Arènes de Cimiez, Roman amphitheatre in Cimiez district, Nice, France
The Arènes de Cimiez is a Roman amphitheatre located on a hilltop in Nice with preserved stone seating arranged in circular tiers and framed by ancient olive trees. The structure displays the classical layout of an entertainment venue from antiquity, with visible foundations and remains of spectator areas.
The site was built in the 1st century AD and expanded during the 2nd century to serve as an entertainment venue for the Roman city of Cemenelum. This growth reflects the increasing importance and prosperity of the ancient settlement over successive generations.
The site served as a gathering place where residents of Cemenelum met and maintained their daily social bonds. The remains reveal how central such venues were to the community's public life.
The site is freely accessible and can be combined with nearby visits to the Archaeological Museum and the Matisse Museum. The hilltop location offers walking paths that allow you to explore the area at your own pace.
The site is transformed each May into a modern concert venue during the Jazz Festival. This blend of ancient architecture with contemporary music creates a remarkable experience of the present within a historical setting.
Location: Nice
Part of: Cemenelum
GPS coordinates: 43.71999,7.27532
Latest update: December 6, 2025 17:41
Nice reveals much more than its beaches and the famous Promenade des Anglais. This collection invites you to discover the treasures that Niçois cherish daily: the Castle Hill Park overlooking ancient ruins, the Matisse and Marc Chagall museums housing exceptional collections, and the Cimiez Monastery surrounded by gardens. These sites narrate the story of a city shaped by diverse influences, from the Orthodox Saint Nicholas Cathedral to the alleys of the Old Town. From the flower market at Cours Saleya, where local accents can be heard, to Fort Mont Alban perched on the heights, each location offers a different experience of Nice. Some places, like the Louis Nucéra Library with its modern architecture, showcase the city's contemporary face. Others, more subtle, allow you to grasp the essence of a Mediterranean city where history and daily life blend effortlessly.
Nice naturally lends itself to photography. The Mediterranean light shapes the city from morning to evening, revealing in turn the ochre facades of Old Nice, the palms lining the Promenade des Anglais, or the blue domes of Saint-Nicolas Orthodox Cathedral. From the Château hilltop, at 92 meters high, the view encompasses the entire bay, while below, Place Masséna displays its geometric paving stones and red facades. The flower market at Cours Saleya, established since the 17th century, extends to Lympia Port where yellow facades reflect in the water, each neighborhood forming a different scene. The Negresco Hotel with its pink dome marks the coastline, and the Matisse Museum shares the painter's love for the light of the South. Nice offers a variety of viewpoints, making it a preferred destination for those interested in capturing the architecture, colors, and vitality of a city oriented toward the Mediterranean.
Musée Matisse
88 m
Palais Regina
182 m
Musée Marc-Chagall
1.3 km
Monastère de Cimiez
303 m
Marc Chagall National Museum
1.2 km
Gare du Sud
1.6 km
Château Valrose
786 m
Abbey of St Pons
845 m
Sainte Jeanne d'Arc Church
1.3 km
Thermes de Cimiez
136 m
Musée archéologique de Nice-Cimiez
43 m
Le Majestic
1.6 km
Villa Paradiso
1.2 km
Ancien hôtel Alhambra de Nice
894 m
Chapelle Sainte-Anne de Nice
83 m
Église Notre-Dame-Auxiliatrice de Nice
1.3 km
Monument à la reine Victoria
260 m
Saint-Roch Church
1.6 km
Villa Nobili
866 m
Ancien groupe épiscopal de Cimiez
111 m
Vieux mur ligure
260 m
Croix séraphique de Cimiez
272 m
Église Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption de Cimiez
304 m
Chapelle Bon-Voyage de Nice
1.4 km
Antoinist temple of Nice
1.2 km
Tronçons de la Turbie et du vallon de Laghet de la Via Julia Augusta
70 m
Pont Michel
1.3 km
Pont René-Coty
1.1 kmReviews
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