Nestling at the end of picturesque little streets, at the crossroads of some of the city's main avenues and sometimes decorated with impressive fountains, a host of magnificent squares attract millions of visitors in Nice each year. Here is a list of the four finest squares in Nice, within reach on foot or by bike from the Hotel Florence Nice and well worth a visit during your stay on the French Riviera.
1. Place Masséna
Place Masséna Nice - Credits: juliadvd - cate06nice - tanocaminho - clefdureve
The famous Place Masséna is beautiful both day and night. It is just a 5-minute walk from the Hotel Florence Nice, and right at the heart of the city of Nice. Place Masséna is a great meeting place, at the centre of the main shopping avenues in the city and of all the main sights of Nice. On one side of the square is Avenue Jean Médecin, the city's main street. On the other is the Fontaine du Soleil, featuring 5 bronze statues of the Earth, Mercury, Mars, Saturn and Venus gathered around Apollo. The square divides the Promenade du Paillon and the Albert 1st Garden in two. Place Masséna is an impressive sight architecturally, but also delights visitors and locals with the wonderful colours of the building façades all around it and the chequerboard decoration on the ground.
Place Masséna can be seen at its best during the dazzling light show at the Christmas market in December and for the Nice Carnival in February. This is where all the finest festivities take place in Nice at night fall!
2. Place Garibaldi
Place Garibaldi - Credits: rozenn_krebel - ig_cotedazur - michelleinanto - flore_s
Located between Vieux Nice and the port, Place Garibaldi was designed in 1773 by the architect Antoine Spinelli. It is the oldest square in the city of Nice. It has been renamed several times. The current name pays homage to the Italian general and politician, Giuseppe Garibaldi, who was born in Nice. The recently renovated restaurant terraces and numerous bars are often packed with locals who come out to enjoy the sunshine during their lunch breaks. The four ochre and yellow façades with arcades surrounding the square are decorated using a Baroque trompe-l'œil technique.
This lively square with its Italian style can be reached by bike in less than 10 minutes from the Hotel Florence Nice.
3. Place Rossetti
Place Rossetti - Credits: odessvoyages - liliaerokhina - franceinmyglass - owanestek_
Head for Vieux-Nice, a 10-minute walk from your 3-star hotel, to experience the charm of Place Rossetti. It was elected the 7th most beautiful square in France by the magazine Détours en France. Place Rossetti has managed to steal the limelight from the city of Nice's two biggest squares: Place Masséna and Place Garibaldi. This picturesque square is smaller, and is the ideal spot for an ice cream or a coffee on a café terrace. Here you can also visit Nice Cathedral and take some photos of the Castle Hill below.
4. Cours Saleya
Cours Saleya - Credits: rivierafrue - pganzon - withnaomi - kaptain.kenny
Continue your walk through Vieux-Nice as far as Cours Saleya, a big, colourful square alongside the Quai des Etats-Unis. It is a great place for brunch or lunch on a terrace during your stay in Nice.
The famous Nice markets take place every day in this famous site in Vieux Nice: the fruit and vegetable market and the flower market, from Tuesday to Sunday, and the second-hand goods market every Monday.
All the squares can be reached by bike, the favourite means of transport at our green hotel. The Hotel Florence Nice has bike storage available for bikes at night.
Book your environmentally friendly holiday now on our official website and visit the famous sights of Nice, while getting up to 15% off the price of your stay with the code "DIRECT".
