See the beautiful city of Nice on this fast-paced, half day guided sightseeing cruise excursion from Monte Carlo. After meeting your driver/guide at your Monte Carlo cruise ship pier, you will depart Monaco in your exclusive group of no more than eight guests. Your sightseeing destination is the city of Nice, approximately 40 minutes away. Enjoy the scenic views along with way with your excursion
guide narrating about your excursion ahead. Your first stop will be the Colline du Chateau, the former site of a 12th-century chateau torn apart by Louis XIV in a fit of anger. Now a city park with waterfalls, it has commanding views from 300 feet over new and old Nice. Named after the goddess of victory, Nike, the area now known as Nice (Nissa la Belle) has first inhabited by Greeks around 350 BC. The English upper class began to winter in the area during the 1880's due to the mild Mediterranean climate. Artists including Renoir, Chagall, and Matisse came here for the light. As you drive along the Promenade des Anglais (Walkway of the English) that parallels the sea, try to picture the English promenading along the waterfront in their Victorian finery. You will continue along the seafront passing the Belle Epoque Hotel Negresco, built in 1920 to attract Europe's elite to come stay. Further, along the coast, you will see a Russian Orthodox Church, built in 1912 for a Czars wife who occasionally wintered here. A drive along the Avenue de Verdun, with parks and gardens down its middle, will show you more of the beautiful architecture and the Place Massena, the city's main square. Driving away from the sea, you will find the hilly Cimiez neighborhood, where the upper class built their homes. It was here in the late 1800's that the Excelsior Regina Palace was built, so Queen Victoria would have a place to stay. Nearby is the 17th century Villa des Arenes, now home to the Musee Matisse (Matisse Museum). No sightseeing cruise shore excursion to Nice would be complete without a visit to its old town, Vieille Ville. Here, you will have approximately 40 minutes of free time to wander along its narrow pedestrian streets lined with shops selling Provencal wares. Smell the cafes selling fresh pastries or stroll through the fresh food and flower market along Cours Saleya (the market is closed on Mondays). See the colorful vegetables, ripe olives, and fresh seafood in the birthplace of the Salad Nicoise. Try socca, the local Provencal chickpea pancake served warm from pushcarts and enjoy from a bench. All too soon, you will meet your shore excursion driver for the trip back to your Monte Carlo cruise terminal, approximately 40 minutes away.
