We study geography. Where is Nice? In which country?

Nice - azure pearl of Provence, a Mediterranean resort town on the southern coast of France. The Alps, the Cote d Azur, the Bay of Angels and the Promenade des Anglais are all France, the country where Nice is located. A mild climate with warm winters, and a very good location made Nice the main resort of the French Riviera. Outside of France, it is known as the city of Hollywood stars and millionaires. Nice - a city of luxury and chic with a vibrant cultural life.

History and not only

The city received its name in the IV century thanks to the Greeks. Nice or Nicaea - the name of the ancient Greek goddess of victory. Nice spread out in the south-east of mainland France, 30 kilometers from the border with Italy. Cote d'Azur, or Cote de Azur, - the area where Nice is located, is the southern coast of the country. The length of the French Riviera is about 300 kilometers (from Marseille to the border of France with Italy). Nice is the main resort of the Côte d'Azur, along with Cannes, Monte Carlo, Saint Raphael, Menton, Saint Tropez and the Principality of Monaco. In the city there are more than 352 thousand inhabitants (according to 2007 data). In terms of population, Nice is second only to such cities as Marseille, Toulouse, Paris and Leon.

Bay of the Angels

The English quay is the tourist center of the city. It exactly repeats the bend of the bay of the Bay of the Angels. Where did this unusual name come from? There are several interesting legends. One of them says that the angels pointed to the expelled Adam and Eve on the bank of Nice, which was very similar to the one that Eden lost for them.

Its name was given to the embankment in 1860. As early as the beginning of the 18th century, in France, where Nice is located, the English were frequent guests. It was their initiative to build a promenade along the azure sea. The indigenous inhabitants of Nice call this bay "Promenade". The English embankment is constantly extended and expanded. Today its width has reached 8 kilometers.

The embankment is famous for its blue benches. By the way, the tradition to place them here began in the last century. A pebbly beach stretches beyond the embankment. Thanks to these small pebbles, the water here has a pleasant azure hue.

Hotel Negresco

Where there is Nice (country France), on the Cote d'Azur is the hotel Negresco. It was opened in the beginning of XX century. The hotel owes its name to the Romanian entrepreneur Negresco.

The construction was spent in excess of three million francs. The hotel is designed in neoclassical style. The design of rooms and apartments is individual in style and does not repeat. Here many people with a world name stayed: E. Hemingway, M. Jackson, P. Picasso, M. Dietrich, K. Chanel and others.

Negresco can not be called simply a hotel - it is, in fact, a living museum. Gustave Eiffel forged the frame of the pink dome of the famous Royal Salon. Under it, inside the hotel, you can see a crystal chandelier 4 meters high.

All over the world, there are only a few such unique lighting objects. One was made for Nicholas II, and the second, as an exact copy of the first, was made for Henri Negresco. Hotel Negresco boasts its own exhibition of paintings in modern and classical styles.

Festivals and events

Carnivals and festivals are very popular here. And not only where the city of Nice is located. In what country else, how not in France, with its amazingly temperamental people, organize them! Since 1294 every February in Nice there is a carnival. The main attributes of the holiday are "flower battles", sweets and a march along the English embankment.

And the jazz festival is the main musical event of the French Riviera, where Nice is located. In which country, by the way, did not pass a similar jazz festival, in Nice it will still be special. It takes place in the Massena Palace in July and has an eclectic specificity, uniting adherents of different styles.

Other attractions

The southern coast of France, where Nice is located, is also popular due to the pearls of the architectural structure. It should be noted that the architecture of the old and new Nice are radically different. The Ancient Greek part of the city is great for walking. Narrow alleys, colorful houses with green shutters, churches and temples in the baroque style are all an old city. The left bank is famous for the St. Reparat Cathedral, the Palace of the Commune and the Senate.

Near the old Nice, near the Chateau hill, there is a port. Here you can see luxury yachts, huge cruise liners and self-propelled ferries. The port retained its ancient name - Limpia.

The main square of the city, named after Marshal Massena, divides the old and new part of the city. The area is famous for its magnificent fountain "Sun". It was designed by sculptor Alfred Janyu. The fountain is decorated with sculptures of ancient Greek gods and goddesses.

Palaces and castles of Nice deserve special attention. The tourist is obliged to visit the palace of Massena, the castle of Walroz, the palace of Lascari, the English castle and the fort of Mont Alban. And of course, it's worth looking into the palace of the Kings of Sardinia. It was erected in 1559, the oldest palace in Nice.

Security

Safety is very important on the Cote d'Azur, where Nice is located. In whatever country you are, the central part of the city is always the safest. It must be remembered that in the evening the city parks and the English embankment are not the best place for hiking. And the districts of l'Ariane and Les Moulins are ghettos, and tourists there better not to appear.

Nice - a city of fashion, shopping and magnificent architecture. Due to the specific climate, the gardens here blossom in February. Everyone should visit Nice - the pride of the French Riviera.