Nice

Nice is the fifth-largest city in France, and one of the most sophisticated. It hugs the coastline, and its elegant hotels along the Promenade des Anglais have a perfect view of the ocean just across the street. From the coast, Nice stretches upward to Le Chateau, once topped by a beautiful castle but now crowned only in picturesque ruins. The city was founded by the Phocaeans of Marseille, Greek mariners, in around 350 BC, and was probably named for the Greek goddess Nike in honor of a victory over a neighboring colony. This history still lingers in Vieux Nice, the oldest quarter, in the maze of narrow flagstone streets still used today. It was conquered by the Romans in the first century AD and became a busy trading port, and later fell to the Saracens. During the Middle Ages, it was held by the counts of Provence and later the counts of Savoy, and regained its might as a trading port. Vieux Nice The old town, composed of Vieux Nice, the harbor, and the business district, is separated from the new town by the Paillon River. Le Chateau is on the old town side, along with the Musee Terre Amata and, above an ancient cemetery, Colline de Chateau, a medieval castle ruin. To the west of this castle, and sandwiched between it and Paillon River, are a variety of different attractions: the Chapelle de la Misericorde, Chapelle de l'Annonciation, Chapelle de St. Jacques-Jesu, and Cathedral Ste-Reparate, all picturesque and primarily baroque churches; the Palais Lascari, home of a marshal of the duke of Savoy and today open to the public for a fee; and the Place Garibaldi, where you can walk around the fountain while choosing which picturesque caf