Nice, France - July 1995
- chrissihuf
- Jul 14
- 3 min read
Brief History/Information
Nice is France's fifth-largest and one of the oldest cities, located on the famous French Riviera (Côte d'Azur). Nice was founded around 350 BCE by Greek settlers from what we now call Marseille. It then became part of the Roman Empire. In 1388, Nice voluntarily placed itself under the protection of the House of Savoy. For nearly five centuries, it was more closely connected politically and culturally to what is now northern Italy than to France. Nice changed hands several times during the French First Republic and the Napoleon Bonaparte era. The city officially became part of France in 1860 through the Treaty of Turin. Nice is France's
Nice, France
What we did
This is a very walkable town. We stayed at Hôtel Vendôme Nice. It’s easy to get around this very walkable town. Daily we found ourselves walking through the park to Promenade des Anglais, and explored the beautiful Vieux Nice (Old Town). Before leaving Nice, we went and walked through Messina Street. They have tons of bars and restaurants and shops. We ate at lay Saleya, a good restaurant. We went to the Parc de la Colline du Château , an old Fort built on a mountain. It took a long time to walk to the top, but a beautiful view of the city.
Major Attractions
Promenade des Anglais: a 7 km oceanside avenue perfect for walking, cycling, or people-watching.
Vieux Nice (Old Town): Wander the labyrinth of narrow streets filled with Baroque architecture, traditional bakeries, and gelato shops.
Castle Hill (Colline du Château): Take the stairs (or a lift) to this park atop a hill for the best views over the city and the port.
Cours Saleya Market: A vibrant morning market (closed Mondays) known for fresh flowers, local produce, and Provençal spices.
Russian Orthodox Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Nicolas): the largest Russian Orthodox cathedrals outside of Russia.
Musée Matisse: 17th-century villa houses a massive collection of works by Henri Matisse.
Marc Chagall National Museum: Features the largest public collection of Chagall's religious-themed work.
Villa Masséna: A Belle Époque villa showcasing the history of the French Riviera.
Cannes, France
What we did
We walked to the train station in Nice and went to Cannes. We walked to the beach and saw all the umbrellas on the beach and hotels, and noticed a lot of topless sunbathers. We walked uphill to the Musée du Masque de Fer et du Fort Royal (Museum of the Iron Mask and Royal Fort), this is an incredible museum. We also walked to Le Fort Carré.
Major Attractions
Boulevard de la Croisette - where to spot luxury yachts
Le Suquet - Cannes' oldest neighborhood, featuring pastel-colored houses and narrow paths winding up the hill.
Palais des Festivals - Walk the legendary red carpet steps where cinematic history is made during the annual film festival.
Musée des explorations du monde: a museum set inside a medieval castle at the top of Le Suquet.
Marché Forville: Taste local delicacies at this covered morning market. It is highly celebrated for its fresh Provençal flowers, cheeses, and seafood.
Île Sainte-Marguerite: Take a 15-minute ferry to explore this protected pine forest island. Visit the Fort Royal to see the historic prison cell of the mysterious Man in the Iron Mask.
Île Saint-Honorat: Relax on a quieter neighboring island managed by Cistercian monks.
Monaco, France
What we did
As the world's second-smallest country, Monaco packs an incredible amount of glamour, stunning cliffside views, and historical depth into its narrow streets.
We took the train to Monaco Monte Carlo. Took a trolley to Casino de Monte-Carlo. Saw the casino very pretty with expensive cars parked outside.
We walked up the hill toward the Prince's Palace of Monaco. We walked through the cathedral gardens on the way to the palace. Inside saw Napoleon‘s hat house and some clothes he wore.
Then walked to the museum at Musée océanographique de Monaco. Many tourists, taking pictures of fish.
Major Attractions
Prince's Palace of Monaco watch the changing of the guard
Monaco Cathedral A grand Romanesque-Byzantine church, which serves as the final resting place for Monaco's past rulers, including Princess Grace and Prince Rainier.
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