Nice Hotels

Nice, the capital of the Côte d'Azur, is not 'nice' - what an insult! Nice is a sparky, sexy city, with a gritty underside that keeps it grounded. If Nice were a person, it would wear designer cocktail dresses with old army boots, cause lots of trouble and be livid about that insipid adjective.

Nice's beaches are pebbly. On the other hand there are a lot of them, and most are free, warm and clean as a whistle. The city itself is brash and bold (no such thing as being too old to wear a bikini) and enormously popular, so if you're looking for a place of Zen-like peace... move on.

Nice is in the southeast of France, perched on the Mediterranean coast halfway between Monaco (of Grand Prix fame) and Cannes (home to the International Film Festival). Paris is 931km (580mi) away, and it's 30km (18mi) to the Italian border. The city stretches along the Baie des Anges (Bay of Angels), where the Alps and the Paillon River meet the sea. The town is protected by wooded hills and the Mercantour mountains to the north, and the Estérel range to the southwest. The port and the old town (perched on a hill known as Le Château) are in the city's southeast - a great quarter for sightseeing, restaurants and nightlife. In the northeast is the wealthy residential neighbourhood of Cimiez, which is home to some outstanding museums. The modern city stretches north and west of the central square, place Masséna, behind the famous promenade des Anglais. The promenade follows the crescent-shaped shoreline westwards from the port.

Don't come to Nice in July or August if you dislike strong heat, crowds of holiday makers and serious traffic jams. May and June are the most pleasant months, followed by September and October. Partygoers will enjoy the Carnival in February. Nice enjoys an exceptionally mild climate. The average daily temperature hovers around 15°C (59°F), soaring up to 40°C (104°F) in July-August and rarely dipping below 5°C (41°F) in winter (November-February). In summer, languid bathers loll about at Nice's beaches in waters warmed to 20-25°C (68-77°F).