Let's Go Europe 2019. Harvard Student Agencies

in the city’s largest pedestrian center: Place Masséna. From Place Masséna, you can walk straight onto the Promenade des Anglais for an incredible view of the Bay of Angels. The Port, located east of Castle Hill, is less touristy than Vieux Nice, but still has some of the best cheap restaurants in town. Slightly north of the city center is Cimiez, site of the former Roman city, Cemenelum, which is now filled with villas, including the Matisse Museum.

       ESSENTIALS

      GETTING THERE

      If flying into Nice, you will land at Aéroport de Nice-Côte D’Azur, from which you can take express buses #98 and 99 into the city center (€6). The buses run every half hour from 6am-midnight. Alternatively, you can walk 10min. to a train station, Saint-Augustin, and take it one stop to Gare Nice Ville, Nice’s main train station. The train ticket costs €1.60 and it is the same train that runs to Monaco and the Italian city of Ventimiglia. If traveling via train, you will dock at Gare Nice Ville, which connects to multiple cities along Côte D’Azur, Lyon, and Paris. Train tickets are usually expensive (€70 from Lyon, €100 from Paris), so it might be better to take a bus. We recommend Ouibus.

      GETTING AROUND

      Nice is easily walkable. The main train station is a 10min. walk from the city center and Vieux Nice (Old Nice). The city does have an extensive public transport system called the Ligne d’Azur consisting of over 130 bus routes that extend to villages in the Maritime Alps and a tram line that makes a U-shape through the city center and Vieux Nice running from 4:35am-1:35am. A solo-ticket for one journey costs €1.50 and a 24hr pass costs €5. Be sure to validate your ticket each time you board a bus or tram to avoid paying hefty fines. In the summer, it’s a great idea to bike along the Promenade des Anglais. For that, use Velo Blue, which costs €1.50 with the first 30min. of travel free.

      PRACTICAL INFORMATION

      Tourist Offices: Promenade des Anglais Office du Tourisme (2, Promenade des Anglais; 08 92 70 74 07; www.nicetourisme.com)

      Banks/ATMs/Currency Exchange: Banks and ATMs are ubiquitous throughout the city, but this branch of BNP Paribas is not too far from Place Masséna (2 Bd. Victor Hugo; 820 82 00 01; open M-F 9am-12:30pm and 2pm-7pm).

      Post Offices: The main post office, called La Poste, is located across from the main train station (21 Av. Thiers; open M-F 8am-7pm, Sa 8am-12:30pm).

      Public Restrooms: There are public restrooms on the Promenade des Anglais. One of them is located right outside Plage Beau Rivage (107 Quai États-Unis).

      Internet: The city offers free Wi-Fi at certain tourist offices and parks. There also are various cybercafés. You can also rent out a Wi-Fi hotspot at the Tourist Office for €7.90 per day.

      BGLTQ+ Resources: Centre BGLTQ+ Côte d’Azur (123 Rue de Roquebillière; 09 81 93 14 82; www.centrelgbt06.fr; open M, W, F 9:30am-8pm, Sa 2pm-8pm)

      EMERGENCY INFORMATION

      Emergency Number: 112

      Police: Central Police Station (1 Av. Maréchal Foch; 04 92 17 22 22; open daily 24hr, foreign visitor reception desk open daily 9am-5pm) For lost and found, go to Police Municipal (42 Rue Dabray 3906; open M-Th 8:30am-5pm, F 8:30am-3:45pm).

      US Embassy: The nearest US consulate is in Marseille (Pl. Varian Fry; 01 43 12 48 85).

      Rape Crisis Center: In case of all problems, call 115.

      Hospitals: Many of the medical centers are located on the outskirts of the city. The Tourist Office recommends heading to Hôpital Pasteur in case of an emergency, although children would be better served at Lenval Hospital.

      • Hôpital Pasteur: 30 Voie Romaine; 04 92 03 77 77; open M-F 8am-6pm, Sa 9am-5:45pm

       Pharmacies:

      • Pharmacie Masséna: 7 Rue Masséna; 04 93 87 78 94; open daily 24hr

       ACCOMMODATIONS

       HOSTEL ANTARES ($$)

      5 Ave. Thiers; 04 93 88 22 87; reception open 6am-3am

      When Mowgli and Baloo sang about the bare necessities, they must have been talking about Hotel Antares. Conveniently located five minutes from the train station, Antares provides air-conditioned rooms and ensuite bathrooms cleaned by staff daily with replenished soaps, towels, and shampoo. The noise from the trains at night can make its way into your room, but it’s a small sacrifice for the security that the hostel offers featuring a 3am curfew and cages under the beds large enough to fit your backpack. It’s not the prettiest or most entertaining hostel in the world, but it does share a common room with neighboring Hostel Baccarat to provide for ample socializing on beachy summer nights.

       i Dorms from €17, privates from €60; max stay 7 nights; Wi-Fi; BGLTQ+ friendly; wheelchair accessible; linens, towels included; lockers available

       HOSTEL BACCARAT ($$)

      39 Rue d’Angleterre; 04 93 88 35 73; reception open 7am-3am

      Baccarat offers affordable, basic accommodations with cages under every bed to ensure the security of each guest’s belongings. Located just a 10min. walk from Place Masséna, the hostel creates a social environment for every kind of backpacker with its spacious shared common room, which has a kitchen, Internet room, and lounge where you can meet your fellow travelers before retiring to a good night’s sleep.

       i Dorms from €24, doubles from €80, singles from €60; reservation recommended; Wi-Fi; BGLTQ+ friendly; no wheelchair accessibility; laundry facilities; linens, towels included

       HOSTEL VILLA SAINT EXPÉURY BEACH ($)

      6 Rue Sacha Guitry; 04 93 16 13 43; reception open 24hr

      Hostel Villa Saint Expéury’s main selling point is that it’s closest to the Bay of Angels and seafront. Located just off Avenue Jean Médecin, this hostel is just steps away from Place Masséna with a sauna, ping pong table, and happy hours for party-hungry backpackers. For solo-travelers, this is a great place to stay since the staff coordinates events such as pub crawls, sailing excursions, and daily yoga to keep things social and entertaining—even away from the pebbly beaches of Nice. So take advantage of the spacious common areas and comfortable rooms on your hours away from the Promenade des Anglais—you’re bound to have a fun and wonderful stay.

       i Dorms from €18, privates from €40; Wi-Fi; wheelchair accessible; linens included; lockers, laundry; luggage storage

       SIGHTS

      CULTURE

       CATHÉDRALE SAINT-NICOLAS DE NICE (RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL OF NICE)

      Av. Nicholas II; 09 81 09 53 45; www.sobor.fr; open daily 9am-6pm, access restricted from noon-2pm for celebrations

      One of the few remaining structures from Byzantine times, the Cathédrale Saint-Nicolas is a marvel of Russian architecture. Candy-style cupolas that could’ve been uprooted from Saint Petersburg adorn the cathedral, and bells ring every half hour. Do a full 360-degree walk around the grounds to fully examine the building’s blends of red, teal, white, and gold before heading inside to admire the arguably more gorgeous interior. Russian icons and gold motifs decorate the interior. Be sure to cover your knees and