Historic Nice

A district with period architecture and colorful façades, Old Nice is bordered by the Place Garibaldi on the north side, and by the sea on the south. Considered to be the center of the city, Old Nice is a much frequented tourist venue, extremely lively both day and night.

Departing from the Palais de la Méditerranée, located on the Promenade des Anglais, visitors enter the historic district via Place Masséna. At that point, everything changes: the 4-star hotels, luxury boutiques and casinos give way to Mediterranean alleyways, narrow streets and tall houses set close together, whose yellow and orange façades are radiant in the light of the setting sun.

By day, visitors will be enchanted by the picturesque aspect of the area. Old Nice is home to many traditional food markets where one can buy spices, olives and freshly-made pasta, artisan's workshops and art galleries, as well as tiny designer boutiques. In summer, the streets are cool and shady, which makes this a good time to visit sites and monuments located in Old Nice: the Sainte-Réparate cathedral, the sumptuous Opera House built in 1855, or the Lascaris Palace, containing a splendid collection of ancient musical instruments.

At night, Old Nice is transformed. Local residents and tourists gather there before moving on to one of the many restaurants, bars of discotheques in the neighborhood.