Nice City Town Guide Nice shares the same easy beauty as its Italian neighbors, its buildings dressed in ochres and stucco. Villas and chapels hover between Mediterranean discretion and Baroque exuberance. The palm tree-lined Promenade des Anglais is the international symbol of this highly individual city. Surrounded by hills, with endless vistas over the blue sea, Nice is a true feast for the eye and the senses! Five ideas for discovering another side to the city -  Enter the inner world of Matisse: at the Matisse museum, in the midst of his canvases, pride of place goes to his easel and the everyday objects he knew so well. -  Take a journey through the delicious flavours of Niçoise cuisine - treat your taste buds to a pissaladière, socca or ratatouille provençale in the Cours Saleya. -  Climb the castle hill and discover an esplanade nestling in a grassy niche that offers the best view over Nice. -  Sample one of the many different olive oils offered by Nicolas Alziari. As in Italy, the oil is sold in metal cans with fancy decorations. -  Visit the enormous hothouse where flowers from all over the world bloom, and stop off to admire the incredible architecture of the museum of Asiatic Arts in the Parc Phoenix. Time difference In France, summer time is set at GMT + two hours, and runs from the last Sunday in March until the last Sunday in October. To call Nice Dial the international code followed by 33 for France, then 4 for Nice and the 8 digits of the person you are calling. Climate Average temperatures by season: - Spring: 17° C - Summer: 24° C - Autumn: 16° C - Winter: 11° C Holidays These holidays are celebrated throughout France: - 1 January: New Year - Easter Monday (date varies) - 1 May: Labour Day - 8 May: 1945 Victory Day - Ascension (date varies) - Monday after Pentecost - 14 July: National Day - 15 August: Assumption - 1 November: All Saints Day - 11 November: Armistice Day - 25 December: Christmas Getting around From the Promenade des Anglais to old Nice, the downtown area must be explored on foot. An efficient bus line serves all of the city's neighbourhoods (No.15 and No. 17 go all the way up to the sites and museums of Cimiez hill). Nice Tourism Office Nice Tourism Office: 5, Promenade des Anglais 06000 Nice, France Tel: (international n° +33) 4 92 14 48 00 Fax: (international n° +33) 4 93 92 82 98 Nice on the Web http://www.nice-coteazur.org See our Cultural calendar Back