The beautiful scenery, pleasant climate and glorious Mediterranean light have drawn artists to the French Riviera for centuries. Today, that means there are plenty of sights in Nice for the art lover, including excellent museums and art-filled villas.
Begin this half-day art tour of Nice with pickup at your central Nice hotel and travel to the Cimiez neighborhood north of the Old Town. There are two art museums in this area on your tour itinerary, the first of which is the Chagall Museum. The museum's collection includes many of Marc Chagall's work, but is perhaps best known for its large collection of Old Testament paintings. Explore the Chagall Museum with an informative audio guide.
The next stop is the Matisse Museum on Cimiez Hill, not far from the Chagall Museum. The colorful collection inside the museum is every bit as colorful as the eye-catching red 17th-century villa that contains it. Reflect on how the colors of the Cote d'Azur informed Henri Matisse's work as you explore the museum independently.
After visiting these two museums, climb back into the minivan for the trip to the town of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat on the peninsula for a visit to the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild. This luxurious early 20th-century villa and the 17 acres of gardens that surround it were once a private home, and the villa is still decorated with antique furnishings and art masterpieces. See the lavish Italian-style villa before getting a guided tour of the grounds.
