Luxury travel in Nice, France : Art, Culture & Riviera Charm

Nice : A Riviera Classic with an Artistic Soul

There are cities that dazzle and cities that linger. Nice, in the heart of the French Riviera, does both. Set between the hills and the sea, Nice, is a city of light, contrast and quiet charisma. Baroque facades meet Belle Époque palaces, old-world markets flow into grand promenades and teal shutters shift in the Mediterranean sun. It’s elegant, but never excessive. Refined, but lived-in, perfect for those seeking luxury travel in Nice with authenticity and style.

Art, History & the Mediterranean Rhythm

For centuries, artists, poets and travelers have been drawn to Nice not just for its beauty, but for its extraordinary light, that crystalline glow that blurs the line between landscape and canvas. Henri Matisse came for a winter and stayed for life. Marc Chagall created a chapel of color here. Today, the city still feels like a gallery without walls, where art, light and place are forever intertwined.

Start your journey in Vieux Nice, the Old Town, where ochre facades and narrow alleys hum with the rhythm of everyday life. The scent of socca, the texture of cobblestones, the echo of voices from café terraces, everything here invites you to wander. Nearby, the Cours Saleya Market bursts with color and rhythm. On weekdays, it’s a floral and culinary feast, herbs, cheese, fruit, olives and spices. On Mondays, it transforms into an antique and vintage market, with silverware, old postcards and weathered books under striped awnings.

Above the city, the Colline du Château offers panoramic views of the Baie des Anges, with the rooftops of Vieux Nice in the foreground and the horizon stretching endlessly beyond. Below, the Promenade des Anglais curves along the shoreline, palm trees, bicycles, parasols and the sea. Scattered along the promenade, les chaises bleues, the city’s signature blue chairs, invite you to pause. To look out. To breathe.

Here, the Mediterranean rhythm becomes your own and the essence of luxury travel in Nice becomes clear : time, beauty and presence.

Museums, Markets & Michelin Stars

Nice’s artistic heritage is rich and quietly resonant.

• At the Musée Matisse, housed in a 17th-century villa in Cimiez, light pours through rooms filled with color and form.
• At the Marc Chagall National Museum, luminous stained glass and vibrant works carry spiritual depth.
• At the Musée des Beaux-Arts, 19th-century elegance meets Riviera opulence.

Art in Nice is not a side note, it is the city’s pulse, past and present.

As evening softens the light, Place Garibaldi fills with locals sharing apéritifs. Along the port, rosé glasses clink at bistro terraces. Dine at JAN, the Michelin-starred table of Chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen, where South African roots meet French finesse. Or choose something more understated, grilled sea bass, a drizzle of lemon and olive oil, and a view of the horizon. This is the culinary side of luxury travel in Nice, where every bite is matched with a view.

Olea’s Way : Nice and Beyond

At Olea Voyages, we craft experiences that reveal both the essence and elegance of Nice. From private art gallery tours to boat days on the Riviera and excursions to nearby gems like Èze, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, or the vineyards tucked in the hills, we curate private tours in Nice that go beyond the guidebook.

Because Nice isn’t just a stop along the coast. It’s a destination in its own right, radiant, relaxed and refined.

A city of color, culture and clarity, lived one sun-drenched moment at a time, the epitome of luxury travel in Nice.