Phoenix Parc Floral de Nice, Nice

Outside Nice, near the airport, this vast tourist attraction includes a botanical garden and a bird and insect zoo where visitors can tour a huge greenhouse full of wonderful butterflies. There is also a tacky theme park with automated dinosaurs and mock Mayan temples but the highlight of the park is the Musée Départemental des Artes Asiatiques ,which houses a collection of ethnographic artefacts, including silk goods and pottery, as well as traditional and contemporary art.

Opening Times:
Museum: 10am-6pm (May to September), 10am-5pm (October to April); closed Tuesdays. Park: 9am-7pm (March to October), 9am-5pm (November to April).

Admission:
EUR5.34 (museum); EUR6.10 (park)

The Château de Nice, Nice

With wonderful views over the rooftops and gleaming mosaic tiles of Old Nice, along the sweep of the promenade des Anglais and out to the Mediterranean, the Château park is a lovely attraction in itself and a good place for visitors to orientate themselves with the city. The Château de Nice has long gone but with cool walks in the shade of the trees, a large grassy park, Roman ruins and a waterfall, it is a great place to spend an afternoon. To reach the park, visitors can either climb the steps at the front, from the Quai des Etats Unis, or for those who aren't up to it an elevator is available.

Musée Matisse, Nice

Renowned artist Henri Matisse spent the last few years of his life in Nice and he is honoured by this museum. The Musée Matisse has several permanent collections, mostly painted in Nice and many donated by the artist and his heir. The better known paintings include Nude in an Armchair with a Green Plant(1937), Nymph in the Forest(1935/1942) and Portrait of Madame Matisse(1905). There is also an ensemble of drawings including The Créole Dancer(1951) and Blue Nude IV(1952). Seeing his nude sketches today, you'll wonder why early critics denounced them as 'the female animal in all her shame and horror.'

Getting There:
Bus 15, 17, 20, 22 or 25

Opening Times:
Wednesday to Monday 10am-6pm. Closed Tuesdays and bank holidays.

Admission:
Entry is free, tours are EUR5 per person.

Antibes, Nice

Antibes is a pleasant excursion a few miles east of Cannes. It has one of the best markets on the coast and an excellent Picasso museum in its ancient seafront castle, the 16th-century Château Grimaldi. Picasso was lent a room in the castle to use as a studio in 1946; several extremely prolific months followed before he moved to Vallauris, leaving all his Antibes output to what is now the Musée Picasso. Although Picasso donated other works later, most of the collection dates from this one period, including the best known work, Ulysses and his Sirens. Picasso himself is the subject of some of his paintings. There are also works here by some of Picasso's contemporaries, including Nicholas de Stael. Alongside the castle is a cathedral which dates from Medieval times; only the choir and apse survive from the original Romanesque building, the nave and magnificent facade are Baroque. Nearby is a market which is open every morning over the summer and overflows with local produce.

Opening Times:
Musée Picasso open Tuesday to Sunday 10am-6pm (15 June to 15 September); rest of year 10am-12pm and 2pm-6pm. Open Wednesday and Friday nights in summer until 8pm.

Admission:
EUR6 entry to Musée Picasso: concessions available.

St Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Nice

Nice and the French Riviera were fashionable holiday resorts for Russian nobility in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, leading to a close relationship between the regions that culminated in the rose-pink Russian Orthodox Cathedral, one of the most beautiful buildings in Nice. Topped with the onion-shaped domes distinctive to Russian cathedrals, the church was built by Tsar Nicholas II in 1912 and is the largest of its kind outside of Russia. There is presently an ownership dispute between the Russian government and the current tenants, part of an overseas jurisdiction. No matter who owns it, the odd image of the Russian spires set against the background of palm trees on the Cote d'Azur is one of the most interesting sights in Nice.

Getting There:
Northwest of the central train station.

Opening Times:
May to September: 9am-12pm and 2:30-6pm; closes 5pm October to April.

Marc Chagall Museum, Nice

Celebrated modernist artist Marc Chagall (1887-1985), though born in the Soviet Union, spent much of his career in France. The Marc Chagall Museum in Nice has the largest permanent collection of his works, including his Biblical Message Cycle, comprising 17 large-scale paintings depicting scenes from the Bible. The museum also has a large collection of lithographs, sculptures, and ceramics house in the block-like building and attractive gardens.

Getting There:
Bus No. 15 and 22 go past the 'Musée Chagall' stop.

Opening Times:
Wednesday to Monday 10am-6pm (closes 5pm November to April). Closed 1 January, 1 May, and 25 December.

Admission:
EUR7.50, concessions available.

Cours Saleya Food and Flower Market, Nice

Nice's most famous market area, the Cours Saleya bustles with activity every day and is a riot of colour and fresh smells. A wonderful attraction for visitors, the market is packed with flowers, fresh produce, souvenir shops and sidewalk cafés. On Mondays the area hosts a large flea market and an antiques market, and evern if you're not looking to buy anything you can still enjoy the food and soak up the vibrant atmosphere.

Opening Times:
Tuesday to Sunday from 6am

Musée des Beaux-Arts Jules Chéret, Nice

Housed in the former residence of the Ukrainian Princess Kotchubey is a fine collection of 19th and 20th century art, including works by Boudin, Ziem, Raffaelli, Renoir and Monet. The Musée des Beaux-Arts Jules Chéret gallery includes great sculptures including works by J. B. Carpeaux, Rude and Rodin. There is also an important collection devoted to the masters of the Second Empire and Belle Epoque, a great attraction for visitors to Nice.

Getting There:
Bus 3, 6, 9, 10, 12, 22 or 23 to Grosso stop, or bus 38 to Chéret stop

Opening Times:
Tuesday to Sunday 10am-6pm. Closed Mondays and bank holidays.

Admission:
Entry is free, guided tours are EUR5.