top travel destinations

Nice is in the south of France. The Queen of the French Riviera
which the French call " la Cote d'Azur" (AzureCoast or Blue Coast). It is a wonderful city with lots of charm and character; a mixture of French and Italian cultures where the people are easy-going and friendly even if you don't speak French.

Although you might think it is a summer resort
you can visit Nice at any time of the year and still have a good time. If you happen to go in the winter
you will be surprised to see flowers in their numerous parks and gardens. Nice has a Mediterranean winter
so the temperature stays around 40 to 50 degrees during the coldest months but if you like skiing
ski resorts such as Valberg and Isola 2000 can be reached by car in one or two hours. If you go in the summer
get ready to share the city with lots of tourists. The popular streets where most restaurants and cafes are
can get crowded
but they can be a lot of fun if you enjoy people watching; and since most of the streets are closed to traffic
it is not hard to just walk around and enjoy the upbeat atmosphere.

Nice has a major airport and its close location to the city makes getting there a cinch.

Finding a hotel should be easy
since there are plenty of accommodations for all kinds of budgets. The author is a frequent guest of the Meridien Hotel
a 4 star hotel located on the Promenade des Anglais
facing the Bay of Angels (Baie des Anges).

-Things to see in Nice:

-Promenade des Anglais. The Victorian English residents of the 1800's provided the funds to build the beautiful boulevard
hence its name. It is a wide avenue that follows the bay's coast line and it's lined with beautiful palm trees and flowers.

-Hotel Negresco. Beautiful and glamorous
it is located at 37 Promenade des Anglais and if you are not rich enough to stay there
you must go and see it.

-Old Nice. Winding narrow streets with Italianate buildings painted in earthly colors
describes this old part of the city. You will enjoy strolling. people watching and quaint little shops full of charming provencal crafts.

-Marche aux Fleurs. Located on the Cours Saleya
the flower market is Open Tuesday through Sunday
7
but if you decide to go
check with your hotel for the hours of operation. You can also have lunch or dinner there
where a large variety of restaurants set up tables and chairs outside where you can dine in a pleasant and fun atmosphere.

-Marc Chagall Museum. If you like modern art
you can catch a glimpse of the painter's most important collection. The hours of operation vary depending on the season so check with your hotel clerk before you go.

Nice is so well located that you can take half-day and full-day trips either by car or by public transportation.

Easily reached towns by car or public transportation are: Monaco
Eze
Grasse
St Paul de Vence
Cannes and St Tropez.

-Monaco- A symbol of glamour and elegance
Monaco sits on a beautiful stretch of the Mediterranean coast. Its most famous town Monte Carlo
has much to offer with its casinos
boutiques and exotic gardens. Don't forget to visit the village of Monaco
located high on "the rock" as it is affectionally called by the locals. It is a charming town with shops and cafes and a wonderful view of the sea.

-Eze- This small medieval village perched on a hill is a must see. Both tourists and artists flock to Eze during the summer months because of its picturesque setting and magnificent vues. If you are staying in Nice
you can make it a half-day trip or just stop there for lunch and continue to Monaco for a full-day trip. If you are feeling rich
have lunch at the Chevre d'Or. The restaurant offers fine cuisine and breathtaking panoramas. The restaurant is only open for lunch.

-Grasse- Considered the perfume capital of France Grasse is a small hilly town with beautiful parks and panoramic views. I you go to Grasse
you must visit the perfume factories. The biggest is Parfumerie Fragonard. An English speaking guide will show you the process of extracting the perfume from hundreds of pounds of flower petals.

-St Paul de Vence- A picture perfect medieval town
sitting on top of a hill
St Paul de Vence has been painted by many artists and photographed by thousands of tourists. It is located 19 miles from Nice. Enjoy a meal at the famous Colombe d'Or Restaurant or sip a beer at an outdoor cafe while watching a local game of petanque.

-Cannes- Cannes sits on the shores of La Napoule bay
sorrounded by a backdrop of Mediterranean hills. While Nice has the Promenade des Anglais
Cannes has la Croisette Boulevard
an elegant promenade
lined with palm trees and and gardens. Cannes hosts the famous Cannes Film Festival every year and it is most favored by celebrities. So if you go
make sure to do a lot of people watching
because you never know...

-St Tropez- Once a small fishing village
St Tropez is now a summer place for the jet set. Its setting on the southern shore of France
made it attractive to turn-of-the-century artists who were then followed by writers
poets and eventually movie stars and their fans. It is now internationally famous.

So get your tickets
book your hotel and go to the south of France. I promise you will have an unforgettable experience.

If you were to make a list of the most beautiful places to visit in the world
then the Amalfi coast in Italy would have to be in the top ten category.

This is the coast which is famous for hairpin turns
breathtaking views
sweet lemons (I mean sweet) charming hotels and picturesque towns.

The Amalfi Coast is situated in the southern side of the Sorrentine Peninsula of Italy The best way to visit the coast is to fly to Naples
rent a car and drive down to Sorrento. If you make Sorrento your base camp
you can spend several days visiting the jewel towns of the Amalfi Coast at your leisure.

Start in Sorrento and drive to Positano. It is best to carry a Michelin map with you to avoid getting lost.

Before you arrive in Positano
you might want to stop at Positano Belvedere; a vantage point on the road that allows you to see the town of Positano in the distance. The view is breathtaking.

When you arrive in Positano
stop and walk around town. Chances are you have seen it in commercials. Once a small fishing village
it is now popular with the international crowd and some celebrities who stay at Positano’s 4 and 5 star hotels.

Most houses look like small boxes painted white with bougainvilleas growing along the walls.

After Positano
continue to Vertica Maggiore
and then Furore del Valle
another gem of a town. Near by is the Emerald Grotto. An emerald color cave only reachable by boat. The water of the Tyrrhenian Sea
enters the cave and the sun takes care of the rest.

Continue to the town of Amalfi and Ravello. Ravello also has unforgettable views.
In Ravello
you will see white washed houses perched on the hills with gardens planted with vines
lemon and olive trees. It is a major tourist destination
the beauty of the city
and its charm
has inspired its inhabitants and guests for centuries.

Things to see:

Ravello:
Villa Rudolfo
Villa Cimbrone
Cathedral

Amalfi:
St Andrea Cathedral
Cloisters of Paradise (Chiostro del Paradiso)

Dining in the region:

Sorrento and the Amalfi coast are situated in the Campania region
and typical southern dishes are likely to appear on the menus. Among those are pizza
pasta
tomatoes
eggplant
mozzarella cheese
seafood and citrus fruits.

If you have ever had tomato and mozzarella salad
you will surely have it there. It is called “Insalata Caprese” named after the Island of Capri. The famous San Marzano plum tomatoes that grow in the region
together with silky soft buffalo mozzarella cheese
olive oil and basil
will surely make a delightful dish.

And let’s not forget the wines. The region is rich in volcanic soil
an ideal medium to grow grapevines
and although wines from this region are not well known internationally
they are just as good as more popular Italian varieties. Wine at lunch and dinner is usually served in small carafes
but you can also order wines by the bottle.

Don’t forget to finish your meal with a cup of dark espresso just as most Italians do.

Resources:

If you decide to go
arm yourself with a good map and a good guide book. My favorite travel guides are Frommers and Michelin. You can find them at any major bookstore.
Italians are a friendly people by nature and driving around the area should not be difficult even if you don’t speak Italian.
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