Reasons Why the French Riviera is the Ultimate Summer Destination

The French Riviera, also known as the Côte d’Azur, is a dreamy French region that extends east along the coast from Menton and Monaco to Théoule sur Mer and up into the Southern Alps. The Riviera contains several cities (Nice and Cannes among them), 14 natural parks, Roman ruins, medieval villages and whale watching just off shore. So we're sure you'll have a grand time exploring the Riviera. Download the French Riviera Travel Guide and Offline Map now!

1. Vieux Nice

Getting lost among the dark, narrow, winding alleyways of Nice’s old town is a highlight. The layout has barely changed since the 1700s, and it’s now packed with delis, restaurants, boutiques and bars, but the centerpiece remains cours Saleya: a massive market square that’s permanently thronging in summer. The food market is perfect for fresh produce and foodie souvenirs, while the flower market is worth visiting just for the colors and fragrances.

2. Casino de Monte Carlo

Peeping inside Monte Carlo’s legendary marble-and-gold casino is a Monaco essential. The building, open to visitors every morning, is Europe's most lavish example of belle-epoque architecture. Prince Charles III came up with the idea of the casino and in 1866, three years after its inauguration, the name 'Monte Carlo' – Ligurian for 'Mount Charles' in honor of the prince – was coined.

3. Marseille

Marseille is a dynamic, edgy, bustling city that’s rich with more than 1500 years of history. And since its stint as the European Capital of Culture in 2013 and the addition of a brace of swanky new museums, the city has sparkled with a new sense of optimism and self-belief. The heart of the city is the vibrant Vieux Port (old port), mast-to-mast with yachts and pleasure boats. 

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Top Three Spots to Visit in Nice, the Epitome of the French Riviera

Do you have a trip planned to France during the European Winter, but can't take much cold weather? Then Nice is the place for you where the sun shines all year round. This 19th-century picturesque coastal city has everything you could ask for. It is filled with great markets, a bewitching old town, and of course, beautiful architecture. There's no better way to enjoy what the French Riviera has to offer than in Nice. So what are you waiting for? Download the Nice Travel Guide and Offline Map and head over to Nice!

1.     Vieux Nice

Nice' Old Town is such a treat for any explorer. With its well-preserved buildings from the 1700's, you won't mind getting lost in its narrow, winding alleyways. For all its delis, restaurants, and bars, there is one place that will instantly draw you in--the Saleya. A huge market square that's divided into sections. The most famous being the food market filled with fresh produce and foodie souvenirs and the flower market for all your fresh blooms and fragrances need.

2.      Promenade des Anglais

In 2015 this famous 4-kilometer stretch of the Baie des Anges was submitted as a candidate for UNESCO World Heritage status. And rightly so, the sweeping promenade is filled with historic landmarks including the Hôtel Negresco, the art-deco Palais de la Méditerranée (1929) and Niçoise sculptor Sabine Géraudie’s giant iron sculpture La Chaise de SAB (2014), which pays homage to the city’s famous blue-and-white beach chairs.

3.     Musée Matisse

The brightly colored museum in the heart of the Cimiez quarter is home to a multitude of works by Henri Matisse. The fascinating art pieces range from oil paintings, drawings, sculptures, tapestries, and his most famous paper cut-outs. They are displayed as a permanent collection in a red-ochre 17th-century Genoese villa surrounded by an olive grove. Matisse himself is buried in the Monastère Notre Dame de Cimiez cemetery, across the park from the museum.

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