When we landed in Nice … awe, excitement and thrill weren’t the first emotions that came to mind. Instead, we were relieved. Relieved to have escaped our horrendous experience with bad accommodation, angry people, and underwhelming views in Paris – but more on that later.

After our Parisian nightmare, Nice had a lot of work to do: namely, salvage our visit to France before we wrote the whole country off. And boy did it do that! This coastal enclave was relaxed, full of personality and rich in history and stunning views.

We stayed in an Airbnb right in the heart of the city with a lovely host who left local treats and a warm welcome. Our favourite were the madeleine cake bars which we demolished within a few hours.

Here is what we got up to:

1. Promenade des Anglaise - The perfect blend of the sea and the sunshine, this spot was among my favourites not just in Nice but all of France. The promenade was lined with beautiful cafes and eateries and plenty of tourists taking snaps of the candy-coloured sunset. I loved it so much I’m currently in the process of commissioning an artwork inspired by it to hang over my bed. We were also convinced by a local to pay a hefty 10 euro to hold his doves for a picture, but the super cute shots are something I treasure for life and made it worth the price.

2.  Explore old town or Vieux Nice - This historical spot in town is perfect for those, who like us, love to revisit an era gone by. You’ll find stunning architecture from the 1700s nestled in narrow lanes, flanked by trendy bars and boutiques. The Cours Saleya market is also situated here and is a great place to explore fresh produce like flowers, handicrafts, fruit and more. I recommend picking up snacks as you go along and enjoy the talented buskers who fill the streets with charismatic live music.

3. What to eat - While I have no doubt Nice has plenty of delicious food to offer as I saw it first hand, it was a little repetitive for vegetarians. Having already eaten plenty of Italian on our trip so far, it was hard to find lunch and dinner options that weren’t pasta and pizza (however good they may be). But we did find a few delicious gems after some hunting :

• Socca is a chickpea pancake and originates from Nice. Being vegetarian makes it the perfect local snack for us. We had ours while strolling through Cours Saleya markets from a small vendor. 
• One of my favourite meals in this entire trip was our last supper in Nice at a local Morroccan restaurant where we had couscous and a delicious veggie tagine. Couscous in France you say? Surprise, surprise, couscous is actually a huge part of Parisian and French cuisine, and is available at every corner. Its' popularity is steeped in the history of France hosting expats from North Africa for a long time. This means the Maghreb food you get in France is top quality and something you should definitely try. If you're vegetarians like us and during a long Europe trip get sick of eating cheese and pasta, hit up any of the local couscous places in France to get your regulae dose of spice!
• Finally, on the sweet front we picked up giant macaron ice cream sandwiches from a small shop called Angea. This little shop is cute and centrally located with just the right amount of uniqueness and colour for your instagram feed.