Wine city
Nice is the Côte d'Azur's wine surprise: the tiny Bellet AOC climbs the hills right behind the city — one of France's smallest and oldest appellations, planted to local Braquet, Folle Noire and Rolle.
Nice is the Côte d'Azur's wine surprise: the tiny Bellet AOC climbs the hills right behind the city — one of France's smallest and oldest appellations, planted to local Braquet, Folle Noire and Rolle. In the old town, a wave of wine bars pours the length of the coast.
Beyond the city, Nice is a springboard — day trips run west to Bandol's age-worthy Mourvèdre and inland to Provence rosé country. Spring and autumn are ideal for tasting. Use this guide to plan which nearby regions to visit and how to fold wine into a Riviera trip.
Although Paris gets all the hype, Nice is arguably an even "nicer" place to visit. This city is situated on the French Riviera, meaning that you'll be perfectly located between the beach and the French Alps. That means that you could easily spend one day lounging by clear turquoise-blue waters and the next hiking into the nearby mountains.
Nice is full of fun events, including the annual Nice Carnival in February and various festivals, concerts, and art exhibitions. It's also a great place for history lovers due to sights such as the St Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral and Castle Hill Park. To make matters even sweeter, you can easily take a day trip to Monaco for gambling and fun as it's only a 30-minute ride away. Alternatively, you can spend days enjoying the culinary delights, museums, and galleries of Nice.