Leaving the glamour of Monaco behind, we continued our journey to the heart of the Riviera, Nice. We took a long walk along the famous seaside promenade, where the view of the palm trees and the azure sea was simply unforgettable. To cap off the evening, we looked for an excellent restaurant where we enjoyed a magnificent dinner with the hospitality of Nice and the local flavors.
Nice, or as the French call it, Nice la Belle (the beautiful Nice), has a history that dates back to ancient times, but as a city it was founded in the 4th century BC by Greek settlers from Marseille. It was named after Nike, the goddess of victory (Nikaia), in memory of a victory over a neighboring people. The Romans later founded their own city next to it on what is now Cimiez Hill, called Cemenelum, the ruins of which, including an amphitheater and thermal baths, can still be visited today.
During the Middle Ages, Nice’s fortunes were uncertain, changing hands several times between the Comte de Provence and the Republic of Genoa. In 1388, the city placed itself under the protection of the House of Savoy, and for centuries it was under Piedmontese and Sardinian influence, which left a deep mark on its architecture and gastronomy. It was only in 1860, after a referendum, that it was definitively annexed to France, as part of a political agreement between Napoleon III and the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont.
The city’s world fame was fully realized in the 19th century, when it became a favorite winter resort for the European aristocracy, especially the English and Russian nobility. This was when the famous Promenade des Anglais was built, a seven-kilometer-long seaside promenade, named after the English colony that financed its construction. The splendor of the era is still proclaimed today by iconic buildings such as the pink-domed Hotel Negresco.
Today, Nice is primarily known for its unique light conditions and vibrant cultural life, which inspired artists such as Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall – both of whom have their own museums in the city. Nice is also a gastronomic powerhouse: the world-famous Salade Niçoise, the eggplant Ratatouille and the locals’ favorite street food, the chickpea flour Socca pie.
The city’s character is given by the narrow, colorful streets of the old town (Vieux Nice), the flower market of the Cours Saleya and the iconic blue chairs that line the seaside promenade. Nice represents both historical elegance and the bohemian atmosphere of the modern French Riviera, so it is no coincidence that it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as the “winter resort town of the Riviera”.
