Mandy's City Break to Nice with Kirker
My recent trip to Nice with Kirker was amazing. Like many people at this time of year, my daughter and I were in search of a quick break and a bit of early summer sun in anticipation of a longer summer holiday. We wanted a relatively short flight, easy transfers, and a combination of a relaxed beach holiday and a bustling city stay. Lucky for us, Nice seemed to tick all of these boxes, and Kirker made the whole process effortless, allowing us to focus on enjoying the stunning French Côte D’Azur without any distractions.
Nice City Centre
As a location, I was thoroughly impressed by Nice. The Old Town stretched out beautifully behind the beach, and the distinguished pink and yellow ochre buildings with pale green shutters suited the relaxed and cheerful atmosphere of the town, making for some stunning photo opportunities. We visited the rooftop terrace of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art where you can appreciate 360 degree views of the Old town and up into the hills behind, which was a highlight of the trip.
Culinary Delights of Nice
The food in the town centre was much cheaper than we had anticipated, with main courses in restaurants along the main streets costing around 15-20 euros. The food we sampled was delicious, with undoubtedly some Italian influence spilling over from the nearby border, a tempting combination of mussels, meats, pasta dishes, and colourful salads graced most menus.
Shop ‘til You Drop
Nice provided a great shopping scene, small streets meandered off from the main plaza which you could certainly get lost in looking at the gorgeous local crockery, fabrics and foods which characterised the region. Our Kirker chauffeur had recommended the flower and produce market in the Old Town, which had a vibrant atmosphere and was lovely to stroll around.
Where to stay?
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Our hotel, the Villa Rivoli, made for an excellent base in the town. At a 15-minute walk from the centre, we were close enough to be able to return to the hotel mid-day if we needed anything, but far enough that we could retreat to the hotel after dinner and hear no unwanted noise from outside at all. The hotel was in keeping with the style of Old Nice with beautiful architecture and shutters that opened onto a balcony. The history of the place could certainly be seen inside too, such as in the stunning pieces of vintage furniture in the breakfast room.
Nice, Monte Carlo and Cannes in three days
Nice also acted as a convenient base to visit other places on the same coast, we quickly discovered the ease and cheapness of the trains and managed to explore Monte-Carlo in Monaco and Cannes during out three night stay. The journeys, though short, were a wonderful experience as the tracks hugged the coastline, allowing us to catch glimpses of Antibes and Juan-les-Pins as we glided past.
Summary
My only regret about the trip is that we didn’t book to stay longer! I will undoubtedly be visiting Nice again, and perhaps this time make a trip to Menton and across the Italian border by train for another day trip.
