Sitting on the banks of the French Riviera, Nice is one city that will define any French Vacation, especially if you get a hotel room overlooking the Promenade des Anglais, the famous Nice promenade. Nice is also the historic capital of the County of Nice. However, Nice is the largest city in France that is not a regional capital. That distinction belongs to Marseilles.

Nice started out as a small trading port on the banks of the Riviera, soon grown to become one of the busiest trading posts on the Ligurian Coast. The city was named after the Greek goddess Nike or Victory. Today it is a bustling tourist city, a famous summer destination for young and hip jet setters, celebrities and the rich and the middle class, primarily because the city is blessed with a Mediterranean climate, brilliant sunshine, and very little rainfall. Tourists come to the city in droves, making Nice airport one of the busiest airports in France.

The city was previously the favorite destination for French aristocrats in the 19th century. However, Nice is now more affordable to middle class tourists but still provides easy access to more upscale Cannes and San Remo, 'the queen of the Italian Riviera.'

Nice has everything for every kind of tourist, from college students backpacking through Europe to middle-aged couples looking for the best in luxury. Four-star accommodations in the island include the Negresco, the Sheraton, and the Palais de la Mediterranee.

The city's climate is the primary reason why Nice was also the favorite of famous writers and artists, among them Alexander Dumas, Flaubert, Victor Hugo and George Sand. Henri Matisse, the famous French artist and rival to Picasso once commented, "Though the light is intense, it's also soft and tender."