Travel France in Any Fashion, on Any Budget
Look South to Nice for All Possibilites for All Travel Itineraries
Oct 8, 2009
Welcome to the French Riviera. Nice supplies all manner of sales, service, and performance, but it isn’t oversaturated with numerous vendors pedaling the same merchandise or repetitive restaurants like some other European cities. Nice has just comfortably enough of everything to satisfy everyone at their impulse.
There is always a table at the open air market and restaurant plaza near the beach, but concurrently each restaurant and every shop is busy and bustling so that competing waiters aren’t yelling and whistling in the streets to lure in more business.
The shop owners are friendly and helpful from the market to the alleys in the old town. They are not put off that you don’t know French. Instead they happily convert to the language of dollars (but still accept only Euros as currency).
Explore Nice for the Beach and Romance
Nice might seem gritty, but only at first sight off the train when the sun has already set and an Asian food buffet and adult entertainment shop are the glowing neon eye-catchers. However, taxi to a hotel or walk south toward the beach and Nice becomes dashing and romantic. As the streets and markets get more familiar, it is clear that Nice is not pretentious as one might have previously imagined.
Nice provides what people want, whether they choose to show their money on their sleeve, literally, in the form of over priced but very attractive fashion, or whether they have come only with a backpack and t-shirts.
All Inclusive Amenities for Travellers on Any Budget
For the more affluent vacationer, classy hotels and casinos, lounge chairs and umbrella rentals and full restaurant service on the beach are available for a price. Restaurants in the plaza serve towers of fresh seafood and fine wine. Night clubs charge cover and serve over priced, under poured drinks. But, for the budget backpacker, there is just as much quality fun to be had.
If backpacking, a pizzeria a little away from the frenzy of the main crowds is the place to be. Watch beautiful people stroll by, coming from their yachts and hill side flats. Walk up the hill to the east along the shore where once was a medieval fortress, and take in the view, watch an artist sketch Nice from above, and cool yourself in the mist of a picture perfect waterfall. And of course the beach is free.
Stay in a hostel meeting friendly travellers and proprietors who might just bring a complimentary glass of champagne. In the evening, join the dozens and hundreds of other youth with a bottle of wine on the beach. Then Find a non-descript pub without cover charge and some of the cheapest drinks in the French Riviera. Walk through the main streets and watch incredible dancers and busking performers.
Nice Is Its Own Travel Destination, Or a Stop-Over For Backpacking Europe
Nice has everything for everyone with all travel agendas. It is surprising and welcoming, comforting and comfortable. Certainly worth the time to enjoy backpacking across Europe by train between Paris and Rome, Barcelona and Venice, or make it a European holiday of its own.
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