I have to admit I was fairly skeptical about my trip to Nice in June, after being so disappointed in nearby Marseille. Would it be another over-hyped French seaside city? Amazingly, I fell completely in love with Nice from the first day! The city reminds me dearly of Paris but with endless pops of color along the boulevards! For that reason, I couldn’t help but feel that Nice was the Miami Beach of France – a vibrant and lively city perched on the sunny Mediterranean shoreline.
There are truly so many exciting things to do in Nice, especially in June!
Vielle Ville
Getting around Nice is fairly easy, with an above-ground tram (I am a huge fan of these!) taking you to most places, and a very walkable downtown neighborhood called Vielle Ville, meaning old town. I wandered through the tiny streets scented with freshly baked croissants and took photos of the classical church façades that appeared every few blocks.
Colline du Château
On my first full day in Nice, I decided to visit the Colline du Château overlook, a former citadel from the 11th century with magnificent views over the city of Nice. There’s a free ascenseur that can take you straight up to the top so you can skip the stairs. I went on a Sunday afternoon and while there were plenty of people, it wasn’t overly crowded. Reaching the top of the overlook, I walked around the park and saw the ruins of the historic château. Vendors sold everything from food, to art, to propaganda, and a couple souvenir shops were open as well. The edges of the park featured stunning views over the Nice port, beach and shorelines!
Promenade des Anglais
A few days later, I walked along the famous palm-tree lined Promenade des Anglais, adjacent to the rocky coast of Nice. You’ll find every type of person on this stretch of sidewalk: from from tourists to bikers to pedestrians. I stopped to photograph the lovely blue art deco sign of the Plage Beau Rivage. With temperatures reaching over 80 degrees in June, it was no surprise that the beaches were crowded every day! Further along I came across a mini Statue of Liberty and several grand hotels such as Le Negresco, which dates back to 1913!
The Nice Beach
Enjoy your stay in beautiful Nice, France!
2 comments
I’m such a lover of pastel coloured buildings – and these are just gorgeous! And what fabulous blue skies too!
It was such a dream, Sarah! If you love pastel buildings, then you will LOVE Nice, and the Côte d’Azur in general! :)