Sitting on the Mediterranean coast of France in the Côte d'Azur is the city of Nice. The city was founded around 350BC by Greeks from Marseille and is part of the Alpes-Maritimes department of the country, as it was not signed over to France until 1860. Hire a car from Nice Railway Station and you can tour the city's century old town, where you'll see the Baroque, gold clad, Nice Cathedral and the 17th century aristocratic Lascaris Palace, home to an eye-catching selection of exhibitions, including Aubusson tapestries. Visit Cours Saleya, a food and flower market offering a flavour of the district's culture.
Nice's Promenade des Anglais runs along the city's Baie des Anges bay, offering stunning views of the Mediterranean. This famous walkway was funded by the city's English colony in 1820, and is known as the English Way. Step off the promenade and onto the glorious pebbled beach. If you fancy a change from the beach, rent a car from Nice Railway Station and head out of the city and inland to explore the countryside of the Alpes-Maritimes. The Southern Alps are just an hour from the city. Enjoy the stunning mountain passes and roads en route to the Mercantour National Park.
