It had been thirteen years since our last visit to Nice so we were long overdue a return trip. Our week long stay back in 2010 was memorable in more ways than one as it coincided with the Icelandic ash cloud grounding all flights resulting in a prolonged stay of an additional seven nights.
Returning to the present, the previous day we had taken BA flights from Manchester via London Heathrow to Nice Côte d’Azur airport arriving early evening. After reclaiming our luggage we caught a tram from the airport into the city centre (tickets €1.50 valid for 74 minutes including connections).
Our accommodation for the next 8 nights was at the Adagio Aparthotel Nice Centre, just a five minute walk from the Acropolis tram stop. We were warmly greeted by a friendly receptionist and within a short time were taking the lift up to our one bedroom apartment on the 5th floor. The spacious accommodation comprised a lounge dining room with a well equipped kitchen in one corner, a separate bedroom, bathroom and ample storage space.
The following morning we popped across the road to a conveniently located Carrefour supermarket and stocked up on groceries not forgetting a selection of croissants and pain au chocolat for our breakfast.
Shopping stored away and breakfast consumed we were then ready to embark on a day exploring Nice so we headed back to the Acropolis tram stop where we bought 7 day travel cards from a machine on the platform which cost just €15 each.
Our first stop was to Place du General de Gaulle where a huge open-air food market was taking place. Here we wandered around the colourful stalls watching locals stocking up on their fresh fruit, vegetables, cheese and olives. The Liberation Food Market (Marché de La Liberation) also features an indoor market hall which has now been transformed into a popular foodie hotspot with numerous stalls offering mouth-watering dishes.
Leaving there it was then a 20 minute walk to the St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church on Avenue Nicolas II. This exquisite building has been recognised as a national monument in France. It was built by the Royal Family for the Russian community exiled to the French Riviera and is considered to be one of the most important orthodox churches outside the Russian federation.
Our morning walk then took us along Jean Médecin, the city’s main shopping street and among the stores we came across the Notre Dame Basilica, a neo-gothic masterpiece with two square towers reaching 65m and a distinctive rose window above its entrance. The church is noted for its excellent acoustics and is the venue for numerous musical events.
Continuing along this road we soon reached the vast Place Massena, Nice’s central square which connects the shopping area, old town and seafront. The square is characterised by its black and white tiled pavement.
Towards the middle of the square is the grandiose Fontaine du Soleil consisting of sculptures symbolising the planets with a huge statue of Apollo in the centre. Another interesting feature of the square is the 7 Buddha statues set on high poles symbolising the continents of Planet Earth.
A short distance further on and we had reached the old town and the Place du Palais de Justice with the imposing neoclassical palace on its western side. Close by in the beautiful Rossetti Square stands Nice Cathedral of the Roman Catholic Church built between 1650 and 1685.
On stepping inside we gazed in awe at its Baroque architecture with its magnificent dome decorated with mosaics of green and gold. Outdoors, standing next to the cathedral is an impressive, freestanding 18th century bell tower.
Moving on, we passed through the scenic Cours Saleya Square where another large outdoor market was taking place. Alongside fruit and vegetables including huge red tomatoes and juicy large oranges we spotted olive oil, spices, bread, preserves and honey all displayed beneath brightly striped awnings. This square is surrounded by colourful yellow and orange houses and situated just a few steps from the sea.
We had now reached the Promenade des Anglais which runs for 7 km from Castle Hill to Nice airport. We enjoyed strolling along this famous palm tree lined seafront admiring the Belle Époque architecture to one side and Nice bay to the other.
Not far from where we had joined the promenade lies Le Parc de La Colline du Chateau located on a hill overlooking Nice old town. It takes its name from the military fortress that overlooked the bay from the 11th to the 18th centuries.
It’s possible to either walk up the steep path to the castle or make use of the free lift. We decided to take the lift which is accessed through a tunnel in the rock. From the summit, there are some beautiful views in one direction overlooking the old port and in the other, over the bay of Nice.
After taking in the stunning panorama and viewing the ruins of the castle’s military citadel we strolled down the steep ramp for a wander along the harbourside where we gazed at the gleaming white super-yachts moored in the marina.
After touring the quayside awhile we then caught Bus 15 to Villefranche-sur-Mer which was included in our one week travel card, otherwise single tickets are €1.50. It took only 12 minutes to reach the charming small town 8 km to the east of Nice and after alighting from the bus we followed a steep path down to its scenic bay.
The pathway led us through a 13th century arched passageway known as Rue Obscure (Dark Street). This used to be a protected walkway that ran beneath a row of harbour front houses and was used by soldiers.
The deep water bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer is absolutely gorgeous as it is surrounded by historic medieval buildings clustered around the shoreline, many of them now waterfront cafes and restaurants.
Wandering back up the hill from the harbour we paused to admire the beautiful Chapelle de St. Pierre. This ancient Romanesque chapel dedicated to St. Peter, patron saint of fishermen was restored and decorated by the renowned French poet and artist Jean Cocteau in 1956.
Villefranche had been the perfect place to end our first day on the Cote d’Azur as this small picturesque seaside town nestled between the Cap Ferrat peninsula and Nice waterfront is an idyllic spot to enjoy a glass of wine and a bite to eat.
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