Let's Go Europe 2019. Harvard Student Agencies

as a head covering if they plan to walk inside the cathedral.

       i Free; wheelchair accessible

       MARCHÉ AUX FLEURS COURS SALEYA (COURS SALEYA FLOWER MARKET)

      Cours Saleya; 04 92 14 46 14; open Tu-Sa 6am-5:30pm, Su 6am-1pm

      Make sure to pack those OTCs in your backpack, although we’re not sure if any dose of Claritin, Allegra, or Zyrtec can save you from the pollen-fest of the Marché aux Fleurs in Vieux Nice, the city’s old quarter. Just steps away from the waterfront, the market is filled with refreshing aromas of every flower imaginable. Besides flowers, the stands offer everything from scented soaps to fresh vegetables to ripe fruits, so you can solve your backpacker BO and get your daily dose of vitamins in one shot.

       i Prices vary by stand; wheelchair accessible

       PALAIS LASCARIS

      15 Rue Droite; 04 93 62 72 40; Jan 2-June 22 M, W-Su 11am-6pm, June 23-Oct 15 M, W-Su 10am-6pm, Oct 16-Dec 31 M, W-Su 11am-6pm (closed Jan 1, Easter Sunday, May 1, Dec 25)

      In the middle of the winding paths of Vieux Nice (Old Nice) lies Palais Lascaris, a seventeenth-century aristocratic building that serves as a musical instrument museum. The unassuming exterior opens up into a lavish and ornate interior, complete with beautifully decorated ceilings and gold-painted walls. Palais Lascaris is home to the second-largest collection of musical instruments in all of France, including cigar box guitars, harps with intricately painted flowers, and more oboes and clarinets than Squidward could ever imagine. Built in the sixteenth century by the family of Jean-Paul Lascaris, the house still has much of the furniture (including paintings of fat men) you’d expect of a French aristocratic family. Word to the wise: don’t budget too much time for this museum, as your visit will be under an hour.

       i Admission €6, students and under 18 free, part of Municipal museums day ticket €10; last entry 5:30pm; guided tours F at 3pm €6; no wheelchair accessibility

      LANDMARKS

       PLACE MASSÉNA

      15 Pl. Masséna; 06 29 64 10 12; open daily 24hr

      What makes Place Masséna so unmistakable? Is it the red Pompeiian buildings on all its sides? The brightly lit Ferris wheel that can be viewed from a mile away? The perhaps overly massive fountain of the Greek god Apollo on the checked black and white patterned pavement? Or maybe it’s just the fact that it’s smack in the middle of Nice and you will, without a doubt, walk through it on your way to the waterfront every day. Just after sundown, statues of seven naked men light up on raised poles in every color of the rainbow. It’s kind of like a PG Burlesque show that kids can watch, but only adults really understand. Cher and Christina, where you at?

       i Free; wheelchair accessible

       COLLINE DU CHÂTEAU (CASTLE HILL)

      Montee du Chateau; open daily Oct 1-Mar 31 8:30am-6pm, Apr 1-Sept 30 8:30am-8pm

      Get in some cardio by climbing this 300-foot hill for an aerial view of the coastline you won’t get anywhere else. The site of the former Château de Nice, the Castle Hill today is, for lack of a better word, crumbling, but there is a certain charm in its age that you’ll discover as you navigate through the maze of paths, many (many) stairs, and stunning array of greenery. Before making your way to the summit, stop by Bellana Tower for the view of the Bay of Angels and you’ll forget all about how your thighs hurt from the countless flights of stairs. If cardio isn’t your thing, there is an elevator that will take you up to the top, where you’ll find a playground, a man-made waterfall, and views of the port.

       i Free; limited wheelchair accessibility

      MUSEUMS

       MUSÉE MATISSE

      164 Av. des Arènes de Cimiez; 04 93 81 08 08; open daily Jan 2-June 22 11am-6pm, June 23-Oct 15 10am-6pm, Oct 16-Dec 31 11am-6pm

      It’ll take you a bus ride to get here, but once you arrive at this gorgeous red Genoese villa, you won’t think twice about the commute. This small museum houses many of Matisse’s earliest works, including paintings, sculptures, and cutouts. Although the museum doesn’t house his most famous works (you’ll find those throughout the rest of France and the world), it does offer an in-depth look into Matisse’s life and the time he spent in the French Riviera, most significantly in Nice. When you’ve finished with your daily dose of artist trivia, take a walk around the surrounding Arènes de Cimiez, the ruins of a Roman amphitheatre.

       i Municipal museums day ticket €10, 7-day ticket €20, day group ticket €8 per person, free (children under 18, students, unemployed, disabled civilians, journalists); last entry 5:30pm; tours upon request; wheelchair accessible

       MUSÉE MARC CHAGALL

      6 Av. Dr Ménard; 04 93 53 87 20; www.muse-chagall.fr; open Nov 1-May 1 M, W-F 10am-5pm, May 2-Oct 31 M, W-F 10am-6pm (closed Jan 1, May 1, Dec 25)

      There’s something perfectly soothing about the modernist’s collection, which is housed in an expansive, open space with natural light. Fun fact: Chagall claimed that the “universe of light” is necessary to truly appreciate his artwork, which we don’t exactly understand, but, whatever it is, it’s working. When you’ve finished examining the stained glass windows and 17 biblically inspired paintings, check out the olive garden in which the museum is situated and yeah sure, then you can make your way back to the beach.

       i Admission €10, reduced €8, under 18 free, free admission first Su of month; last entry 5:30pm; audio guide available; wheelchair accessible

       MUSÉE D’ART MODERNE ET D’ART CONTEMPORAIN DE NICE (MAMAC)

      Pl. Yves Klein; 04 97 13 42 01; www.mamac-org; open Jan 2-June 22 Tu-Su 11am-6pm, June 23-Oct 15 Tu-Su 10am-6pm, Oct 16-Dec 31 Tu-Su 11am-6pm

      So abstract. So confused. Those are perhaps the two thoughts running through our minds as we climbed the many lit-up stairs of MAMAC. The building has magnificently open and airy galleries featuring everything from American pop art to the work of Yves Klein, painter and performance art pioneer, including his monochrome collection with works solely in the color blue. Some of our favorite pieces include a pile of trash, a pile of rocks, and a pile of boxes—all reminders of why our parents are terrified of us suddenly deciding to drop everything and become artists. The museum’s true highlight is, however, the top floor, where you can walk around the terrace and admire views of Nice, including the Tete Carée.

       i Admission €10, groups €8, students free; wheelchair accessible

      OUTDOORS

       PLAGE PUBLIQUE DE PONCHETTES (PONCHETTES BEACH)

      70 Quai des États Unis; lifeguards on duty June 1-Sept 3 9am-6pm

      You’ll have the perfect beach day at any beach along Promenade des Anglais, but we recommend Ponchettes. This beach boasts a prime location just to the side of Castle Hill, a military citadel, and in front of Vieux Nice, the city’s old quarter. Be warned that the beaches in Nice aren’t exactly the sandy seafronts you might have imagined. Instead, you’ll be walking through smooth pebbles, which is a surprising relief, since you won’t get sand stuck in places sand should never be. Join the sunbathers, beach volleyball players, and swimmers by the shore to enjoy the ever-present sun on the Côte d’Azur.

       i Free; no wheelchair accessibility

       PROMENADE DES ANGLAIS

      Promenade des Anglais; 07 12 34 56 78 Usually,