After traveling a lot in our rental car over the last few days, we wanted to take a look at the city center of Nice today. Since our holiday apartment is on a mountain above Nice, the journey was quite short.
Saint-Nicolas Cathedral – Nice
First we went to Saint-Nicolas Cathedral. This is probably the most visited monument in the city of Nice. The Russian Orthodox cathedral is the largest outside of Russia. The six golden and green domes, which are visible from afar and rise into the sky between the houses, are particularly characteristic of the building, which is well worth seeing. The colorful and magnificent design is impressive. We arrived just at the time of the service. It smelled of incense inside and there was beautiful singing. Visits are possible every day; the doors are only closed on special holidays. However, men should definitely wear long trousers.
Place Masséna – Nice
We then drove to an underground car park below Place Masséna. This world-famous square is the heart of the city. No matter which direction of the well-kept square we looked in, there was beauty to be discovered everywhere. Around the square there are red and ocher buildings that house French cafés and upscale shops. Various sculptures are mounted on poles, which change color by themselves in the evening lighting. A tram also runs across the square, although it does not have overhead lines. Apparently batteries were integrated into the tram especially for the few meters crossing the square.
Cours Saleya – Nice
After a short walk we found one last spot in the old town that definitely has to be visited: the Cours Saleya. This oblong square runs parallel to the seafront promenade and is famous for its daily flower and spice market.
Promenade des Anglais
Anyone who visits the city of Nice cannot avoid driving or strolling at least a little along what is probably the most famous beach promenade in southern France. The Promenade des Anglais, which is five kilometers long on the Mediterranean bay Baie des Anges, is both a boulevard and a landmark. A stiff breeze was blowing towards us here. But the view is just great. Unfortunately, the wide strip of beach consists of large pebbles.
Nice Castle
At the eastern end of the promenade is the Château de Nice. This hill was once the location of the Château de Nice, which was destroyed in 1706 by the then French King Louise XIV. For this reason, Nice now has a castle hill without a castle. Instead, the area was converted into a large park from which we had a magnificent view of the city and the harbor.
After a lunch break in our holiday apartment, we headed towards the harbor again. We marveled again at the large yachts alongside the sailing ships and small rowing boats. How can you fit them all into such a small space?
We ended the evening with a sandwich on our terrace. For our entertainment, we were able to watch a few planes landing not far from us.
Are you still looking for a suitable hotel on the Côte d'Azur?
You can find a hotel that suits your budget through the various online travel agencies such as Agoda,Booking.com,ebookers.de,Expedia,Hotels.com,lastminute.de, opodo, otel.com or Venere.com.
