Nice sits in the shadows of the Maritime Alps that reach right down to the harbour, where boats bob in front of restaurants and cafés. Eavesdrop on people's conversations at the tables and you may hear the distinctive local dialect, Niçois, otherwise known as lenga nissarda.

Southern Nice looks out on to the Bay of Angels (Baie des Anges) and the sparkling waters that give the Côte d'Azur its name. Nice's beaches, however, are not particularly nice - narrow, pebbly and crowded the second the sun comes out - but you can swim and sunbathe if the mood takes you.

In the main, the town's most attractive qualities are on dry land: the pastel-painted confections of Belle Epoque architecture, palm trees and Art Deco buildings along the Promenade des Anglais, fine museums, great food and a lively cultural and night life.

Nice's festivities culminate in the explosion of colour and sound of the annual Nice Mardi Gras, a tradition that has been going since the 13th century.

Old Nice (Vieux Nice) is a labyrinth of tiny streets, clustered around the hill of Le Château, which have hardly changed since the 18th century. Modern Nice, in contrast, has spacious, palm-lined boulevards, with the large square of place Masséna at its heart.

In the north of the town is the exclusive suburb of Cimiez, where the Romans established a settlement. The ruins of Cemenelum include a public baths and an amphitheatre now used for outdoor concerts.

It does not take long to get your bearings and feel comfortable in Nice - it is a compact town where people seem keen to please visitors. It also makes an excellent base for visiting the rest of the Riviera.

West along the coast are Antibes, Cannes and St-Tropez, or head east to Menton (and beyond to Monaco) via hairpin-bend corniches offering truly spectacular sea views. In contrast to the big glitzy resorts are cliff-top villages such as Èze and La Turbie and seafront villages such as Villefranche-sur-Mer and Beaulieu.

Locality:

Nice is found on the south coast of France, it is the the unofficial capital of the Côte d'Azur, is the largest town on the glamorous French Riviera; it is also one of the liveliest and most fun. While Cannes and St-Tropez exude exclusivity, Nice extends a warm, Mediterranean welcome to everyone from backpackers to jet setters.