Masséna Square, named in the honour of André Masséna, a Marshal of France during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, was designed by Joseph Vernier in 1844. It is spacious and bordered by ochre-coloured Italianate buildings, palm trees, and stone pines.

It is a popular venue for concerts, public events, and festivals. The Carnival Parade, Bastille Day celebrations, and other traditional festivities are often held here. One of the square’s most distinctive features is the Open Sky Museum - seven sculpted Buddhist figures perched on high stilts above the square. At night, they glow in shifting colours, adding a dreamlike atmosphere.

The Open Sky Museum also includes a display of blue-green “fairy” lights arranged in a kind of poetic Morse code. Opposite the lights stands “Nine Oblique Lines”, a monumental sculpture created to mark the 150th anniversary of Nice’s annexation to France. Nearby, in the Sun Fountain, the god Apollo stands proudly, watching over the city - and the city, in turn, seems to watch him.

Beside the square lies the Paillon Promenade, a lush green park lined with palms and flowering shrubs. Its Mirror Fountain features jets of water that spray in rhythmic bursts from the ground, creating reflections on a polished stone base. Children - and often adults - delight in running through the misty water clouds.

Facing the Paillon Promenade is the Albert I Garden, a public park dating back to the 1880s. Stretching from Masséna Square toward the English Promenade and Old Nice, it hosts summer festivals, including the renowned Nice Jazz Festival. With its fountains, exotic flowers, and shaded paths, it offers a calm, green retreat.

The Fountain of the Sun (Fontaine du Soleil) is undoubtedly one of the most iconic landmarks in Nice. Located at the heart of Massena Square, the fountain is a popular tourist spot and a must-visit for anyone who finds themselves in the vicinity.

This impressive fountain features a magnificent statue of Apollo, the god of the sun, who stands tall and proud at the center of the sculpture. The statue of Apollo is completely naked, symbolizing the strength and beauty of the sun. The statue of Apollo was originally installed in 1956, the same year that the fountain was inaugurated. It was removed in 1970, but has since been restored and can be seen in its entirety today.

The fountain also features five bronze statues that represent planets - Earth, Mars, Mercury, Venus, and Saturn. These statues were created by French sculptor Alfred Janniot and are positioned around the statue of Apollo in a circular formation, symbolizing the solar system.

The Fountain of the Sun is a truly breathtaking work of art, and its location in Massena Square only adds to its beauty. The square is a bustling hub of activity, with street performers, vendors, and locals all coming together to create a lively and vibrant atmosphere.

In the late 1700s, English aristocrats developed a fondness for the city of Nice, spending their winters along the shore. During the harsh winter of 1820, English visitors found themselves surrounded by a wave of beggars. The solution? Build a walkway along the seashore-funded by the Anglican Church. A brilliant idea that benefited everyone.

The city leaders took the plan further, greatly expanding its scope. After Nice was annexed by France in 1860, the “Promenade Path” became known as the English Promenade. Today, locals simply call it La Prom, and it remains a favourite spot for walkers, families, skateboarders, and cyclists.

The Promenade stretches for about four miles around the Bay of Angels”. On the seaside, private and public beaches stand side by side, often crowded during summer months. Don’t be surprised if you have to share your patch of sand. Above the coastline, in the hills of Nice, former aristocratic villas have been transformed into grand hotels and museums.

Tip:
Restaurants along the seafront tend to be more expensive. For a more authentic experience, try the traditional eateries a little farther inland. One of the most vibrant stretches lies between Boulevard Gambetta and the Old Town, where you’ll find the grand Belle Époque hotels, elegant residences, and plenty to explore.

On a sunny day in Nice, the calm of a leisurely stroll might suddenly be broken by the traditional boom of a cannon. Almost as if in response, the forecourt of the Nice Opera House comes alive with an informal burst of live music - turning the interruption into a charming reminder of Nice’s lively spirit.

The Nice Opera House is an esteemed venue for opera, housed in a massive late-19th-century theatre. It regularly presents operas, ballets and classical concerts - a rich variety of performances that trace back to the site’s earliest theatrical use. Indeed, the original wooden theatre on the location opened in 1776.

The building you see today was reconstructed under the direction of architect François Aune, a disciple of Charles Garnier, architect of Paris’s famed opera house, after a catastrophic fire in 1881. Its style has been described variously as Belle Époque or Baroque Revival, and its grandeur is balanced by surprising intimacy.

The theatre’s layout contributes to that effect: it features multiple tiers of boxes and galleries. Visitors today are greeted by congenial tour guides and can explore a historic space that invites a happy evening out.

The charming square known as the Courthouse Square lies quietly yet prominently between the bustling pedestrian lanes and the inviting cafés of the city. Its name is derived from the Courthouse of Nice, which has stood since the early 1890s overlooking the square. Built between 1890 and 1892, this neoclassical-style edifice features an imposing façade and broad staircase that contribute significantly to the character of the space.

The surrounding setting is also noteworthy: the square is flanked by restaurant terraces and lies just a short stroll from the picturesque flower and produce market at Cours Saleya as well as the elegant shopping zone along Avenue Jean Médecin. One of the special features of the square is its Saturday market. On the first and third Saturdays of each month, you’ll find stalls selling vintage books, rare editions, art prints and postcards.

From a tourist's perspective, the square works well as a strategic “breather” between major sights. The square’s colourful pavement, coupled with the neoclassical architecture of the court building, make for a relaxed yet scenic stop.

A trip to Nice absolutely must include a stroll around the Cours Saleya Markets. This lively stretch once served as the city’s main square, but today it’s an open-air market bursting with colour, fragrance, and energy. The sights, sounds, smells, and friendly bustle make it one of the highlights of any visit.

Every Monday morning, the area transforms into an antique market where you can hunt for the perfect piece of Art Deco design or a one-of-a-kind souvenir. From Tuesday through Sunday, the market is devoted to flowers and seasonal produce. The selection changes with the time of year, but everything sold here is fresh and full of Mediterranean flavour.

If your accommodation includes a kitchen, don’t miss the fresh fish stalls - the taste of fish caught just hours before is incomparable, especially when paired with local herbs, bread, and wine.

During summer evenings, the Cours Saleya becomes a craft market. You can shop for flowers, fruit, cheese, olives, and bread in the morning, then return after sunset to browse handmade jewellery, art, and souvenirs. The surrounding cafés and restaurants make it easy to linger - the perfect way to spend a summer day in Nice.

For early birds, this market is a delight. Bring reusable bags for your purchases, along with small bills and coins - the vendors are busy and often prefer quick transactions.

Tip: Be there around noon. You’ll hear the daily cannon fired - a long-standing tradition that began with the Duke of Nizza, who used it as a reminder for his shop-loving wife to come home for lunch.

Castle Hill is a must see with its breathtaking views of the city and the Mediterranean Sea. This area is where Nice was founded in the third century BCE. From high on the hill a trading post was established and then a defensive post was maintained. A large wall was built around the city only to be torn down in the early 1700s.

Don’t go to the hill expecting to see the “Castle”, as a few ruins still remain but that is all. The area is still intriguing nonetheless. Aside from the exquisite views, there is a beautiful park, the Naval Museum, stepping stones that depict the Odyssey by Homer and a beautiful old cemetery filled with gorgeous headstones.

There is also a man-made waterfall along the way, which sometimes gets shutoff in the late afternoon, so be sure to visit early if you want to see it. There are plenty of benches around the area so take a few minutes to revel in the Mediterranean splendor of the park. This is a great place to pack a picnic lunch and spend the afternoon. There is a small cafe in the area too.

Getting to the hill can be accomplished several different ways depending upon time constraints and fitness. For those who like to walk, take the steps up to the observation platform. There are 213 steps but the view is spectacular along the way. For a fee, there is also an elevator or a motorized train. The train does not really allow for any wandering, so for those who like to stroll and look on their own schedule, take the steps or the elevator or a combination of the two.

Being a cemetery does not make it a less interesting place to visit. Castle Cemetery sits on top of the hill at Cimiez, and has one of the most beautiful views of the city. So, visiting the cemetery is certainly not very depressing.

The cemetery was founded in 1783. Most of the graves are very ornate and there are many small chapel style gravesites made in white marble. The works of art kind of reflect the love of art that the locals have for all aspects of life. Here art is life.

Most people visit this place, though, for two famous people who are buried here. It is the final resting place of Raoul Dufy, the famous French Fauvist painter. This is also the burial spot for the internationally renowned French painter Henri Matisse, whose works are adored by millions of art lovers worldwide. You will have to look a bit for the burying site of Dufy, as it is a very simple plot to say the least. It located near the Monastery garden gate. Matisse’s grave, on the other hand, is easier to spot.

The Castle Cemetery used to also be the citadel for the city in the 16th Century. There are, in total, more than 2800 people buried here. Besides the two people already mentioned, you can find the final resting places of other famous people like Gaston Leroux, a French journalist and author of detective fiction, and Emil Jellinek-Mercedes, an entrepreneur and industrialist who commissioned the first modern automobile, the Mercedes 35 HP.

Saint Francis Market is located in the Saint-Francois Square in the Nice Old Town. There are some interesting old streets off the square with a few restaurants and shops. The boucherie Saint Francois is popular among the local people. The clientele is very particular about how they want their cuts prepared and they always get what they want.

Saint Francois Square is a small square. The architecture of the surrounding buildings remind one of an opera set. It has a busy fish market. It opens every morning at six am except Mondays. The market runs all morning. By afternoon, between the customers and the seagulls it is all over.

The square is being refurbished but this is still a quieter part of the Old Town. Besides fish and meat, other foods are plentiful at lower prices. There are always fresh produce and local specialities like soccar (chickpea crepe), salad nicoise with tuna and anchovy, and pissalidiere (onion, olive and anchovy pizza).

Open: Tuesday–Sunday 6 am to 1 pm (closed on Mondays)

Lascaris Palace was built in the 1600s for the Lascaris-Vintimille family. It is one of the best representations of how the truly wealthy lived during that time period. The palace was restored during the 1940s and then was open to the public as a museum. The spectacular Baroque building is well worth the visit especially for those who love musical instruments.

Le Groupe AXA loaned an extensive collection of period instruments to the museum. In addition, there are also paintings that depict musical instruments, and it is not unusual to be able to hear some of the instruments being played. The palace also hosts several musical events throughout the year – check the schedule.

Be sure to see the "noble floor", where much of the original grandeur has been restored. This was used as a gathering place and is very fitting for a rich, noble family. The palace has the obligatory Baroque staircase as well as beautiful murals and tapestries. There is also an apothecary on the ground floor that houses many original pieces from the 18th century and some beautiful delft pieces.

Tip: If you plan to explore several museums in Nice, consider getting the city’s multi-museum pass. It offers access to all municipal museums for a set period - from a short stay to a full week - and is a convenient way to see more while spending less.

If you’re looking for a place to spend a leisurely day simply watching the world go by, head to the famous Rossetti Square. This charming public square is reached by several winding streets of the Old Town, each leading into a lively open space centred around a beautiful Baroque-style fountain.

The surrounding buildings are centuries old, their façades slightly tilted with age, giving the square its distinctive old-world charm. Look up and you’ll often see laundry strung across balconies - a touch of everyday life that adds to the atmosphere.

While you’re here, be sure to treat yourself to a scoop of artisanal ice cream from Fenocchio, a beloved local institution. And when it’s time to sit down for a meal, take your pick from one of the inviting cafés or restaurants bordering the square. Bon appétit!

The Paillon Promenade (Promenade du Paillon) in Nice is a picturesque green corridor that connects the Walkway of the English (Promenade des Anglais) to the National Theater along the Avenue des Phocéens, the Boulevard Jean-Jaurès, the Avenue de Verdun, and the Avenue Félix-Faure. The promenade spans 1.2 km and follows the course of the Paillon-covered river. Designed by the landscaper Michel Péna, it features 1,600 trees, 6,000 shrubs, and 50,000 perennials.

The project to create the promenade began in 2010 with the demolition of the Nice bus station and its hanging gardens. It was inaugurated on October 26, 2013, and has since become a popular destination for locals and tourists, especially children who enjoy playing on the various attractions.

The Paillon Promenade includes a 3,000 square meters water mirror equipped with 128 jets and a 1,400 square meters mist plateau. It offers several scenarios to the spectators and is a sight to behold. Park regulations prohibit sitting on the lawns.

The Paillon Promenade is a part of the Green Belt (Coulée Verte), and in January 2020, the mayor of Nice presented a project to extend it. This extension will lead to the demolition of the National Theater of Nice and the Acropolis Congress Center (Palais des Congrès Acropolis) and will cover an area of just under 8 hectares. The extension is set to be completed by 2025.

The Notre Dame Church of Nice is the largest of the churches located in the city. It is also one of the main Old Town attractions, representing the first of the churches built in the area in a more modern architectural style. You can find the building on Avenue Jean Medecin, in the very heart of that part of Nice.

By far, most of the religious buildings in Nice have been designed in an Italian Baroque manner. So, in 1848, when the Basiliquee Notre-Dame was built, its very Gothic style represented something totally new. The design was created by the well known architect C. Lenormand. The style lends an old and majestic kind of look to this house of worship that transcends the building's actual age.

The Avenue Jean Medecin is a very busy street in old Nice; therefore, it shouldn't be too difficult for anyone to find things to do along its whole length, making a stop at the famous church a must-do for your trip.

Why You Should Visit:
The architecture is impressive, especially when the exterior is lit up at night and reflects in the glass windows next door and across the street. Serene, with beautiful rose windows and stained glass on the inside, it offers a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of downtown Nice.

The Matisse Museum (Musée Matisse) is a must-visit destination for art enthusiasts visiting Nice. Located high on the hill of Cimiez, the museum is dedicated to the life and work of the renowned painter and former Nice resident, Henri Matisse. The museum is housed in a beautiful 17th-century Genoese villa that belonged to the Guernatis family, painted in cheerful red and yellow tones and decorated with trompe-l'oeil (design intended to create a visual illusion).

Surrounded by the Cimiez Arenes Garden (Jardin des Arenes de Cimiez), which spans over 36,000 square meters and boasts olive, pine, and cypress trees, the Matisse Museum offers visitors a stunning visual experience. The ground floor of the villa is devoted to Matisse's first works, dating from 1890 to 1905, which provide an invaluable starting point for understanding Matisse's progression as an artist. Notable pieces include Nature Morte aux Livres and various copies he did of works found in the Louvre.

The museum also features Matisse's masterpieces that memorialize his stay in Nice, such as A Storm in Nice (1919) and Odalisque with Red Box (1926). Visitors can also admire his famous paintings from the 1930s, including Window in Tahiti and Nymph in the Forest. A room is dedicated to Matisse's paper cuttings, which he created in later years as his physical health declined. Visitors can also view a collection of studies Matisse executed in preparation for his magnificent stained glass in the Vence Chapel.

Throughout the museum, visitors can get a glimpse into the life and personality of the artist through displays of objects he admired enough to paint as well as photographs of Matisse, his wife, and his models. Additionally, a series of temporary exhibitions are mounted in the villa's new, modern wing, providing visitors with the opportunity to view a variety of art.

Why You Should Visit:
As long as you don't expect too many Matisse paintings, you will appreciate this museum that focuses on the artist's career development through many aspects of his work.
The ticket allows entry to other Nice museums within 24hrs of the visit, but for the Matisse fan, this alone is worth the entrance fee.

Tip:
Make sure you bring ID for under 18s, as they get in for free.

The Cathedrale Saint-Nicolas, an Eastern Orthodox cathedral in Nice, is a possession of the Russian Federation. Nevertheless, it is also a national monument of France. It is in the Moscow Patriarchate and it's the largest Eastern Orthodox church in Western Europe. In 1864 Tsar Alexander II took the first train to Nice and fell in love with the climate.

Since the visit of Alexander II the Riviera has been very popular with the Russians. The Cathedral was consecrated in 1912 in memory of Tsarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich, who had died in Nice. Funding for the Cathedral was provided by Tsar Nicholas II of unhappy memory. In 2013 the Court of Cassation ruled the building and land to be Russian.

Although the Cathedral is located in Nice, one glance at the exterior would give it away. It is Russian, inside and out. No other architecture in Nice approaches it. It makes one think of a Fabrage egg. The onion-shaped domes and bright colors, the vast collection of icons leave no doubt.

Admission to sightseers is free but no photographs inside are allowed and telephones should be turned off. There is a dress code for those who wish to go inside. Men must not wear shorts. Women may not show bare shoulders and heads should be covered.

Parc Phoenix in Nice is a must-visit destination for anyone planning a trip to the city. Spread over 7 hectares near the airport, the park combines a zoo, a botanical garden, a playground, and a picnic area. The park opened in 1990 and has become a popular attraction since then.

Upon entering the park, visitors will notice a large lake that is home to various species of birds such as peacocks, ducks, swans, and pelicans. The Museum of Asian Art is located on one side of the lake, and visitors can access it for free as part of their park ticket. On the other side of the lake is a fountain that dances to classical music, providing an excellent opportunity for visitors to relax and enjoy the show.

As visitors explore the park, they will come across a cascade with bridges leading to another fountain, and finally, a vast grassy square where they can enjoy a picnic. The park also has a gastronomic point and an animal area on either side of the square.

The zoo at Parc Phoenix is a popular attraction, especially for children. Visitors can see a wide range of animals, including ostriches, kangaroos, parrots of many species, porcupines, turtles swimming in a stream, and even lemurs. The zoo culminates in the Ara parrots, which can be quite loud. Nearby, there is a playground for children to enjoy.

The highlight of Parc Phoenix is undoubtedly the Green Diamond, a glass pyramid-shaped greenhouse that is the largest of its kind in Europe. The greenhouse, with a diameter of 100 meters and a floor area of 7,000 square meters, is divided into seven climatic zones, each with its unique flora and fauna. Visitors can see large palms, banana trees, ferns, exotic butterflies, fish, and many other plant species inside. Although the greenhouse has seen better days, it is still an impressive sight, and visitors can sit on a hut's terrace and enjoy the view.

Parc Phoenix is a great way to spend a few hours during a visit to Nice, suitable for both adults and children. Its combination of a zoo, tropical botanical garden, playground, and picnic area offers something for everyone.