| Featured City: nice | Nice, located in southern France, is on the Mediterranean and is surrounded by mountains to three sides. It is the fifth biggest city as well as the second biggest touring spot in France. Nice has a complicated history: Some 400 thousand years ago, it was occupied by aborigines. After being ruled by ancient Rome and Greece successively, it was classified into French territory in 1706 for the first time. Then it was ceded to Kingdom of Sicily in 1713, and returned to France in 1860.
Nice has a coastline of 7500 meter. This city is mainly made up of three parts: Vieux Nice, where is featured by Italian city style; Central Nice, where is marked by Promenade des Anglais; and Cimiez, where is favored by the Romans and Queen Elizabeth. Mentioning Promenade des Anglais, it is one of the famous sites in Nice. First class hotels and shopping malls are lined along the streets, including the most elegant constructions in the 19th century. Among these hotels, Negresco is reckoned as the most outstanding one as it holds a huge baccarat candlestick.
As a city of 300 years old, Nice has many historical attractions. Cath¨¦drale Ste-R¨¦parate is one of them. Being covered by some 14,000 glazed tiles, its beautiful 18th century styled dome lightens the whole center of Vieux Nice. Moreover, a 19th century styled Gothic exterior adds harmonious colors to it. All of these make the church splendid and activate the Rossetti Square nearby. Other attractions with historical charm are Musee Matisse and Musee Marc Chagall. Such museums are open throughout the year except Tuesdays, with average entrance fee only 5 Euros.
There is a saying: Paris is the place common people would like to visit, whereas Nice is a destination where the riches gather. Indeed, numbers of luxurious hotels could be a proof. You can find them either near the airport or the touring sites gathering places. Take Radisson SAS Hotel Nice for example. It is located on the Promenade des Anglais, facing the beautiful Mediterranean. Parking lot and gym are free provided, and extra service like foreign currency exchange is available here as well. As for budget, one may need 150-200 Euros per night. Other hotels alike are Grand Hotel Le Florence and Park Inn Hotel Nice, which make easy access to downtown Vieus Nice and Cote d' Azur respectively.
For most touring sites, Youth Hostel is an indispensable choice of accommodation. They are generally situated near railway station, and some of them only open during a certain period of the year. For one person, you may need 20-50 Euros per night.
France is famous for clothing and perfume, so do not forget to take some back if you get to Nice. Street Franscois de Paule is a good business district, and Road St Gaëtan is well-known for handmade presumes. If you travel around Nice, it is better to take a bus. For along the way you could appreciate constructions of 17th or 18th century style or smell the sweet coming from coffee shops. Local condition is one special charm in Nice.
There are also many celebrations on perform there each year. If you happen to visit Nice in February, you will see the biggest festival in that city----Carnaval, which lasts for 3 weeks. During the celebration, parade of festooned vehicle, fireworks setting, and masquerades are listed in celebration category. At that time, fresh and pleasing to the eye lay fallen blossoms in gay profusion. It makes one feel like he is in a world of fairy tales.
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