Now that we've been home for two weeks, I feel like it's time to share some more pictures of our French Riviera holiday. Just as a little pick me up at the end of a demanding work week, here are my impressions of Nice. Nice was just a half an hour drive away from the place we were staying at, and it was well worth the visit. The city is big, offering everything from beautiful, grand architecture, lively squares filled with amazing restaurants, winding little streets, and beaches, as it stretches along the mediterranean. In other words, Nice has everything you might want on a whirlwind trip. I was especially enamored with the old town, which is always my number one destination when I visit a city abroad. We were there on an overcast day, but that was just as well: it shielded us from the glare of the sun, and made for some beautiful photographs. Hope you like the pictures!

Take some time to check out the detail here: the public transport, the beautiful colours, the ultra clean pavement, and those golden sculptures sitting on tall lamp posts.  

This was a huge square that had little fountains throughout where kids were playing and cooling off. Every few minutes, the fountains would switch off and you'd get this mirrorlike effect. Lovely.

This is the heart of old Nice. We were there on a market day, and the smells and the hustle and bustle were just amazing. To the left of the yellow building at the far end, there was actually a waterfall coming down the hill! It's a manmade waterfall (it's called the Castle Hill waterfall), but it still looked breathtaking. I obiously forgot to take a picture, so you'll just have to visit yourself!

While strolling across the old square to make our way to Castle Hill,  we were still only a stone's throw away from the beaches. Taking a look to our right, wherever the line of restaurants broke, we caught glimpses of the great wide open, and felt the sea breeze.

This was just one of the amazing places we passed on our way through old Nice: Fenocchio, an ice cream parlor with a mouthwateringly wide range of flavours. Apart from your regular banana, lemon, vanilla and strawberry, this place also boasted things like tomato-basil ice cream, olive ice cream and lavender ice cream. We had just had milkshakes before we passed it, and I really couldn't stomach any more sweets for a while, but we majorly regretted that! Super high on my must-try list if I return.

After making our way up Castle Hill, we were rewarded with some amazing views over the Baie des Anges or Angels' Bay. We barely survived the climb, though: not that it was such a steep or long climb, but it was a very hot and humid day. I still feel the sweat trickling down my back when I look at these pics. There is an elevator for those who are even less in shape than we are, but there was an huge line so we sucked it up and climbed that bastard.

Notice those spots on my legs? Those are tiger mosquito bites. Turns out I'm allergic. I have literally NEVER felt anything itch as bad as this, a burning kind of itch that is impossible to ignore. I was saved by steroid creams and antihistaminics, but I almost died, man.

Stunning, right? Only thing I regret is not bringing a bathing suit on our outing, I would have loved to take a dip there. As I mentioned it was a hot and stuffy day, and the sea looked so clear and inviting.

A bit further along Castle Hill was a beautiful cemetery with stunning views over the rooftops of Nice, but I didn't get too much time there as my boyfriend's kids just wanted to get back down and have a drink. I did manage to snap a picture of this chapel (?). The domes reminded me of fish scales, don't you agree? And those pre-Alps views never get old.

What can I say, Nice was great and I wholeheartedly recommend it. The Nice airport is superclose to the city center as well, so it's basically the perfect city trip for if you're on a tight schedule: a historical city center, shopping and a great pebble beach all in walking distance. Would visit again!