Wednesday, April 16, 2014

N is for ... Nice – the nicest city in the world!



If you are a regular reader of this blog then you would know how much we travel. We’ve been blessed that way and thankfully the Boy manages to get leave from his office as well *touchwood*. In the last 5 years we’ve covered quite a few cities in our quest to travel the world. The only city we have been to twice is Goa – ofcourse nothing in the world compares to Goa. But if you go out of the country only once in your lifetime; if you happen to be like me who likes to sit in cafeterias, watch the world go by, romance on the beach, hog on good grub and just take in the experience of a new place, then you must go to Nice (pronounced as Neece).

Nice is a small beach town in south of France. It has the much hyped Cannes on one side and the city of the rich, Monaco, on the other. But you don’t have to go there. You can just sit tight in Nice and make plans to retire there albeit as a lifeguard. That’s how quaint and fun it is.

The city has a beach strip that goes from one end to the other. Although the beaches are pebbly, you would never see them empty. There are a few shacks that are always buzzing with activity. And the areas that are open to all, you would see young couples and families watching the sunset.

There is a long promenade adjacent to the beach. People usually take evening strolls in that area. At every few steps you would see an amateur musician playing a guitar and entertaining the passer-byes. Across the road from the Promenade, there are hotels and casinos –  a complete holiday package.

But this is not why we fell in love with the place. The by-lanes of Nice have charming restaurants, churches and open spaces that make you adore the city. When you walk into the old town you see a huge number of restaurants with open-air seating. The entire place is a party. When you walk a little more, you see small  stadium like structures where bands play music almost every night and men and women try to salsa. Being France, you see a lot of love around you. It is so romantic that no matter what the age, you would want to hold hands and blend in.

Nice is so tiny that you can cover the whole place on foot. If you are not a fan of pebbly beaches, you can take a short bus ride and find fine sand in picturesque near-by villages. We covered the surrounding areas by bus where the residents got their peace. The small villas and holiday homes were so attractive that we planned our whole life there. 

I leave you with a few pictures of the city. If you do happen to plan a vacation outside India, you must consider this pretty little thing!

A postcard of the Promenade

A small section of the Old Town

The Beach
                                                              Nice by Rick Steves

The video is also available here. For the rest, you have to go and discover. Trust me, you will love it. 

14 comments:

  1. Nice indeed seems pretty nice! :) i love travelling a lot! but have never been out of India for vacation... n so many people r posting such lovely pics n talkin abt the beauty of place, that i jst want to pack up evrythn ovr here n leave for a long vacation :)

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    1. Traveling is on our priority list. I have told my husband that I don't want any jewels ever... just show me the world :)

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    2. That's an interesting deal Nisha :)

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  2. Anonymous4/16/2014

    The pictures are so so inviting, did you click the other two (i mean leaving the postcard one?) And girl you so lucky as far as travelling is concerned, the better half's work nature is such that we have to cancel more trips than we plan :P And just yesterday I asked him to make a vacation calendar of sorts for next 5 years, blocking months and years, ki kab kaha jayenge :P.

    Also I remember last year you posted a series of posts of your upcoming month long travel but never posted your experiences after returning, or have I missed something?

    Btw I see a new dp, nice it is :)

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    1. No, these are from Nice tourism websites.

      I just posted the pics of the last vacation. You are right, I need to put some stories too. I should really start a travel blog! And you are soooo sweet to remember, N!

      Thankyou for the dp bit *blush*

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  3. Nice.... very nice clicks and a post!

    ~S(t)ri
    Participant|AtoZ Challenge 2014
    Smile, it makes (y)our day!

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  4. Oh God you have coxed me to visit it...Let's see if opportunity comes

    N for Nauseated-Random Thoughts Naba

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    1. You must... whenever opportunity strikes!

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  5. It looks beautiful! I would love to go there. ♥ You have convinced me.

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    1. Yay!! I wish all of you go and come back and thank me :)

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  6. France has been my dream since I joined AF to learn Francaise :p
    We have a similar Beach here in Los Angeles..It's called Venice.It's pretty similar and you get the vibes of the city at that Beach..Musicians , Tattoo Artists , Druggist and Drinkers , Writers and Painters and Photographers all at one place and it's just BEAUTIFUL

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  7. It looks beautiful! I have a thing for beaches!
    Goa rocks though I was like 8 when I went there, it is still fresh in my memory!
    I love travelling too! After travelling the whole of USA and the Nordic countries, me and my family are currently going around India and discovering its 'Incredible India' side...
    The immense pleasure of travelling with family is totally worth it!

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  8. I did not realize how small Nice was. Yes, I agree - you are blessed to be able to travel so much

    Carol @ Battered Hope

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Your sweetness makes my day. Gentle criticism will be taken in the right spirit too :)