Flight from London (LON) to Nice (NCE) from 188 £

Nice is one of the most famous tourism destination on the Côte d'Azur, and also one of the first. In the 1850s rich aristocrats from all over Europe made Nice the destination of choice for a winter getaway. The mild climate and the location between the Alps and the Mediterranean was popular much earlier: archaeologists found 400.000-year-old remains of Homo Erectus and also Neanderthal and early modern humans artefacts. The Greek settlers and Roman invaders are pretty recent when seen from this perspective.

Nice and the English invasion

Nike, the Greek Goddess of victory, lies at the heart of the city’s name. The conquering Romans renamed the town Cemenelum. This name also lives on in the Cimiez quarter of Nice. A Roman arena still in use today and the ruins of a giant Roman bathhouse are the very visible sign of the Roman occupation. The fame as a tourist destination for the rich aristocracy started even before Nice became French, when it was still a part of the Duchy of Piedmont. The famous Promenade Des Anglais, named after the wave of British tourists, was the seaside promenade where the English high society was on full display, including Queen Victoria. The Russian-orthodox church Saint-Nicolas, named after a Russian prince who died in Nice, is the mark of the second important tourist group, the Russian Czar and his extended family. Nice erected a monument to the adventurer and revolutionary Guiseppe Garibaldi, who was born in Nice and became the main force behind the unification of Italy.

Art and architecture in Nice

From all the eras of its existence Nice has some architecture left, so today it looks like a museum in architectural history. Take a stroll through the charming Old Town to see a lot baroque, classicism, belle époque and art déco buildings next to contemporary architecture. The famous artist Henri Matisse lived in Nice and left many of his works as well as his his own private collection on display in the Musée Matisse. Another artist, Marc Chagall, designed a whole house especially for the task to contain his works of art, the “Musée National Message Biblique Marc Chagall“. In France, it is always rewarding to try the local specialties: there is socca, a pancake made of chickpeas flour, the “salade niçoise” and all the fresh fish dishes you can expect in a French coastal town. The mild climate is also perfect for wine, so why not make a tour to the wineries in the area and take along some bottles as a souvenir. A daytrip to the famous neighbouring cities Monaco, Cannes and St. Tropez is a great way to spend your time. Enjoy your stay in Nice and don’t forget your flight back to London!

More to see in Nice

• Terra Amata, archaeological museum
• Castle of Nice
• Flower Market of Nice

Information Airport Nice

• Name: Aéroport Nice Côte d’Azur
• IATA Code: NCE
• Distance to downtown Nice: 7 km
• Transportation: bus, rented car, shuttle, taxi

Which airports are in London?

• London Heathrow (LHR)
• London Gatwick (LGW)
• London City (LCY)