Although I only spent a few days in Nice, it was enough time for me to fall in love with the city. I was initially drawn to Nice for its blue waters, but as I walked around I found that the city's cohesiveness made it a comforting place to be. The buildings are coordinated in order to create a harmonious array of bright orange and yellow structures. Located in the southeast corner of France, Nice is the capital of the Alpes-Maritime department and was formerly home to one of my favorite painters, Henri Matisse.
Nice's diverse topography is what makes it truly special. The city's coast consists of two large bays. One of the bays, the Villefranche-sur-Mer, serves as a major port. The other bay houses most of Nice and connects the Aeroport de Côte d'Azur (the third largest airport in France) and the old port city. The reason why I think Nice is so special is because you can see all of the city's topographical elements as you walk around. The bay's gentle curves are visible from Nice's rolling hills, and the Ligurian Alps are visible in the distance. It is a very different environment than New York City where a lot of views are blocked by enormous buildings.
