Nice

Sun-drenched capital of the Riviera

Nice is a hustling, bustling city – one that happens to have the sea at its feet. It’s louder and more layered than the smaller towns along the Riviera, with a history that pulls in several directions at once: French, Italian, Greek, even briefly Sardinian.

This mixture shows up everywhere, from the palazzo-style architecture to the pissaladière (flatbread topped with delicious ingredients) sold in the old town bakeries. Nice is a riot of history mingled with living, breathing Mediterranean culture – and that means you’ll never have a dull moment here.

What surprises most visitors is how much there is beyond the beach. The old town is all colour and noise, world-class shopping and al fresco dining. The hills above the city are lush, green and surprisingly quiet.

The museums are genuinely excellent: the Musée Matisse and the Musée Marc Chagall both sit above the city in the Cimiez neighbourhood, calm even in high season. Or pop by the Villa Masséna for more local art and history. It sits straight on the Promenade des Anglais, so you might stumble upon it by accident.