Perhaps the Greeks who colonized Nice in 350 BC did not visualize the glamorous future of this resort, but they knew enough to honor the settlement with the name of a goddess, Nike. The setting is incomparable, sheltered by an amphitheater of hills and overlooking the Mediterranean. Over the years, Nice has been passed back and forth from Sardinia to France, where it has remained since 1860. Today, the palm-lined Promenade des Anglais, the flower market ablaze with color and the wonderful climate draw visitors from around the world.