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.