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Day 1 - LEAVE FOR NICE, FRANCE ( You arrive the following morning).
Day 2 - NICE or STAY IN MONTE CARLO
Hop on a high speed train ride (about 4 hours maximum). Leave in the am (time to be decided) and head to Nice. Take a cab from the station and settle into your hotel.
NICE WILL BE YOUR BASE FOR THE NEXT DAYS
Enjoy Nice - take a walk along the famous Promenade, up to the Bay of Angels. Climb to the top of the Castle/Park and enjoy some amazing views. The park is lovely, there is a waterfall and I have taken some memorable pictures here.
The Old Town is a delight - narrow winding streets with fascinating food, antique and gift boutiques. Then there is the pedestrian Place Massena - the main quare leading into pedestrian only shopping and restaurants. Take an ice cream or chocolate at Henri Auer - number 7 rue St. Francois-de-Paule. This tearoom has the best and is quite beautiful. It is near the food and flower market on Cours Saleya (open only in the mornings and absolutely NOT to be missed!!!!) There is a Chagall Museum - av. du Dr. Menard. Closed Tuesdays.
WHERE TO EAT IN NICE - the food here is bursting with Mediterranean flavor, a mix of Italian and Provencal styles.
LA MERENDA - no reservations, no phone, no credit cards - but worth lining up (for one of the only 9 tables). No menu - every day they prepare something fresh based on what the market has. 4 rue de la Terrasse. Cl. Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
LA CAMBUSE - a bistro on the Cours Saleya. #5. Cl. Sunday
GRAND CAFÉ DE TURIN - a bustling brasserie and the top place for the freshest seafood. Eat outside or inside. This is where to have fresh oysters if you like them. 5 Pl. Garibaldi.
WARNING - do not eat at most of the places on the Cour Saleya (touristy and not fresh) particularly those that have outside fish displays - you can get food poisoning. If you get sick in France or Italy you need to go to a Pharmacy - tell them what you've got and they will prescribe something - they act as doctors in Europe. I've been everywhere in the world and eaten some pretty strange things but I got food poisoning in Nice - so please beware and choose reputable places. Instead the outdoor places around Place Massena are fine - BOCCACCIO is one of the best.
Day 3 - NICE - SAINT JEAN CAP FERRAT - EZE
Sun on the beach and relax. Later pick up your car (location to be advised) for the next 4 days. Medium size with air - collision damage, taxes included.
Head towards Cap Ferrat (15 minutes from Nice) Cap Ferrat is an Elegant Lady. The MUST see here is the Villa Ephrussy Rothschild. This is near Beaulieu. The gardens are even more spectacular than the villa. Eze is another must see - perhaps these are the two top stops around Nice. It is a medieval hill town of great beauty perched very high above the sea.
RESTAURANTS: For a very special, romantic meal (there are fixed price menus in France everywhere) have your hotel reserve at the Chateau de la Chevre d'Or ($40 to 55 for fixed price 3 course menu). This 5 * hotel has a terrace restaurant overlooking the sea high on the top of Eze. Rue du Barri Tel. 93 41 12 12. Truly a memorable place to eat.
CAP FERRAT - Panorama: 3 avenue Jean-Monnet. Tel. 93 01 23 07. Or Le Sloop: Port de plaisance. Tel. 93 01 48 63.
EZE - Auberge du Troubador - Rue du Brec. Tel. 93 41 19 03
PS - PARKING SITUATION - there are public garages (pay based on amount of time) everywhere, just watch for the "P" signs.
Day 4– MONTE CARLO – MONACO with THALASSO SPA
YOUR THALASSO SPA EXPERIENCE: The Spa is truly spectacular - overlooking the sea so you feel like you are on an ocean liner. Treatments needless to say are top of the line and I have included 4 each per person. In the evening you can have dinner at the Café de Paris: Place du Casino. Tel. 377/92162020. Right in front of the Casino and just steps from the SPA.
OR
CANNES or ST. TROPEZ
Drive to Cannes, on your way down, driving along the coast, follow the signs for VENCE (turning right and heading upwards). Then follow signs for St. Paul de Vence. ST. PAUL DE VENCE is on the way to Cannes, so a logical stop. It is beautiful and only about 25 minutes from Nice to St. Paul and from Nice to Cannes about 1 hour max. There are some lovely places to have lunch - the top restaurants serve fixed price lunches that are a great deal. 3 hours is sufficient to discover this charming village, or you may want to stay longer.
RESTAURANT: LE SAINT-PAUL - the setting is quite romantic and charming. Their fixed price menus are an excellent deal and there are various choices. 86 rue Grande. Tel. 93326525. Do reserve.
CANNES is a modern city/town. It does have a tiny Old Town, but certainly its fame is due to the long-winding beach (white sand - a rarity on the French Riviera) and its incredibly vast selection of boutiques for shopping. The fresh food market is also an eyeful and quite a gastronomic extravaganza with many small local producers showing their finest products. Your hotel is either a Superior 3* or a 4* depending on availability.
The Ile des Lerins are minutes away via hydrofoil and an oasis of calm and tranquillity where nature reigns. Swimming in the waters here is an incredible experience.
RESTAURANTS
In Cannes you can eat at the many (and many) waterfront cafés although there are some very fine restaurants - they are all quite good and generally offer a good deal.
LA SCALA - La Croisette #50. Tel. 92 99 70 00.
My favorite - LE FESTIVAL - 52 - La Croisette. Tel. 93 38 04 81
LA CAVE - a bistro, 9 boulevard Republique. Tel. 93 99 79 87
Great Deal COTE JARDIN - 12 avenue Saint-Louise. Tel. 93 38 60 28
There is sailing, water-skiing and other water sports if you so desire here and along the coast, in St. Tropez in particular because the farther down you go, the more wild and beautiful the coast is and less "polished".
OPTION FOR ST. TROPEZ
From Cannes to St. Tropez it is an hour taking the highway, more than that if you want to amble along the shore so you could plan a day trip here or skip Cannes and go directly to St. Tropez.
Beaches are all 15 minutes away - there is nothing "in town" as there is in Cannes. You take your car and drive along what looks like an abandoned country bicycle path and find that instead it is a 2 way road! A 4 wheeler would be perfect, but I made it in my car fine. Each beach has a different name - Pampelonne, Tahiti are some of the best known. Around you the scenery is quite wild, bamboo plants growing everywhere and olive groves surround you. You drive right up to the beach or park nearby and can rent towels, umbrellas etc… The water is very clean. The main beaches have café's for snacks on the water.
RESTAURANT: LE PETIT CHARRON - 6 rue des Charrons. Tel. 94977378. Closed Wed. Lovely bistro - great fixed price menus. OR AUBERGE des MAURES: 4 rue du Dr. Boutin - 43 rue Allard. Tel. 94970150 is close to the Place des Lices - the main square.
Day 5– THE ITALIAN RIVIERA
Take a train from Nice to St. Margherita on the Italian Riviera. It will take about 3 hours or so. The Riviera is a blend of incredible wild beauty and sophisticated resorts. Portovenere and 5 Terre would I believe enchant you.
The scenery is breathtaking. Cinque Terre are 5 medieval towns you reach via ferry and explore at your leisure in one or more days. They look like they are about to cascade into the sapphire sea. The ride takes 35 minutes and is quite exhilarating. These villages have not changed for the last 400 years. Narrow alleys, a beautiful beach, and pristine waters. A meal at a tiny trattoria with some of the local wine and a lazy afternoon of soaking up the sun in such surroundings are an ideal start to a memorable honeymoon.
The villages are connected by the "Via dell'Amore" the "Way of Love" an incredible walk that takes about 5 hours a favorite with hikers. Portovenere is one place to use as a base, an ancient fishing village with possibility to take excursions to Portofino.
You can hike in Portofino around the magnificent National Park overlooking the entire bay and visit the castle and charming port town. Then walk or take the ferry bay to S. Margherita (10 minutes by ferry). I can't say enough about the beauty of these places. 15 minutes from S. Margherita by car or taxi there is Camogli with a wide bay and beach - behind you is the pastel colored village and you can swim, walk or just relax sunbathing. Excellent restaurants everywhere.
The French Riviera is equally if not more beautiful but different offering wider expanses, stunning medieval cliffside villages, open air markets and incredibly sophisticated resorts as well as more natural environments. In short, something for every mood and taste.
Day 6, 7 ,8 - TRAVEL TO THE ITALIAN RIVIERA
Take the morning train (time to be decided) straight to Santa Margherita or Portovenere where you will be staying the two places are 1 hour from each other.
ACTIVITIES:
The hydrofoil is just minutes by foot and will take you pretty much everywhere - Portofino, Portovenere (check times with hotel) San Fruttouso and Cinque Terre.
IN PORTOFINO: Hike up the Castle of St. George, the Park overlooking the peninsula, the fishing village. Nestled among the forests are some incredible villas and gardens. Sunbathe and swim. Take the boat over to San Fruttuoso a tiny island where you can swim in incredible waters and sunbathe. Its bay/cove is impressive housing a Cistercian Abbey.
RESTAURANTS:
ST. MARGHERITA: Da Biacin - is a family trattoria. Cl. Mondays. Via Algeria 5. Tel. 0185/286763. Il Frantoio. Via del Giunchetto 23/a. Tel. 0185/286667.
PORTOVENERE - CINQUE TERRE - MONTEROSSO
To get to Cinque Terre, you take the hydrofoil or drive. It is 1 hour to get there and the view as you head towards the town is breathtaking.
1 to 2 hours are sufficient to see the fishing town of PORTOVENERE- and you should - it is truly beautiful with incredible views from the top (quite a walk). From here it is about 35 minutes by boat to get to Cinque Terre - Monterosso is the LAST stop of the 5 fishing villages. This could be done to coincide with lunch @ Monterosso and then take a swim or hike back to Portovenere along the "Via dell'Amore". It all can be done in a day without rushing around.
PORTOVENERE RESTAURANT: DA ISEO - must reserve (ask hotel) and can do lunch or dinner depending on if you drive or use the boat. Right on the waterfront. Tel. 0187/790610 - Closed Wed.
MONTEROSSO RESTAURANT: Il Gigante - 0187/817401 - Cl. Tuesdays. Monterosso al Mare. Or just try one of the tiny trattorias.
Santa Margherita has small informal restaurants - from Pizzerias to modest trattorias for your meals.
Day 9, 10 – HEAD TO NORTHERN LAKES
LAKE MAGGIORE and LAKE COMO and LAKE ORTA (on top of Lake Maggiore).
Take the train or rent a car and head to either Lake Como or Lago Maggiore. In Lake Maggiore, the lake's main town is Stresa from where Hemingway wrote A Farewell to Arms. Almost attached is Lake Orta. Stresa has the Villa Pallavicino a residence rising on a hill with magnificent gardens with peacocks and even ostriches. From the top the mountains of Lombardy rise and the Borromean Islands shine in the distance. An excursion to the Islands is absolutely a must. The boat leaves every 15 minutes from Stresa and there are 3 islands: Isola Bella, Isola dei Pescatori, Isola Madre. All have something to see and do and you can have lunch at the islands - there are good moderately priced places.
LAKE COMO
Take the train or drive to Como - Cernobbio. Trains leave pretty much every hour. Approx. time of trip is under 1 hour. We will coordinate your flight arrival with train. Taxi to hotel is 5 to 15 minutes depending on location of hotel.
Your hotel is overlooking the spectacular waters of LAKE COMO, its elegant villas and gardens. Room with a view of course!
For any activities such as horse back riding, sailing etc… ask your concierge at the hotel. They will provide you will all indications.
Rest and refresh, and later take a walk through the town or a water taxi ride around the lake admiring the breathtaking view.
LAKE COMO and SURROUNDINGS
Water taxis are ready to take you anywhere from one end of the lake to the other. Como is famous for its silks. The center of the lake is the most beautiful part and there are also ferries to take you to the various locations. Bellagio is the main town (17 miles from your hotel). VILLA
SERBELLONI and VILLA BALBIANELLO are some of the highlights, plus wonderful walks along the lakeshore. The town is one of the prettiest in Europe full of flowers and in Summer you can dance to the tunes of the orchestra that plays on the wharf until late at night. Another town around the lake is Tremezzo. (21 miles from Cernobbio). Villa Carlotta is the main excursion, a splendid villa worthy of a visit with magnificent gardens formerly owned by a Prussian noble family. Finally there are the towns of Como and Cernobbio. Cernobbio is the first town you come to as you head north from Como. Como is an elegant resort town with parks and café's lining the lakefront promenade. The Cathedral (Duomo) should be visited.
WHERE TO EAT:
BELLAGIO: Il Perlo Panorama - Via Valassina 180. Tel. 951933. Closed Tuesdays.
COMO: Da Angela - must reserve. Via Ugo Foscolo, 16. Tel. 031/304656. Cl. Sunday
CERNOBBIO - Cenobio - Via Regina 18. Tel. 512710 or San Giuseppe Via 5 Giornate 31, Tel. 511288.
Most of these restaurants have views and take credit cards. Your hotel can also recommend good eating places.
DAY 11 – HEAD TO MILANO (1 hour from lakes)
A train will take you to downtown Milano.
DAY 12 - RETURN HOME
Pricing (final price is based on time of year and available hotels)
Based on charming 3 star boutique hotels €4,595
Based on First Class, 4 star hotels €5,695
Based on Luxury 5 star hotels please inquire
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