TravelerJ

We are 2 adults and an easy-going 10-year-old, flying into Milan in February, with a plan to spend a few days on the French Riviera, with a base in Nice. (Plan to be there for the Nice Carnival and the Menton Limon festival)

We have 2 or 3 days left over, either before or after, that would allow us to either head to Provence (and will take us out of the way, since we have to return to Milan.) I originally planned to do that, but now I'm wondering if perhaps it's better to stay in Piedmont and explore.

We'd like history, art, nature/hiking, and to eat well, for sure! Want to vary our activities, and make sure the kid is entertained.

Would very much appreciate your suggestions -- Piedmont or Provence in Feb? And if in Piedmont, what would be best for 2-3 days? Esp given that we'd like to contrast with French riviera side.

Thank you!

TravelerJ

We will be able to rent a car, or we could try public transport. Didn't decide yet, but it's def a possibility. Thank you

sandralist

Others will disagree with me, but apart from Torino, I don't think Piemonte is a particularly interesting destination unless you are a student of wine. I'm not sure how I would keep a 10 year old entertained "exploring" Piemonte -- and there will be too much snow and cold for hiking, and possibly even too much for driving.

But I am very certain I could keep a 10 year old highly entertained in Torino, which has a car museum, a movie museum, an underground tour of the city's unusual defensive system from hundreds of years ago, an Egyptian museum and science museum plus lots of hot chocolate and soccer.

You could leave the car in Torino and take trains back to Milan for the flight out. Food in Milan is also good, and a walk on the roof of the Duomo if it is not snowing is fun. There is also a lot of Leonardo da Vinci stuff in Milan, plus more hot chocolate.

sandralist

I meant to add that I would be leery of committing to going to Provence until you can see a short term weather forecast. If you need to fly out of Milan, you need to be very flexible about weather, and possibly using trains instead of car, or changing routes.

If you opt to stay in Torino, i've been happy staying in these apartments near the train station

http://www.booking.com/hotel/it/resi...=1;type=total&

neckervd

The Ventimiglia - Sospello - Menton - Monaco area is a paradise for hikes in the nature. So are the surroundings of Genoa. Genoa has some fine palaces, museums and a aquarium too.

If you want something competely different, take the train from Nice or Ventimiglia to Turin (very scenic itinerary!) and leave the train at Limone Piemonte: you will be in deep snow!

FrenchMystiqueTours

If you have to go back to Milan then I would go explore some places along the Italian Riviera with a focus on places just west of Savona as they will be right on your direct route from Nice to Milan. I used to live in that area for several months and it is pretty much overlooked by tourists, who flock in droves east of Genoa to Cinque Terre and nearby towns. This other Riviera is just as lovely as the popular Riviera near CT and places to consider would be Finalborgo, Finale Ligure, Noli, Varigotti, Toirano (and it's famous caves), Balestrino, Castelvecchio, Zuccarello and Verezzi, among many other options.

I wrote a trip report about spending some vacation time visiting all the places I just mentioned and you can look it over to see photos and descriptions of all these places. I'll warn you that the report is very long as it also documents my time on my brother in-law's farm so to get to the places I mentioned scroll down to reply #11 dated December 12, 2012 at 9:37PM: http://tinyurl.com/aooe696

At the very end of the report are downloadable tourist brochures (in English) for all of these places that will tell you everything a tourist would need to know about visiting these places (lodging, gastronomy/local cuisine, restaurants etc.) and they will also cover many towns/sites that I don't cover in my report.

FrenchMystiqueTours

I'll mention that aside from Finale Ligure, Finalborgo and perhaps Noli and Varigotti that the area I mentioned is best explored by car. Take a train from Nice to Ventimiglia (or even further along the coast) and rent a car there.

sandralist

I have nothing against the Italian Riviera (I live on it!), but I don't think you can count of having a lot of opportunity for hiking or finding much open in February. I would not commit to going there. I would have a plan be in case there weather turns terrible -- which it can in February.

In addition, I will point out that up until very recently, all of the Riviera was governed by Italy (Nice is NIzza), and towns like Menton look almost exactly like a great many towns on the Italian Riviera. So if part of the fun is looking for real contrast to the experience of being in Nice and its environs, I don't think the Italian Riviera is all that different -- not as much as a trip up to the deep snows (Cuneo might make a nice base for snow activities) or Torino or even Milan itself.

FrenchMystiqueTours

While things may be quiet in the small towns (though you'll still find open restaurants) there will be plenty open in Finalborgo, Finale Ligure or Noli. The photos in my trip report were all taken in early March of 2010 and 2011, so not much later than February. Not that I discount your advice sandralist but I have a different perspective that there would be nothing wrong with visiting any of these places even in February. I've lived through a winter there (in an old farmhouse with nothing but a wood stove for heat) and my brother in-law (who is from Genoa and has spent his whole life on the Riviera) agrees with me. I would often ride my Vespa from the Pero (outside of Varazze) up to Alpicella and even further up the mountains in the dead of winter (often at night). I did plenty of hiking (even on Monte Beigua) and biking.

sandralist

LIke I said, I live on the Riviera so I know that the restaurants are open. I also know there is big dfference between February and March, and the intensity of the winter weather vareies from year to year.

There is really very little to enjoy if it rains or is very cold on the Riviera if you are staying in a hotel. The Riviera is an outdoors-y destination. The things you are describing, howevermuch you liked the adventure, are not suitable for a family passing through. There are precious few sights of historic or scenic interest along the Italian coast, even if the 10 year old is interested.

I think they will need to keep their plans very flexible unless they plan to go to a city like Torino or Milano. If they want to leave things open, and they are enjoying lovely weather in the French Riviera and would like to stay along the coast and experience more of basically the same Italian style, up to them.

But it is not a matter of perspective that 90 percent of the Italian Riviera is a summer scenic destination and if it is too cold or wet to be outdoors comfortably, then it is a waste of time for a tourist to be visiting, maybe especially if they have just come from the French Riviera.

TravelerJ

Thank you for the thoughtful discussion. I will probably agree with sandralist and not go to the Italian riviera this time, save it for another time. Now the question is whether to hang around Piemonte enjoying the food or explore the further out Provence. Provence seems to have more going for it in terms of exploration, such as the Roman ruins, and food is famous there too... I've got to think.

Marija

I strongly agree with sandralist about the joys of Turin. I could easily amuse a 10 year old there. The cinema museum is absolutely wonderful, as is the Egyptian museum. The food is great, lots of chocolate. They used to have a chocolate card where you wandered the city and picked up chocolate samples. You can also visit the original Eataly, a great way to spend several hours.