Bucket list experience:
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Villa Massena, a lavish Second Empire palace (built circa 1900), was donated to Nice by the aristocratic Massena family, to house the city’s Museum of Art and History. A beautiful and intriguing building in itself, the villa’s 20 rooms now retrace the history of Nice through more than 1,500 exhibits – ranging from furniture to decorations and artworks.
Historic figures Napoleon and Garibaldi (the latter born in Nice) get plenty of attention – Napoleon’s letters to his wife Josephine, along with some of her clothes, are particularly interesting – and there are fascinating photos and relics from the resort’s early days.
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Destination Guide >Recommended itineraries by our writers that include this experience
France
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France
Where to go and what to see in Nice to get the most from your trip – a 5-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Dana Facaros.
The museum is handily located just off the Promenade des Anglais; its English-style public gardens were recently restored (along with the villa). See them at their best in spring and summer.
The museum is open all year round, Wednesday to Monday. Closed Tuesdays.
Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[0.4 miles]
Big, full-service hotel with a flashy image, set in a historic casino on Nice’s famous Promenade des Anglais seafront.
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Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[0.4 miles]
This attractive, friendly and affordable 4-star boutique hotel stands out for its lovely garden. It’s handily located just outside the pedestrianised area of Old Nice, close to Nice’s main sights, and a short walk to its beach.
Official star rating:
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[0.5 miles]
This fun, colourful and affordable design hotel channels this area’s beach clubs, just off Nice’s Promenade des Anglais.
Official star rating:
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[1.3 miles]
Contemporary suites and apartments set in an attractive 18th-century building, in a superb location in Old Nice. A great base for a few days in Nice.
Official star rating:
Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Cote d'Azur, France
Money, glamour and bombshell looks: this beach-trimmed stretch of French coast offers decadent hotels, lounging in beach clubs, fine restaurants and world-class art.
Cote d'Azur, France
The buzzing, art-filled, foodie capital of the French Riviera, with a charming, Italian-influenced historic centre. The ideal base for a first-time visit to the Cote d’Azur, and home to the world-renowned Nice Carnival.
Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[1 miles]
A spectacular train ride on a narrow-gauge railway through scenic French countryside, that you can ride from Nice on the Cote d’Azur to Annot in Haute Provence.
Best for ages: 4+ | £22 | 1 day
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[1.3 miles]
Nice’s food and flower market, held along the pedestrianised Cours Saleya esplanade, is packed with all the vibrant, sensuous colours, flavours and scents of the south: lavender, marzipan, sugared almonds, spices, herbal teas, takeaway socca and pissaladiere snacks. Held Tuesday to Sunday, around 6.30am to 1.30pm.
Best for ages: 13+ | Free
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[1.5 miles]
An opulent Baroque palace from the 17th century, containing lavish interiors, 17th and 18th-century decorative and fine arts collections, and a collection of 500 musical instruments.
Best for ages: 18+ | £9
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[1.6 miles]
Parades, costumes, flower ‘battles’, lights, and sun: Nice holds one of the world’s best carnivals – second only to Rio.
Best for ages: 4+ | Free | 2 weeks
Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[0.8 miles]
This magnificent former private mansion – built by a Russian princess – contains a fine collection of paintings and sculptures from the 16th to 20th century, by artists who lived in the Cote D’Azur.
Best for ages: 18+ | £8
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[2.3 miles]
A superb collection of art from France’s ‘Naive’ art movement, housed in a delightful pink mansion. Over 600 works from 27 countries.
Best for ages: 18+ | £5
Villefranche-sur-Mer , Cote d'Azur, France[4.9 miles]
Tucked between chi-chi St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Nice, the charming Medieval village of Villefranche-sur-Mer is the relaxed, boho antidote to the moneybags Riviera. A kilometre of coarse, gently shelving golden sand and crystalline waters, it’s all free and open to the public.
Best for ages: Any | Free
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[6.1 miles]
Built in 1908 in an ancient-Greek-style, this villa in a ravishing seaside garden setting features replica 2nd-century AD interiors typical of the island of Delos. The project of two scholars obsessed with the period.
Best for ages: 18+ | £8
