The city of Nice is located in the country of France. It lies in
the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Its area is 71.32 Sq. Km. Its population is around one million. Population
wise, it is the seventh most populous city in France. It is also called Nice La Belle to indicate that Nice is very
beautiful.
It is one of the most ancient cities of Europe. Greeks settled
here in 350 BC.
This city contains the greatest number of traffic lights among
all cities in the country of France.
Yearly in the month of February, there is a two-week long
carnival in Nice. Carnival in the second half of February features lavish parades of giant figures in papier-Mache
hats. Carnival ends on the evening of Mardi Gras with a spectacular fireworks display. Thousands of musicians and
dancers come here. Millions of tourists visit from many countries. This carnival is held continuously since
1294.
There are also a number of religious events of interest. In
June, the city celebrates the patron saints of St Peter and St John with processions and masses in the
churches.
The big event in summer is the Nice Jazz Festival held in July.
The festival attracts top international artists.
Nice is a natural beauty. To see its beauty of nature, yearly 4
million tourists visit Nice. The tourism started thousands of years ago.
Nice is nearer to Italy. In the history of the city, the
contribution of Italy is huge. The people here speak Italian also. Even in hotels and restaurants, Italian cuisine
is available. In schools, Italian is also learnt.
An Italianate ambiance and cobblestoned old town give Nice an
irresistible charm. Add to this a vibrant social life, great shopping and a delightful five-mile seafront and
you've got the recipe for a perfect vacation spot.
For most of the time in history, Nice was part of Italy. In
1860, Nice became part of France.
Nice was named after Nike, the Greek Goddess of
victory.
The Phoenix park flora is one of the largest greenhouses in
Europe. There are 2500 varieties of plants in this park.
Famous artiste Pablo Picasso was a resident of the city of
Nice.
The beaches in Nice are beautiful with smooth rocks. These are
called rock filled beaches. The beaches are mainly rocks and pebbles but the water is warm (20-25°C in summer) and
clear and it's just a short hop to nearby Cannes and St Tropez.
Nice is one of the cities with the most number of museums in
France.
Although you might think it is a summer resort, you can visit
Nice at any time of the year and still have a good time. If you happen to go in the winter, you will be surprised
to see flowers in their numerous parks and gardens.
Nice International Airport is around six kilometres out of town.
Nice is also served by fast, extensive rail and bus networks. And there are ferries to Corsica. You can best
explore the city on foot and if you're feeling indulgent you can hire a yacht.
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