A walk or a drive through Nice

Every week, we take one or more short mental trips through beautiful places which definitely deserve to make our list of places to go and visit and today’s suggestion is a beautiful French city. We are yet to settle whether we wish to go for a walk or a drive through Nice, but one thing is certain: Nice does make this week’s short list!

First, let’s review a few historical facts about the city. Though established by the Greeks of Marseilles around 350 BC, there is evidence that the area has been inhabited since 400.000 years ago.

Much disputed between the Italians and the French during the middle ages and later on, Nice was finally incorporated to France in 1860. Today, Nice is a great tourist destination on the French Riviera, famed for its mild Mediterranean weather, its lovely seaside, outstanding lifestyle and architecture, for its cosmopolitan atmosphere and much more.

Let’s see what you can see in Nice! First, if you want to take a breath of the French lifestyle, you are invited to stop by the old town center, the Vieux Nice, where little has changed since the 17th century. An… original tourist attraction is the Palais Lascaris, a 17th century peculiar house, housing an 18th century pharmacy as well on its ground floor. If you are into the baroque, don’t miss the Ste-Reparate Cathedral and the Chapelle de la Misericorde.

The greatest promenade in town is the Promenade des Anglais, founded by the English colonists in 1822. And if you wish to visit a cultural spot in town, you can always go to Matisse Museum, located 2 km away from the city center. Here, you can learn about the artistic evolution of the great painter Henri Matisse and see many of his paintings.

Here is where we finally ask ourselves: is it best to walk through town or take a ride? The choice is up to anybody, of course, but the fact is there are quite considerable distances between some of the town’s landmarks, so having a Nice rental car at your service is always a plus!