Castle Hill over the Baie des Anges

Colline du Château is the hill between the old town and the port — no castle any more, just a park full of viewpoints. From the platforms on its western flank the Baie des Anges opens in one continuous curve: the turquoise shallows, the pebble beach, the Promenade des Anglais arcing away into the distance, with the ochre roofs of Vieux Nice tiled in the foreground. A free lift and several stairways climb from the promenade end, so the walk up doesn't have to wreck an outfit.

Golden hour is when the frame earns its reputation. The sun drops in the west along the line of the bay, the water goes metallic, the facades on the promenade light up amber, and after sunset the lamps trace the curve. Work both the upper panoramic terraces and the lower viewpoints among the trees — the lower ones put more of the old-town roofscape into the frame.

What goes wrong here is minor: the park has closing hours that shift with the season — check the posted times so blue hour doesn't get cut off — and the classic viewpoints draw a steady trickle of visitors at sunset, though nothing like a capital-city crowd. The sea breeze strengthens through the afternoon; plan hair accordingly.