Nice, France 10 Must-See Places When Visiting the French Riviera City
Thankfully, “gap year” was not something I had ever heard of when I was in school. Otherwise, I would have lobbied to spend a year, or a lifetime, in Europe. Instead, I followed the traditional and well-beaten path, graduating and then travelling through Europe on a Eurail pass for as long as possible, spending the least money. After train rides through Spain, Switzerland, Italy and parts of France, we arrived in Nice, France and found an inexpensive hotel in the Old Town. Maybe it resulted from too many train rides or too much travelling, but I never wanted to leave Nice.
Nice 10 Must-See Places
To this day, Nice is one of my favourite cities on the French Riviera, and here are my suggestions for ten (10) must-see places to visit while you are there.
1. Food Markets
The market days in Nice are Tuesday to Sunday. While there are several markets in Nice, the two (2) most famous and exciting are the Cours Saleya market in the Old Town from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the market in the Liberation district from 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
The Cours Saleya market is on the most famous street of Vieux Nice, parallel to the sea and at the foot of Castle Hill. It was where painter Henri Matisse lived on this street—while at the market, look at the Nice Opera House, rebuilt at the end of the 19th century by François Aune, a pupil of Gustave Eiffel. A flea market replaces the fruit and vegetable market on Mondays.
However, many locals prefer the Libration market, which is bigger and offers more choices from regional producers at affordable prices. Visiting this less touristy area is also an opportunity to immerse yourself in the way of life in Nice. Also, there is Cité Marchande, a little covered market still in its original state. Cité Marchand still has the signs of the stores from the 1960s because it’s always a trip back in time. To get to the market, take line 1, Tram, and stop at Libération.
2. Museums
The French Riviera coast has sandy and pebbled beaches, grand villas and designer gardens. Whether you arrive by car, plane, train or yacht, it is an attractive destination for a holiday. While there is no lack of things to do along the Côte d’Azur, you probably cannot sit at the beach daily. For those days when you want a dose of culture, ten (10) museums in Nice are all well worth visiting. The art choices are varied, including a modern art museum (MAMAC), the Musée National Marc Chagall with his The Biblical Message series, and the Musée Matisse featuring works by Henri Matisse.
MAMAC ©CRT Côte d’Azur, France, Anais Brochiero
Note: MAMAC closed in January 2024 for a major renovation to the Promenade du Paillon 2.
3. Promenade des Anglais
A celebrated 7-kilometre coastal boulevard between the sea and palm trees offers superb views of the Bay of Nice and gives the city its unique identity. The history of the Promenade des Anglais dates back to the 19th century. At that time, many European aristocrats chose Nice as their privileged sunspot during winter. The arrival of the upper class, mainly from England, significantly contributed to the economic development and improved the city’s infrastructure and reputation.
Following an economic downturn due to poor harvest in 1821, Reverend Lewis Way decided to raise funds with his compatriots to finance the construction of the famous seafront stretch and provide work for many jobless Niçois. The work was completed in 1824. Honoring the English initiative, the city of Nice named the new walkway “Camin des Inglés.” After the annexation to France in 1860, it changed to” La Promenade des Anglais.”
More About the Promenade des Anglais
4. Place Garibaldi
After the Promenade des Anglais, Place Garibaldi is likely the most frequented plaza in Nice. Situated near Vieux Nice, this large pedestrian area is the city’s oldest square (actually rectangular-shaped). It was constructed in 1773 and designed by Antoine Spinelli, an architect who also planned the Chapel of the Holy Sepulcher. Place Garibaldi is a dynamic place with a tramline and buses passing through, and most visitors will cross the plaza during their visit. Near the centre of the square is a statue of Giuseppe Garibaldi, an Italian politician born in Nice.
Ligne d’Azur tram passing through the Place Masséna ©Paul Shawcross
5. Nice’s Opera House
Since 1992, the Opera Nice Côte d’Azur has been registered as a historic monument. Initially, there was a small theatre located on the same site. In 1776, the Maccarani Theatre was constructed with wood, a building typical of the era. The City of Nice purchased the property from the Maccarani in 1826, intending to replace the theatre with a larger opera house. Designed and constructed by two architects, one local and the other from Turin, the Municipal Theatre opened its doors in 1870. However, tragedy struck in 1881 when a fire began during a performance, destroying the building and resulting in 200 deaths. The neo-classical building you see today dates from 1885 and seats 1,000+ people. Please read the entire history of this building here.
Opéra Nice Côte d’Azur
4/6 rue Saint-François de Paule
06300 Nice
5 (a). Maison Auer is a Must
Maison Auer is located directly across the street from the entrance to the Opera, an institution for food lovers. This boutique is one of the oldest candy stores in Nice. This store sells many tempting sweets within its Victorian-era décor.
Buy some fruit confits traditionally used in ice cream, cakes, or sweet dessert decorations. Fruit confit is sometimes referred to as fruit glacé in France. It was a Roman discovery that they could conserve fruit in honey. The Arabs brought the methodology for saturating fruit in syrup to Europe in the 14th century. Fruit, like many crops, often delivers its bounty all at once. Converting the fruit into a candied form was a way to preserve some harvest. Using osmosis, sugar eventually replaces the water so that the fruit will last long.
La Maison Auer
7 rue Saint-François de Paule
06300 Nice
Open Tuesday – Saturday
Telephone: +33 (0)4 93 85 77 98
6. Basilique de Notre Dame
The Notre Dame de l’Assomption Basilica is a neo-gothic design inspired by the large cathedrals in Paris and Angers. Construction began in 1864 when the County of Nice officially became part of France. The architectural elements of this church are awe-inspiring, with towers measuring 31 metres in height and stunning stained glass windows. In 1978, Pope Paul VI confirmed the Basicia status.
Basilique Notre-Dame
Av Jean Médecin
06000 Nice
Basilique de Notre Dame ©l’Office de Tourisme Métropolitain Nice Côte d’Azur
7. Place Masséna
In the city centre, the most impressive square in Nice is the grandiose red ochre Place Masséna with its controversial Apollo Fountain and its amazing Conversation of Nice, a series of sculptures by the Catalan artist Jaume Plensa. Go after sunset to watch the ‘conversation’ take place, but keep your wits about you as the Ligne d’Azur trams glide silently through the square!
Ligne d’Azur tram passing through the Place Masséna ©Paul Shawcross
8. The Port de Nice
Port de Nice—Port Lympia—is centrally located in the city. The port is located in the Lympia basin, the watershed for a spring of the same name. It is a marina for commercial and pleasure craft of all sizes, including bright-coloured pointus fishing boats and large ferries. Surrounded by hotels and apartments, the port is a dynamic place where locals and visitors interact in cafés and restaurants along the harbour.
9. Saint Nicolas Russian Orthodox Cathedral
The Saint Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral is a magnificent structure built in 1912 in memory of Nicholas Alexandrovich, the one-time heir to the Russian throne who died in Nice of meningitis. It was designed in the classic Old Russian style, with five beautiful onion domes. Seeing the cathedral, you think you’ve somehow stumbled into Moscow. Today, the cathedral is a national monument in France and one of the most visited sites on the French Riviera.
©Côte d’Azur France: Pierre BEHAR
10. Bellet Vineyards
With the Alps as a backdrop and the Côte d’Azur in the foreground, the Bellet vineyards in Nice deliver great wines and a beautiful setting. Situated in the foothills of the southern Alps, the AOC Bellet is an AOP under EU rules. While the appellation covers 650 hectares, only 50 are planted with vines at 200-300 metres altitudes. Like many others in Provence, this appellation benefits from over 300 days of sunshine per year, sufficient natural rainfall in most years, and the mistral and tramontane winds that ensure the grapes don’t suffer from noble rot.
©Château de Crémat
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