Nice is one of those cities that immediately convinces you that life is better when you have the sea in front of you, the sun above your head, and enough time for everything…
Nice has another ace up its sleeve: the port and the hill above the city, with a view that will make you forgive your legs very quickly for everything you put them through on the way up.
I did, however, have one more detail to consider – a wheelchair.
While other tourists are looking for a place to have coffee, I occasionally look for the next pothole in the pavement. They admire the shop windows; I inspect the curbs. Everyone has their own tourist itinerary.
But Nice is a city worth exploring even when you’re getting around on four wheels.
The port of Nice is the perfect place to start. Nothing says “I’ve arrived on the French Riviera” quite like a walk through the port of Nice.
Wide streets, the sea, boats, palm trees, and that special Côte d’Azur atmosphere that makes even an ordinary stroll feel like a scene from a movie. The fact that you got to the port on a perfectly accessible tram rather than in a private helicopter doesn’t spoil the overall impression. Quite the opposite.
There is a bit of everything in the port – from small boats to yachts that look as though their owners got bored with houses, so they bought another one, only this one floats.
The main sport for us ordinary mortals is trying to calculate how much we’d have to work to afford one of them. Most people give up on the math pretty quickly. Instead, we stand in front of the biggest one and take a picture as if we owned it.
As you walk along, it’s easy to lose track of time.
And right in the middle of all this luxury, you may come across a little Fiat.
The sculpture of the beloved Fiat 500 in Nice is officially called “A Sunday in Nice.” It is located in an attractive spot in the Old Port, between Castle Hill and the Port of Lympia, on Guynemer Square. It is a tribute to family holidays, carefree days, and nostalgia for the 1960s.
The sculpture depicts the legendary car in full size, completely equipped for a trip to the beach. On the roof and around the car are details such as a parasol, a portable cooler, inflatable swim rings, and even a yellow bicycle, added as a tribute to the famous Tour de France.
The artist drew inspiration from his own family memories of trips to the seaside. The entire sculpture is cast in aluminium. This material was chosen because it is resistant to corrosion and sea salt, allowing the car to remain permanently “parked” there, defying the elements right beside the Mediterranean.
This installation is one of the most popular and photographed spots in this part of Nice.
A little farther on, there is a memorial engraved with the names of 3,665 citizens of Nice who died in the First World War. Inside the monument there is also a hidden reliquary in the shape of a bronze eagle, containing plaques commemorating the fallen soldiers.
After the more serious subjects, it’s time to get back to the reason tourists most often pull their phones out of their pockets.
And where better than the famous sign?
That’s where forty photos are taken, in which the sign is the same, the sea is the same, but every facial expression is different.
While waiting for my turn, I find myself thinking:
“How do I position myself with the wheelchair so the sign is in the frame, I don’t get in anyone’s way, and I still manage to look normal?”
Now that’s a serious photography challenge. But once you finally manage it, you have proof. You’ve been to Nice.
And just when you think it would be a perfect idea to continue with a leisurely walk along the sea, Nice whispers:
“Come on, let’s go a little higher.”
That “little higher” is the famous hill above the city, known as Castle Hill – Colline du Château.
A little emergency meeting immediately takes place in my head:
What’s the surface like?
How steep is it?
Is there an accessible route?
Is there a lift or some other option?
Where do we turn back if the road suddenly decides to become an adventure?
Because wheelchairs have one interesting characteristic: they don’t like surprises.
Of course, there are ways to reach the top without having a serious negotiation with your own lungs. The lift is located at the foot of the hill and is accessible to wheelchair users.
Without it, I doubt I would have been able to enjoy this spectacular view.
From the top, you get a fantastic view of Nice, the sea, the port, and the surrounding area. The city looks like a postcard that someone has arranged just a little too perfectly.
It’s one of those moments when you try to take the perfect photograph.
First, you photograph the panorama.
Then yourself.
Then yourself with the panorama.
Then one more, because in the previous one the wind gave you a hairstyle you definitely didn’t ask for. In the end, you have 47 photos of exactly the same view and not a single one you can delete because they’re all good.
At the top, you’ll find pleasant greenery crossed by numerous paths leading in different directions.
Wheelchairs don’t really have much to do there, while everyone else can use the opportunity to check their fitness level. I’m absolutely thrilled just to have made it to the top. There is a gentle breeze up there, which provides a very welcome cool-down.
Nice is a city that works best when you simply let yourself go with it.
It seems Nice has come up with the perfect combination: the sea for enjoyment, the port for daydreaming, and the hill for testing your fitness.
And the view from Castle Hill definitely belongs in that category.
And honestly, that’s not bad for one city.
There is only one way to end a day like this.
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Have you visited the port and the viewpoint in Nice?
Did I miss anything?
Travelled and enjoyed,
Marko Veličković
