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Best Attractions in Nice (2026)

Nice packs a remarkable range of sights into a compact centre. The seafront Promenade des Anglais and the wooded Castle Hill frame the Baie des Anges, and between them lie the Baroque churches of the old town, including Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate, and the arcaded Place Masséna with its fountain and illuminated statues. Inland, the Promenade du Paillon park offers shade, a water mirror and playgrounds, while the onion domes of the St Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral rise above the residential streets west of the centre. The hill district of Cimiez is the art lover's destination, with the Musée Matisse, the Musée National Marc Chagall and the gardens of the Cimiez Monastery, where Matisse is buried.

Most central sights are free and within walking distance of each other, so a first day can cover the Promenade, Place Masséna, the old town and Castle Hill on foot. Set aside a morning for Cimiez, starting at the Chagall museum and continuing uphill to the Matisse museum and the monastery gardens. City museums such as the Musée Matisse and the Villa Masséna close on Tuesdays, and the national Chagall museum is also closed that day, so plan around it. A city museum ticket covers the municipal museums for several days, and the French Riviera Pass includes several of the main sights. In summer, visit Castle Hill early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid the midday heat.

10 places · Updated October 27, 2026

Our top 3 attractions in Nice

  1. Promenade des Anglais Seafront promenade, SeafrontNice's seafront avenue curves for almost seven kilometres around the Baie des Anges, lined with palms, pebble beaches and the city's famous blue chairs.
  2. Castle Hill (Colline du Château) Hilltop park and viewpoint, Vieux NiceA wooded hilltop park between the old town and the port, with free entry, an artificial waterfall and the classic view over the Baie des Anges.
  3. Musée Matisse Art museum, CimiezA seventeenth-century Genoese villa in the Cimiez olive grove holding nearly 600 works donated by Henri Matisse and his heirs, from early paintings to late cut-outs.

Attraction

3. Musée Matisse

Art museumCimiez

A seventeenth-century Genoese villa in the Cimiez olive grove holding nearly 600 works donated by Henri Matisse and his heirs, from early paintings to late cut-outs.

View details — Musée Matisse

Attraction

7. Villa Masséna

Art and history museumPromenade des Anglais

A Belle Epoque palace on the Promenade des Anglais housing the Musée Masséna, which tells the story of Nice and the Riviera from the 18th to the early 20th century.

View details — Villa Masséna

Attraction

9. Place Masséna

Historic squareCity centre

Nice's main square, framed by red arcaded buildings and black-and-white paving, with the Fontaine du Soleil and Jaume Plensa's seven illuminated figures overhead.

View details — Place Masséna