These days, Nice remains a popular holiday destination, however, this is largely due to its reputation of old. It contains beautiful old architecture; however, this is juxtaposed with large concrete apartment blocks. It once had a spectacular promenade; however, it now features a noisy six-lane highway. Nice these days, is known to be full of corruption, property speculation, organized crime and petty crime. It is a paradise for pickpockets and phones are almost always vandalized. Traffic is a nightmare and its beach does not even contain sand.
This is not to say that Nice is all bad. In fact, visitors to the area find the city delightful. It has a medieval old town and Italianate facades and fashionable residences in the modern area. It is possible to find remnants of the Romans and the Greeks making it a fascinating place to visit from an historical perspective. Despite the fact that the beach is not sandy, the sea itself offers a stunning view. The Roman ruins and Russian cathedral are must-sees of the city.
Nice boasts excellent bus and train facilities and these easy-to-use connections make it an excellent base for visiting others cities in the Riviera. It also contains the Nice-Cote d'Azur airport which is the second most important airport in the whole of France. Nice has also begun to invest in a high-tech industry and this added revenue will allow new areas of activity for the city to invest in.
The Musee National Message Biblique Marc Chagall can be found in Nice's Avenue de Flirey. This contains an outstanding exhibition of many of Chagall's works, as well as many temporary exhibitions of other artists' works. It is a highly recommended place to visit. Nice boasts an outdoor market that is a sight to behold. There you will find flowers of every shape and color, spices to your heart's contents, beautiful large fresh fruits and fresh fish. Nice's Mardi Gras carnival is an attraction for people from all over the globe. It is a ten day celebration featuring parades, concerts and street theaters.
There are, in fact, many festivals throughout the year, such as the Nice Jazz Festival and these together with the opera, arts and film shows that the city has to offer continue to draw thousand of tourists to the area. It also offers many sporting options, such as skiing, surfing and cycling. It has a large number of holiday apartments that are available to rent in Nice center, Vieux Nice, the musician's quarter and many other areas of the city. There are also a number of hotels that offer luxury accommodation. So, whether you are after budget accommodation or a bit of pampering, you will find what you are looking for in Nice.