Top Spots in Nice: Memories Tour Day 2

By Barefoot Blogger on September 18, 2019 • ( Leave a comment )

A visit to the most famous city on the Côte d’Azur is exciting enough for most travelers. To really appreciate the top spots in Nice, you need to have a good guide. For the Memories Tour, our guide Stephanie Is one of the best. She’s lived in the city more than 30 years and she’s studied it all.

Top Spots in Nice

Sightseeing on Day 2 in Nice started from our hotel, the Beau Rivage, across the street from the famous “Prom,” or Promenade des Anglais.

It was a crystal clear day, so the views of the city and the coastline were magnificent. The sea was a brilliant blue, a sharp contrast to the white stones on the beach and the pale, “Riviera-style” architecture along the distant hillside.

Promenade des Anglais

Our first stop was for a group photo at the iconic blue chair sculpture.

Next, a bit of history ..,

Stephanie tells the history of the 19th century Centenary Monument that commemorates Nice’s annexation to France

A symbol of Nice (young girl) embracing France (the armor-glad woman) on the Centenary Monument

This modern art statue beside the Promenade was originally not a favorite of the locals. The Mayor convinced them it was a brilliant representation of how the rivers and cultures of the city’s neighboring regions, through the centuries, had come together to form the extraordinary city.

Tourism has been the main industry for Nice for centuries. Many of the famous people who lived here, like Matisse, Chekhov, and Marc Chagall, came for their health and the clean air. Italy, for example, had “bad air” because of the coal industry.

Old town Nice. Matisse lived at the house at the end of the street. Both Matisse and Chekhov once resided at the Beau Rivage which is at the entrance to this street.

Although much of Nice was destroyed through the years prior to the 1600s, the tie with Italy through the years is strongly visible, from the architecture to the food.

Place Masséna, towered over by Apollo, is the public square between old and new parts of Nice

Top Spots in Nice to Dine

Along our tour route, one of our guests, Cheryl Jamison, broke away to run into La Merenda to make reservations for lunch. The restaurant of Michelin Star chef Dominique Le Stanc is one of our food expert and talk show host’s top spots in Nice to dine when she’s here from Sante Fe.