Nice Off the Beaten Path

On the French Riviera, near the border with Italy, lies Nice. Nicknamed Nissa La Bella ("Nice the Beautiful"), it's a historic city famous for its artistic spirit, grand plazas, crescent-shaped pebble beaches, and the narrow streets of its colorful old town, Vieille Ville. Nice is a densely populated coastal metropolis (the seventh most populous city in France), which means there are secrets to discover and adventures to be had around every corner.

A four-hour driving tour of the city led by an expert local guide reveals many of these secrets. It's an immersive experience featuring Nice's highlights, landmarks, and legends. It stops at must-visit sites like the Greek quarter (Nice was actually founded by the Ancient Greeks of the Massalia region in 350 BCE), and the Roman remains of an amphitheater and arena in the historic Cimiez neighborhood. This is also the location of two other notable landmarks: the opulent Excelsior Régina Palace, where Queen Victoria of England used to summer on the French Riviera, and the Musée Matisse, a museum showcasing the works of one of Nice's most famous residents, the expressionist master painter Henri Matisse.

Other highlights of the tour include stops at the Promenade des Anglais, Port Lympia, the aforementioned Vieille Ville, and the ornate St Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral. The tour ends, fittingly, with a visit to one of the city's most famous landmarks, the Negresco Hotel, a throwback to France at the turn of the 20th century. Here you can enjoy an aperitif in style and make a toast to your very own slice of the Belle Époque.