wander at random through the narrow streets of the old town and then stroll along the famous "Promenade" before entering into the heart of the city with its rich architectural and cultural heritage and its parks and gardens. Nice has a total of 19 museums and galleries, 32 classified historical monuments and 300 ha of parks and gardens, woodland and green areas in addition to 150 ornamental lakes and fountains.

With a population of 350,000, Nice is the fifth largest city in France, stretching for 6 mls around the coast from the airport in the W to the port at the E end of town. Its traditional tourist image revolves around the palm-fringed Promenade des Anglais and the grand belle-epoque landmark hotels - like the Negresco - which date from an era when the city was a favourite with aristocratic 19th-century British travellers. But with Cannes and Monaco competing for the celebrity market, Nice has given way to pressure of numbers and is now an increasingly popular destination with middlemarket, budget and package tourists. However, the beautiful people do still jog and roller-blade along the Promenade alongside Parisian pensioners walking their poodles. Away from the sea front, the myriad alleys and decaying baroque mansions of the old town lead to lively restaurants and bohemian bars, the chateau with its stunning panoramic views and finally to the bustling port and marina. Nevertheless, as befits a regional capital, business has become an increasing focus with the Acropolis conference centre and large exhibition hall drawing in its share of business travellers.

With over 200 years' experience as a tourist destination, Nice has developed attractions for a wide spectrum of interest groups including business people, beach-bunnies and culture-vultures as well as the jet set and middlemarket holidaymakers. It boasts more museums than any other French city outside Paris and its micro-climate makes it a pleasant destination at any time of year.

Luxurious belle-epoque palaces near the beach; plenty of mid-range options around the town centre, farther inland. Very little self catering.

Made up of large pebbles with a few patches of imported sand; shelves fairly steeply within 15 yds of the shore. Private sections of beach offer bars, restaurants, loungers and water sports (fees apply). Public stretches have little more than first-aid stations and lifeguards in summer; very little activity is permitted beyond basking and swimming.

Wide range catering to all budgets and needs, as to be expected in a large city. Avenue Jean Medecin for department stores and shopping malls; Avenue de Verdun for designer boutiques; Rue Massena and the old town for traditional products, Provençal-style linens and pottery items. Flower market on Rue St François de Paule has antique stalls on Mondays.

Daytime: city tours; galleries and art museums (including Chagall, Matisse and Asian Arts Museum at Phoenix Park); Massena museum for local history; old town and promenade for architectural grandeur and celebrity spotting; and, of course, shopping and the beach. Nightlife: plenty of lively cafes, cabaret bars and discos; casinos; theatre and opera; outdoor jazz in Cimiez Park in summer.

Wide variety from fish specialists around the port, small bistros in the old town, steak bars and brasseries in Place Massena to top-bracket cuisine in the palace hotels. Salade Niçoise and Provençal cuisine are common. Sandwich kiosks and fast food, too.

City bus network; trains to Paris, Milan and Marseille; regular local coast service and boats to Corsica. Taxis easily available.

Full day: coach trips to nearby hilltop fortified villages (San Remo, Grasse, Gourdon, Eze and Valberge), usually including a visit to a perfume factory; vineyard tours; Cannes; Antibes; St Tropez; Monaco.

In the SE corner of France on the Mediterranean Cote d'Azur; capital of Alpes-Maritimes region. 585 mls SE of Paris. 19 mls W of the Italian border. 20 mls E of Cannes. Nice international airport 4½ mls W of the town centre.

Nestling in the S foothills of the Alps; centred on Baie des Anges with suburbs spreading into the surrounding narrow valleys, steep craggy hillsides and medieval hilltop villages.

Website: www.nicetourism.com

Airport : Cote D'azur
Airport Code: NCE
Flight time from ther U.K.: 1 hr. 45 mins