Nice on UNESCO’s World Heritage List
Explore the treasures of Nice, Winter Resort Town of the Riviera
Since 2021, part of the city of Nice has been on UNESCO’s World Heritage List as a ‘Winter Resort Town of the Riviera’. Discover its beauty, its rich history and its emblematic architecture through the immersive virtual tour, the tour routes or the guided tour in the heart of Nice.
Virtual tour
Dive into an immersive tour that takes you through spectacular 360° views, offering a unique perspective on the city’s cultural treasures.
UNESCO routes
Follow the UNESCO routes to discover the architectural treasures inherited from the winter resort. Our application will help you along the way!
Guided tour
With the guided tour ‘When Nice invented the Riviera’, take a trip back to the time of the first winter visitors to understand how Nice became a winter resort.
Don’t miss any of the city’s UNESCO World Heritage sites
Plaques and totems have been placed in front of 10 key sites in the listed area. They allow walkers to learn more about the history of the “Riviera Winter Resort City”. Within the UNESCO-listed perimeter, the 152 studs on the ground indicate to visitors the special value of the site they are visiting.
Visit a unique and listed city during your next holiday!
The city of Nice is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its beauty, history, architecture and natural spaces.
Indeed, the capital of the French Riviera has seen the four letters of its name inscribed on the World Heritage List as the “Winter Resort Town of the Riviera”. At a glance, you can see why it is called “Nissa La Bella”.
A broad scope
Explore this exceptional urban ensemble of 522 hectares.
The perimeter includes :
- The entire coastline, from the Promenade des Anglais to the foot of Mont Boron. All this while passing by the Quai des États-Unis, the Quai Rauba Capeù, and the Port of Nice.
- The must-sees: Place Masséna, Colline du Château and Quai des Ponchettes.
- The heart of Nice with the pedestrian zone, the Carré d’Or and its luxury boutiques, the musicians’ district, Avenue Jean Médecin, and the Promenade du Paillon, a veritable green lung in the city centre.
- The Libération district, its fish market. Visit also the Gare du Sud, a place of life and festivity that nestles behind a sublime historical façade.
- The listed area also includes some exceptional gems. Among them, the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, the Cimiez hills and its sublime gardens.
“[…] With this decision, UNESCO recognises the Outstanding Universal Value of Nice’s architectural, landscape and urban heritage, and in particular of the vast 522-hectare urban complex, an eminent example of the fusion of international cultural influences, shaped from the middle of the 18th century to the middle of the 20th century by the cosmopolitan winter resort.”
Christian Estrosi, Mayor of Nice, President of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis
The site is surrounded by 4,243 hectares of “buffer zone”. This protects its coherence and extends to the communes of Falicon, Saint André de la Roche, Aspremont and Tourrette-Levens.
To obtain the precious inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the city of Nice had to justify an “Exceptional Universal Value” by its international cultural influences, the architectural variety of its buildings but also its abundant and varied vegetation.
In fact, see for yourself and explore this magnificent picture of cultural richness that invites you to escape and get away from it all. Immerse yourself in the scenery and admire the beauty of the buildings that stand all around you. Discover the snow-capped mountains in the background. In front of you, admire the azure blue of the sea as far as the eye can see. Colours that will brighten up your holiday in Nice Côte d’Azur, whether you stay for a day, a week or forever.
