Port Lympia (Port of Nice)

Port Lympia, also called the Port of Nice, is the working harbour east of the Old Town and below Castle Hill, in the Alpes-Maritimes department of southern France. It was dug out in the 18th century and has been in use ever since, and today it mixes fishing boats, ferries to Corsica, private yachts and pleasure craft. Around the basin run quays such as Quai Lunel and Quai des Docks, with rows of tall pastel facades in yellow, pink and orange. At the head of the port is Place Île de Beauté, framed by arcades and the Église Notre-Dame du Port, a neoclassical church from the 19th century that stands at the end of the square. Cafés, bars and restaurants line the quays, many serving seafood, and the streets nearby, such as Rue Cassini and Rue Bonaparte, hold small shops, bakeries and the antique dealers of the Ponchettes and the Place Garibaldi area. A walk around the harbour takes 45 to 90 minutes, and visitors can add a visit to the church or a short climb to the Castle Hill park for views back across the port. The best photo angles are from the Quai Papacino side looking across the water, and from Castle Hill above. Late afternoon is the best time, when the sun lights the facades of Place Île de Beauté. Mornings are quiet and show the fishermen at work, while summer evenings bring diners and crowds to the terraces. The port is free to visit and open at all times, and tram line T2 stops at Port Lympia. The area is also the starting point for Corsica ferry crossings, so travellers should allow extra time near the quay at departure times.