Nice is open all year round and as a result has a very vibrant gastronomic and cultural life. There are literally dozens of wonderful things to do in and around Nice, too many to list in full so in this section you will find a few of our favourites.
We would doubt you get fed up with Nice in 10 visits let alone during your first stay but a day out of town can be equally as relaxing.
Hilltop Villages
The French Riviera is renowned for its hilltop villages. Perhaps the most famous is St-Paul-de-Vence, a place that has inspired artists, painters, writers and poets for centuries. The narrow streets are full of galleries, crafts workshops and provençal boutiques.
The art gallery Fondation Maeght is nearby and well worth a visit.
Other hilltop villages to visit include Peillon (lovely place to walk without many tourists, followed by a spot of lunch at the magnificent Auberge de la Madone at the top of the valley), the gorgeous Eze (we love it here – a tiny, picture-perfect, pedestrianised village. Le chateau Eza is Michelin starred and well worth it for a breathtaking lunch overlooking the valley below followed by a stroll around the exotic gardens afterwards), Entrevaux, La Turbie (well worth a visit to see the extraordinary Trophee d’Auguste, a symbol of Roman power over the people of the Alps (photo above is taken from the top), followed by a quiet stroll through the medieval backstreets and an omelette on the town square), Hauts de Cagnes, Gourdon and Coursegoules.
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Monaco
The Principality of Monaco is a sovereign state on the Mediterranean coast and surrounded by France. It is made up of the old town, Monte-Carlo, the new town, La Condamine and Fontvieille. Places to visit include the Rocher (rock), the Oceanographic Museum, the Louis II Stadium, the Exotic Garden, the Place du Palais to see the changing of the guard, to name but a few. For the official site of the government tourist office see Visit Monaco
Iles de Lérins
This small archipelago is made up of two main islands: Ile Ste-Marguerite and Ile St-Honorat and two micro islands: Tradelière and St Féréol.
Lying just off the coast of Cannes, these islands are pedestrian only. Boats run regularly to the islands where you can visit the 11th Century castle, the monastery and the beautiful coastline. The larger island, Ste-Marguerite, has cafés and restaurants and houses the Fort Royal where you can see the cell where the Man in the Iron Mask was incarcerated.
The smaller island, St-Honorat, has a shop where you can buy products produced by the monks who are resident on the island. The Plateau de Mileu is a popular anchor point for pleasure boats between the two islands.
Ferry boats leave from Cannes, Nice, Antibes, Golfe Juan and La Napoule.
Taxi Riviera:
00 33 (0)4 93 13 78 78 or 04 93 88 25 82