Hotels near Cathédrale Saint-Nicolas

The Cathédrale Saint-Nicolas is the largest Russian Orthodox cathedral outside Russia and the most unexpected building in Nice - six onion domes in green, gold, and rose surrounded by palm trees a short walk from the train station. It was completed in 1912, funded by Tsar Nicholas II in memory of his uncle who died in Nice as a child, and it served the large Russian aristocratic community that wintered on the Côte d'Azur.

The interior gleams with a gilded iconostasis, frescoes, and Fabergé-style enamels. Modest dress is required (covered shoulders and knees), admission is around €5, and you should allow 30 minutes inside. The cathedral is still an active parish, so services pause public visits.

Pro Tip: Walk here from Nice-Ville train station in 10 minutes via Boulevard Tzarewitch. Photography is allowed without flash, and morning light through the eastern windows hits the iconostasis between 9 and 10 a.m.