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La Belle du Midi

Nice architecture

Nice is the capital of the French Riviera and was the winter playground of European royalty and aristocracy from the 19th century onward. The famous Promenade des Anglais (Walk of the English) was literally funded and built by the British expatriate community who wintered here. The city changed hands between France and Savoy several times in its history and was only permanently incorporated into France in 1860 — Nice thus has a distinct identity that blends French, Italian, and Occitan cultural influences.

  • 5Landmarks
  • 1699Oldest · Nice Cathedral
  • 37 mTallest · Nice Cathedral
  • 3Architects

Before you go

  • Fly intoNice Côte d'Azur Airport (NCE)

    Nice Côte d'Azur Airport is France's second busiest airport after Paris Charles de Gaulle, reflecting the Riviera's status as a premier global destination. The airport sits dramatically on a narrow strip of land between the Mediterranean Sea and the city, offering stunning sea views on final approach. Trams connect the terminal directly to the city center. The nearby Monaco and its Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit is just 20 minutes away.

  • CurrencyEuro (€)
  • LanguageFrench

    French is the official language, though you will hear Niçard — a local Occitan dialect related to Provençal — in traditional settings. The city's Italian heritage means Italian is understood by many older residents, and the cuisine reflects the Piedmontese and Ligurian influences of the neighboring region. Nice's Niçoise dialect gave its name to the famous salade niçoise — a dish that Niçois will passionately debate the authentic ingredients of.

  • Getting aroundTramway de Nice

    Nice's modern tramway has three lines connecting the old town, the port, the airport, and the university districts. Line 1's cross-city route connects the main train station to the seafront. The city's extensive pedestrian zones along the waterfront and through the Vieux-Nice (old town) make the city extremely walkable. Ferries connect the old port to Corsica and Sardinia.

5 landmarks in Nice

  1. Promenade des Anglais

    Promenade des Anglais, 06000 Nice, France

    The iconic 7km seaside promenade built in 1820 with funds raised by the English expatriate community wintering in Nice, stretching along the Baie des Anges (Bay of Angels). Its palm-lined walkway, distinct blue chairs, and views of the Mediterranean have defined Nice's image worldwide.

    Built
    1820
    Architect
    Lewis Way (initiator)
    Style
    Belle Epoque
    Stories
    1
    Today
    Public promenade & tourist landmark

  2. Castle Hill, Nice

    Colline du Chateau, 06000 Nice, France

    The hilltop park and archaeological site overlooking the old port of Nice, site of the medieval town and its castle demolished in 1706. Today the hill contains a beautiful landscaped park, ruins of a 10th-century cathedral, an artificial waterfall, and panoramic terraces.

    Built
    1885
    Style
    Natural landscape park
    Stories
    1
    Today
    Public park & archaeological site
  3. Nice Cathedral
    Photo: Myrabella, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Nice Cathedral

    Place Rossetti, 06300 Nice, France

    The Cathedral of Saint Reparata (Cathedrale Sainte-Reparate de Nice), a Baroque cathedral dedicated to the young Christian martyr. Begun in 1650, its green dome is a landmark of the Vieux-Nice skyline and its interior contains some of the finest 17th and 18th century decorative arts in the region.

    Built
    1699
    Architect
    Jean-Andre Guiberto
    Style
    Italian Baroque
    Height
    37 m (121 ft)
    Stories
    2
    Today
    Active cathedral
  4. Matisse Museum
    Photo: Tubantia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Matisse Museum

    164 Avenue des Arenes de Cimiez, 06000 Nice, France

    A museum dedicated to Henri Matisse housed in a 17th-century Genoese villa (Villa des Arenes) in the Cimiez neighborhood where Matisse lived for the last 17 years of his life. It holds the world's largest public collection of Matisse's work.

    Built
    1963
    Architect
    Unknown (17th century villa)
    Style
    Genoese Baroque villa
    Height
    10 m (33 ft)
    Stories
    3
    Today
    Art museum

  5. Musée d'Art Moderne et d'Art Contemporain de Nice

    Place Yves Klein, 06364 Nice Cedex 4, France

    The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MAMAC), housed in a striking 1990 building of four towers connected by glass walkways, holds one of France's most important collections of European and American avant-garde art from the 1960s to the present.

    Built
    1990
    Architect
    Yves Bayard and Henri Vidal
    Style
    Contemporary
    Height
    14 m (46 ft)
    Stories
    4
    Today
    Museum of modern and contemporary art

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