Even though many of us long for the sun, it can get too hot here in Nice. Palais Lascaris is a perfect escape from the heat. This baroque-style aristocratic residence now houses a museum dedicated to the art and music of the 17th and 18th centuries. The palace, built for the Lascaris Vintimille family in the mid-17th century, features a monumental staircase, frescoes, and luxuriously decorated salons. Visitors can explore the reception apartments, which boast frescoes depicting mythological themes, stucco work from the late 17th century, and a permanent collection of paintings, sculptures, furniture, objets d'art, and tapestries. The palace also houses a remarkable collection of antique musical instruments, including a prestigious deposit from the Institut de France.

Pinacoteca Agnelli is an art gallery that displays art from a vast private collection. You'll find Renoir's Blonde Bather and Manet's La Négresse, as well as works by Matisse, Canaletto, Tiepolo, Canova, Picasso and Modigliani. The futuristic "crystal spaceship" pavilion is an attraction in itself. The Pinacoteca is perched on top of the Lingotto complex — the headquarters of the Italian auto giant Fiat, founded by Giovanni Agnelli. It was built as a car factory in the 1920s, and was the largest and most modern plant of its kind in Europe. A winding brutalist ramp took cars to the top of the building, where they could drive the 500 m long test track. The ramp and the test track are still in top-notch condition, but the building itself now serves a different function. While its exterior remained largely unaltered, the interior was revived to house an exhibition centre, a conference centre and auditorium, two hotels, offices and shops. The iconic ‘Bubble’ — a transparent meeting room on the roof — was also added.

Palazzo Madama is one of the historic buildings of Piazza Castello, together with the Royal Palace. The layers of history that from this palace are extraordinary. At the beginning of the first century BC, the site of the palace was occupied by a gate in the Roman city walls. The two restored towers still testify to this original nucleus. The back of the palace looks like a medieval stronghold, while the ornate facade was added by the Savoy family to better match the overall look of the square. Today it houses the Museum of Ancient Arts, with its impressive collection of paintings.