Dammam to Nice Flights

  About Dammam

Dammam is the sixth-largest city of Saudi Arabia and capital of the Eastern Province of the kingdom. It got its name from the Arabic word 'Dawwama' which means whirlpool. The city has grown potentially and now accounts for about a quarter of the world's total oil reserves. It was the discovery of oil wells in this region that led to its overnight growth and quick success. The city has a growing population of about 1.5 million. The locals here follow their culture and traditions strictly, no matter how much they embrace modernisation in terms of their standard of life. As the city is developing, it is also focusing on making it more tourist-friendly. Dammam has quite a lot of tourist attractions in the city, mainly for you to go with your families. The Dolphin Village has become quite popular and is one place your kids will definitely love. Like most cities in UAE, Dammam also has a vibrant and active shopping scene. You can buy from the top brands, or you can go shopping in the local markets, the choice is yours. Not to mention, you will love the food here.

Best Time to Visit Dammam

Most cities and countries in the UAE witnessed only two seasons, extreme summer and extreme winter. November to April is when Dammam experiences winter. The temperature ranges from 13 to 30 degree Celsius and while the days are warm, the nights get chilly. This is a high tourist season for Dammam. Make sure you book your hotel in Dammam several weeks in advance because the prices will increase closer to winter and availability also might be an issue. You will also have to book your flight tickets to Damman in advance. If done at the last moment, it might get difficult to get cheap flight tickets to Dammam. All the tourist attractions will be accessible during this time. The weather is slightly warmer in March and April as compared to the previous month. Dammam has a couple of diving academies that you can visit during this time if you want to learn diving. The water will not be too cold as compared to December, January and February. It will neither be too cold nor too hot. You can also go on a food tasting tour in winter.

May to October is summer in Dammam, and the temperature reaches up to a maximum of 41-degree Celsius. June to August are the hottest months in the city. The scorching heat makes it unbearable for you to step out or sign up for any sightseeing tours for the day. However, evenings and nights are comparatively pleasant. Since the locals also observe fast during Ramadan, a lot of them are given week offs from work. This is a low season for tourism in the country, and you won't even get access to all of the tourist attractions in the city. Needless to say, the hotel prices drop during summer, courtesy the low season. You might, however, come across interesting flight deals to Dammam online and at better prices. It is highly recommended that you travel to Dammam only during winters.

Places to Visit in Dammam

Dammam has a couple of beautiful corniches and also houses a human-made Coral Island. The city is slowly rising as one of the hot vacation destinations and already has a couple of interesting things lined up for tourists. Dolphin Village is one of the major attractions in Dammam. It is situated at the entrance of Coral Island and offers air-conditioned lounge seats so you can catch the dolphin and seal shows with your family and friends. You will have to pay a nominal fee to enter, but it is worth every penny. Make sure you get the best seats though, and to get that, you might have to reach quite early. You can also head to Adventure World that has indoor games, rides and play areas for kids along with some dining options. You can also head to Murakkabat Mountain Park to enjoy the lush greenery amidst a desert. You can either jog here or take a stroll in the park. Share Al-Hob (Love) Market is another tourist spot that you must head to if you want to go on a shopping spree. You can buy a lot of traditional goods here and a couple of souvenirs for your family and friends, too.

Coral Island is a human-made wonder in Dammam that you cannot miss. This is one of the best tourist attractions in the entire city. You can also head to Heritage Village to get a feel of the Saudi culture. Tarout Castle is yet another marvellous tourist attraction that was built in 1600 BC. You can also visit the Dammam Regional Museum. The speciality about the museum is that there are six halls here, each of them showcasing six different categories from the stone age. You can head to Half Moon Bay if you want to learn how to dive and King Fahad Park to relive your childhood.

Things to do in Dammam

One of the first things to do in Dammam is to try the food here. Middle Eastern cuisine is popular all over the world, and there is nothing better than trying it in the Middle East itself. You can either sign up for a guided tour of the city or explore the city on your own. Head over to Heritage Village to get a glimpse of the Saudi culture. Dammam is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, and even though it has embraced a modern way of living, the locals make sure they keep their tradition alive. Dammam is the perfect place to head to for a family vacation, especially if you have kids. The Dolphin Village and Adventure World are two of the most entertaining attractions in the city. You can also head to the Tarout Castle, which was built in 1600 BC. If you go for a guided tour of the castle, you will get to know more about the inception of the castle and interesting stories around it. The King Fahad Park is another tourist attraction you can head to spend some leisure time with your family and to relive your own childhood. The city also has several diving academies that you can enrol into and learn how to dive. However, this might only be possible during early winter and late summer when the temperatures are normal. It might get a tad uncomfortable to dive underwater during winter when it is already cold outside, and while summer is the best time to go underwater diving, that's probably the only thing you will get to do on your trip.

Food and Restaurants in Dammam

Dammam is popular for its middle eastern cuisine. Though you get to try cuisines from all over the world in every city in Saudi Arabia, it is the middle eastern food that people love the most. Heritage Village is a very popular restaurant with a very comfortable decor that makes the dining atmosphere delightful. If you are in the mood for some American-style steaks, you can head to Steak House. Manoosha Alreef is popular for its fast food and Lebanese cuisine. Head over to Brasa de Brasil Churrascaria for authentic Brazilian food and to Fayrouz Lebanese Restaurant for lip-smacking middle easter and Lebanese cuisine. You can also try some of the high-end restaurants in the city like Asahi Oan-Asian Restaurant for Japanese and Asian food, Kunefeci for Turkish cuisine, View Cafe for Indian and Arabic cuisines, and Al Diwan for barbecue. Finding a decent restaurant that serves vegetarian food might be a tad difficult since most tourists and locals, too, are meat lovers. However, the food scene is barely disappointing in Dammam, and you will leave both impressed and satiated.

How to reach Dammam (Transportation)

King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia is the third major hub for Saudia, which was called Saudi Arabian Airlines before. The flight connectivity to Dammam from India is excellent. Gulf Air and AirArabia have frequent flights to Dammam from India with layovers at Manama and Sharjah. Getting cheap flight tickets to Dammam is not very difficult if you book at the right time. You can also look up exciting flight deals to Dammam online. You might end up getting a good deal if you have planned an impromptu trip. Getting a taxi or shuttle service from the airport to your hotel is quite convenient and not much of a hassle. The staff at the airport is also quite helpful. If you have to wait for a long time to board your flight, you have lots of options inside the airport to help pass the time. The airport is well-equipped with WiFi, smoking areas, restaurants, lounges, cafes, duty-free shops, currency exchange, ATMs and a lot more. In fact, you will also get through immigration and all the other formalities quite quickly since the staff is very efficient.

  About Nice

Located on the coast of Baie des Anges and the capital of the Alpes-Maritimes department on the French Riviera is the alluring city of Nice. The jewel of French Riviera, Nice boasts not just a sparkling shoreline but also historical monuments and artistic architecture.

Best time to visit Nice

For Nice, it is important that you visit the lovely coastal city in a season where the temperatures are balanced, and the hotel rooms are cheap. You need to make sure to capitalise on the hotel room rate that usually happens between March and April. The Mediterranean vibe of the city is prevalent all-round the year. Still, it is from mid-March to April and September to October when the accommodations are also pocket-friendly. The months from May to August see a multitude of crowds who wish to soak in the Mediterranean bliss and hot temperatures. It is also the time when the hotel prices surge to an exorbitant level. You will need to fill your pockets with some heavy euros to make it through summer in Nice. Perks of the season are some of the beautiful festivals that take place including, Nice International Film Festival, Nice Jazz Festival, Crossover Festival and Festival du Livre. It is recommended that you make prior bookings of hotels and flights to Nice if you're rooting for summer. If you're opting for September and October, you don't have to worry much about the excess crowd as well as accommodation prices.

Tourists can visit some of the famous attractions but expect a little crowd. However, it won't be as crowded as how the summers are in Nice. In fact, you will be able to soak in the Mediterranean sun as well as enjoy sightseeing. There are no major festivals that take place during this time of the year, so you'll probably not be able to indulge in the exciting ambience of it. But for solitude and happy vibes, the place remains open. Mid-March to April are also good months to hang out in Nice. The French Riviera bustles with fewer crowds but beautiful weather. The spring season is actually quite pleasant in Nice as the temperature ranges from 14 degree Celsius to 16 degree Celsius. The weather remains calm, but the warm sun adds to the experience. Plus, there is an interesting event that the city hosts, International Dog Show. If you are someone who loves canines, you should definitely check this event out. Plus, during spring, the hotel bookings in Nice continue to remain low-priced, giving way to a comfortable stay, maybe even facing the sea.

Places to visit in Nice

Place Masséna is the first place you can start. It is the city's main square and has a bunch of interesting things to do around the vicinity. The next could be a visit to the Promenade des Anglais (English Walk). The pebbly shore with a beachfront is a sight for the sore eyes. Castle Hill (Colline du Chateau) with its scenic location is highly recommended. You shouldn't miss Nice Beaches because they are eccentric and too gorgeous. If you are an art patron, then you should pay a visit to the Musée d'Art Moderne et d'Art Contemporain, popularly known as Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art. To make things a little religious, you can also check out St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral. Garden of the Cimiez Monastery is another lovely locale that would marvel you. It is basically an orchard and vegetable garden that was used by monks in the old times. To make your experience more luxe, you can visit Palais Lascaris, which once belonged to the first noble families of the city.

Things to do in Nice

French Riviera is known for its vineyards. A trip to the vineyard and learning more about how wine is made would be quite the experience. You will not regret this, especially since the wine produced in Nice is recognised worldwide for creating the best wines. You can also take up a stroll down the Old Town to savour all the lovely architecture and quaint streets. There are some cafes and restaurants nestled in the nook and corner of Vieille Ville that will marvel you. A hike up to the Parc du Mont Boron is also something that you can undertake. The 7 miles long hiking trails is blessed with some scenic beauty that eventually overlooks Nice. The panoramic views would certainly leave an impact on you. The best way to go through the city would be by renting a cycle. There are some cycle tours that takes place in Nice, which you can probably join.

Food and Restaurants in Nice

The cuisine of Nice slightly tweaks the traditional French cuisine and adds a bit of Mediterranean flavour to it. Hence, while you will find fresh cheese, vegetables and meat, they'll come with a refreshing twist of flavours inspired by the Mediterranean lifestyle. The Niçoise cuisine has seafood as their staple food. It is not surprising considering how the city is located on the coast, making fish and seafood easy to acquire. Expect tuna and anchovies tossed with fresh baby tomatoes, green leafy vegetables and green beans with a light olive oil dressing to complete the traditional Niçois salad. This is a famous local dish that you will get to taste and you must. There are Italian-inspired pissaladieres too which include anchovies and caramelised onions as the topping to small-sized pizzas. To make the most of the Niçoise cuisine, you should visit Vieux-Nice (Old Town) as well as Port District. These two places have a slew of restaurants and food establishments that glorify the Niçoise cuisine. One of the popular places to visit would be the Restaurant Le Frog. The place specialises in French and classic Mediterranean meals.

You should know that the French cuisine has a snail appetiser, prominently known as escargot. While you do have the option to try it out here at Nice, it can be clubbed with a lovely entree and drinks. For a less-expensive but wholesome food experience in Nice, you can visit some of the food establishments close to Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate in Vieux-Nice. Les Gaiçons is a famous establishment known for its gourmet French food. Many more restaurants are also available close to the Promenade des Anglais (Walk of the English). Places such as La Route Du Miam, Les Amourex, Cumin et Cannelle, Eden Garden, Polly and Cie, to name a few. These places will certainly upscale your French rendezvous with lip-smacking food. Expecting international or rather global cuisine in Nice is being very hopeful. The city celebrates French and Niçois cuisine and doesn't entertain any other global kitchen. In fact, at the most, you can find African and contemporary cuisine, but that is the extent.

How to reach Nice

Flight connectivity to Nice from India is immaculate. There are a plethora of flight options that take off from India to Nice. Although there are no direct flights to Nice from India, the flight connectivity to Nice is so good that travellers can reach without having to compromise on the duration and layovers. The international route to Nice, which goes from major European and Middle Eastern countries have connecting flights at a convenient time-frame. Airlines such as Aeroflot, Alitalia, Emirates, KLM Royal Dutch, Air France, Emirates, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Swiss, Lufthansa, to name a few, have regular flights to Nice. Both Mumbai and Delhi have excellent flight connectivity to Nice with a plethora of airlines servicing from the cities. The best thing about Nice is how the flight duration from the two major cities is also quite agreeable. Originally, it takes close to 10 hours to reach Nice from India. However, with the provision of some of the airlines and flights from Mumbai and Delhi, the duration to reach Nice is met with. There are layovers in international cities such as Dubai, Paris, Amsterdam, Munich, Moscow, Rome, London, to name a few.

Flight tickets to Nice from Mumbai and Delhi are quite cheap and affordable. You will actually be able to round off your trip in as less as INR 50,000. As long as you make prior flight bookings to Nice, you will be eligible for cheap travel. It doesn't limit flights with long durations and layovers. You can reach Nice within 12 hours tops from Mumbai and Delhi on a cheap flight ticket. Travelling to Nice from India is very convenient. You might even be able to snag some flight deals to Nice online. Make sure that you book your accommodations in Nice well in advance. Flights to Nice might be cheap, but the accommodation is equally steep. A little snooping on the internet could get you some lovely deals for flights and accommodation too. If you are collecting miles for travel, this could be the right time to earn more or splurge the ones you have been saving. Nice is worth all the miles earned as one of the poshest cities not just in France but worldwide too. While you're travelling to the city, some airlines or layovers might require a transit Schengen visa. You can get the same at the embassy or online.