Imagine a southern California beach town, but hundreds of years older with bluer waters and incredible European architecture. Enter NICE, one of the best cities in Western Europe for anyone looking to escape and relax on the Mediterranean Sea. It has become a big tourist destination in the past century for this very reason!
The Beach
This was the first city on my month-long European road trip where I spent so much time enjoying myself that by the end of the weekend I realized that I had taken only a handful of pictures and spent a great majority of my time at the beach (NOTE: this is not saying I did not enjoy the heck out of myself in the other destinations, but I was a little more on top of things as I was not drinking mimosas by the sea). And I do not regret it! The beach was the best beach I have ever been to…it was a pebble beach rather than a sand beach (by pebbles, I mean big, bulky stones…never seen anything like it), the sea water was the most beautiful shade of turquoise, and people were naked and it was normal!!! After living in America where they will blur out a man’s bulge on television and bleep out “liquor” on the radio, this laxity was extremely refreshing.
Promenade des Anglais
While you’re at the beach, walk the Promenade, the most famous seafront stretch in the whole city. Soak up views of that crystal clear sea (CAN YOU TELL I CANNOT GET ENOUGH) as well as the city, full of ample shopping opportunities, eateries, and museums.
Travel to Monaco
Monaco is its own city-state — the second smallest and most populated country in the world. And it is faaaaancy! Only 8 miles from Nice, there are train and bus options for getting to and from Monaco for a cheap fare. Check this post for details about my night in Monaco.
Place Massena
Nice is startlingly colorful. Place Messena, the main plaza in Nice, lies between Old Town and New Town, and is lined with red and blue buildings, cafés, sculptures and fountains. It is the center of the city, and thus a perfect place for coffee and people-watching. There is something so carefree about Nice in its colors and its layout that’ll make you never want to leave.
Eat Seafood
As someone who isn’t even that into seafood, I could not resist grabbing a plate of shrimp pasta after a long day on the beach. This is Nice, a city by the sea, so the SEAfood is extra fuxking good.
Go Scuba Diving
On a similar note: the hostel that we stayed at, Villa Saint Exupéry Gardens, offered several different options for day excursions, such as scuba diving and sailing. You are on the Mediterranean, so if you’re not topless on the beach, you should at least be out on the water in some capacity (not to be bossy, but do it, people).
Palm trees, beaches, architecture, seafood…Nice has everything you’d want in a beach town and more. The Mediterranean Coast is my favorite coastline in the world and Nice has earned itself a place in my little heart. What is your favorite thing to do in Nice??
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