here, changing frequently and recent notable ones have included Hollywood celebrities and Native Americans
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| 8. Russian Cathedral |
Now for an unexpected sight. You turn a corner and you could be in St Basil’s Square in Moscow for ahead of you are the onion domes of a Russian Orthodox church. This isn’t some recent nod to multiculturalism but a remnant from the days when wealthy religiously minded Russians used to escape the harsh northern winters for some balmy weather on the Riviera. For a fun activity, try to identify all the other Russian influences in the city.
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| 9. Nice Archaeology Museum and Roman Ruins |
They got everywhere didn’t they and they certainly didn’t miss Nice out on their travels. The Romans were very fond of Nice as a temperate refuge and also as a market and port for the delicacies of southern France buying up local produce ready to ship home to the eternal city. Today you can visit the remains of a Roman arena and bathhouses at this museum in the Nice Cimiez neighbourhood. If you’ve visited the Matisse Museum, you can’t have missed this one.
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| 10. Visit Monaco |
A day trip to the Principality of Monaco is a definite possibility whilst staying in Nice. The former home of Princess Grace and the ancestral home of the ruling Grimaldi family is just fifteen minutes outside of Nice and easily visited by train or car. Everything about the Principality shouts luxury. The mouth-wateringly beautiful casino is a masterpiece with gilt ceilings, sweeping staircases, and dripping, crystal chandeliers. Imagine yourself as 007 trying to beat the odds and save the world into the bargain here.
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