Things to do in Nice
Standing on the French Riviera and near the Italian border, Nice has often been popular with visitors touring Europe and beyond the beaches and the Mediterranean, there is much to find.
The first stop for many in Nice is the Promenade des Anglais, which runs along the edge of the water. Along with great views of the Baie des Anges (the Bay of the Angels), the promenade is also the home to much of the city's nightlife.
Beyond the seafront, Nice has 19 museums and galleries, 32 historical monuments, 150 ornamental lakes and fountains and over 300 hectares of parks and gardens, woodland and green areas, so there are plenty of nice things to do, whether visitors are just passing through or staying longer in the city.
In the narrow streets of the old town there is much to find, but the hub of activity has to be the Cours Saleya. Every morning the square is home to a flower, fruit and vegetable market, except on Mondays when it becomes an antique market.
Wandering through the old town, the number of historic buildings can leave visitors without a good guide book missing much of the history, although others may find just enjoying what they find is joy enough.
Le Palaise de la Prefecture was first built as a royal palace in the 17th century and was used by the Princes of Savoy visiting the city before Nice was reunified with the rest of France. Further down the road at 18 Rue de la Prefecture is a fine example of 16th century architecture with a town house from that period.
Little but a few sections of walls remain from the city's 11th century chateau, but the grounds are now a public park high over the city, offering a place to rest, explore the ruins of the former cathedral and take in some great views of Nice and the sea.
Although, Nice is only home to just under half a million people its choice of art galleries is almost unsurpassed.
The Matisse Museum – in a renovated 17th-century Genoan-style villa surrounded by an olive grove – is the home to the artist's personal collection with works from through his life from 1890 to his death in 1954. Matisse, himself, lived in Nice from 1917 until he died.
Showcasing modern and fine arts are Nice's Museum of Contemporary and Modern Art and its Fine Arts Museum.
In the Fine Arts Museum works from last four hundred years can be found, while the Museum of Contemporary and Modern Art takes visitors through the avant-garde of America and Europe from the 1960s to the present day.
Around Nice's port the coming and going of boats of all sizes means there is always something exciting going on and the nearby Quartier Segurane is famed for its antique boutiques and flea market, being Nice's equivalent of Notting Hill.
Beside the port is also le Monument aux Morts, which serves to remember the 3,655 people of Nice who lost their lives in World War II. The monument is built entirely from white stone and is set in the rocks. Within a great arch is a huge urn and at night it is lit up with dramatic effect.
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Things to do
