Explore the French Riviera: Nice
Once an Italian beach town, Nice mixes Italian and French flavors. By 1860, it was a French city. Now, among sherbet-hued buildings and sun-soaked stone beaches, there is character everywhere. Sea salted buildings show their age beneath the color, pastel buildings glisten in the sunlight, and the bluest ocean fades into blue skies. Coined the Côte d’Azur, or ‘blue ocean’, the name couldn’t be more fitting with 300 days of sunshine per year. With year-round sun, Mediterranean Sea, and some of the best museums, Nice buzzes with a bright energy of quaint beach town and unbelievable light. On the to-do list: people-watch, lounge on the stone beaches of Nice, take in the Alps-to-Mediterranean surroundings, and admire the Crayola-colored buildings.
WHAT TO DO:
• Catch the Sunset on Castle Hill
• Get ice cream at Fennochio’s for a selection between 93 flavors! Lavender, melon, orange flower, and avocado to name a few!
• Stroll through the Flower Market every day, from 6 AM to 5:30 PM except Mondays, Sunday afternoons and public holidays
• Catch the Flea Market every Monday from 7 AM to 6:00 PM
SIGHTS + STROLLS
• Chagall Museum | The world’s largest collection of Marc Chagall’s work
• Promenade des Anglais | Stroll down Nice’s four-mile sun-struck seafront promenade and take in the aqua ocean hue
• Vieux Nice | Charming old city full of Nice’s French-Italian cultural blend
• Matisse Museum | Collection of Henri Matisse’s paintings, sketches, paper cutouts, and more
• Modern and Contemporary Art Museum | Modern museum with lots of contemporary art, including Warhol and Lichtenstein
• Russian Cathedral | Largest Orthodox church outside of Russia
• Castle Hill | Site of an ancient fort boasting great views — especially in early mornings and evenings. We like it best with a bottle of red wine at sunset!
• Molinard Perfume Museum | Two-room museum in a storefront boutique tracing the history of perfume
Photos by: Erika Carlock
