Places to visit in Nice

Nice is the capital of the Cote d’Azur and part of the glorious French Riviera. It has a spectacular coastline which is extremely popular during the summer months for swimming, waterskiing, jet skiing and sunbathing. The famous Promenade des Anglais, or simply the ‘Promenade’, stretches for 6 km along the Mediterranean coast at the Baie des Anges (Bay of Angels), where visitors can enjoy endlessly beautiful sea views. Besides the magnificent beaches, Nice has many tourist city attractions, museums, parks and monuments.

Popular Tourist Attractions

The Cathedrale Orthodoxe Russe St. Nicholas is one of the most visited attractions in Nice. This Russian Orthodox Cathedral was built in the early 1900’s by Tsar Nicholas. The church is beautifully created with some particularly fine wood work, and has many historic objects of interest. Admission to the church is free.

A historic monastery lies in the Cimiez district, called the Monastère Notre Dame de Cimiez. The buildings date back to the 17th century, and today house several medieval masterpieces.

The Palais Lascaris (Lascaris Palace) is a richly decorated 17th century palace. It is one of Nice’s historic gems and a well-loved tourist attraction. The Palace has the added attraction of a restored 18th century pharmacy.

Museums in Nice

• Musée National Message Biblique Marc Chagall. This museum features 17 works of art created by Marc Chagall, which depict his Biblical Message from the Old Testament. Chagall lived in St. Paul-de-Vence, which is a small village nearby Nice.
• Musée de Paleontologie Humaine Terra Amata (Museum of Human Paleontology). A popular museum demonstrating the pre-historic life of the earliest man.
• Musée d’Archéologie de Nice-Cimiez (Archaeological Museum).
• Musée Départemental des Arts Asiatiques (Regional Museum of the Asian Arts). This is Nice’s newest museum and is dedicated to Asiatic culture. It is located in the beautiful Phoenix Parc with lovely views of the lake. The museum is a popular venue for events, such as workshops and the tea ceremony. The building is an attraction in itself, with a fascinating Japanese design.

The most notable landmarks and monuments in Nice include the Acropolis, a striking multimedia and conference center, the Old Port, the Promenade des Anglais, Fort du Mont Alban and the Arc de Venet, a gigantic metal arc created by Bernard Venet.

Nice has many beautiful parks and gardens that are ideal locations for strolling and relaxing in a peaceful environment. There are smaller parks and spots of green, as well as larger well-tended botanical gardens. The main botanical garden is the Phoenix Parc Floral de Nice, which has a magnificent tropical hothouse with over 2,500 plant species. A favorite area of this park is the Ile des Temps Révolus (The Island that Time Forgot) in the middle of the artificial lake.

One of Nice’s oldest parks is the Jardins Albert 1er featuring manicured green lawns, palm trees and fountains. Other popular areas include Parc du Château, the Musée Masséna Gardens, another botanical garden of Jardin Botanique and a unique garden space on the rooftop of Nice’s contemporary art gallery, Jardin d’Eden.

Tourists will find many shopping opportunities in Nice. The main pedestrian shopping street is the Rue de France with many exclusive clothing boutiques, cafes and restaurants. Many of the department stores, high street shops and shopping centers are found on or nearby the Avenue Jean Médecin. One of the shopping centers here is the Nice Etoile. Smaller independent shops can be found in the narrow streets of Vieux Nice. Here you will find giftware and handmade crafts. Nice’s main outdoor market is held in Cours Aleva, selling flowers and fresh produce from Tuesday to Sunday, and antiques, bric-a-brac and second hand clothing on Mondays.

Visitors arriving at Nice Airport can find out more information on Nice attractions at the airport’s tourist information center. Nice’s main tourism bureau is along the Promenade des Anglais.