San Remo OR Cannes/Antibes?
Aug 17th, 2012, 12:36 AM
#3
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I understand you are asking for a daytrip from Nice. You have many options:
1) From Nice, you drive eastwards the Moyenne Corniche with a short stop at Eze (lookout). Then proceed to Monaco. Visit the Prince's Palace on the Rocher, the Cathedral (with Grace Kelly's grave) and maybe the oceanographic museum. If you want, you can also visit the cactus garden. In Monte Carlo, have a quick look at the Casino and browse the lobby of Hotel de Paris.
If you are quick you drive to San Remo (it will cost you about three hours if you spend one hour in San Remo). If you take your time in Monaco, just head back.
In any case, on the way back to Nice take the Grande Corniche and stop at La Turbie, the magnificent Roman monument with a fantastic view (should be around sunset now).
2) You take the motorway westwards to Frejus. If you like, see the Roman arena there. Then take the coastal road eastwards from St. Raphael to Cannes. It will be incredibly scenic. Stop at the lookouts and take pictures. Step down in the coves for a swim or snorkeling.
Continue eastwards to Cannes. Stroll through old town, along the yaught harbour and along the beach. Peep into the Grand Hotels and have a glass of champagne in the bar of the Majestic.
3) Do an art tour. See the picuresque village St. Paul, visit the magnificent Fondation Maeght, the Fernand Leger Museum in Biot and, if you are not exhausted yet, the Picasso Museum in Antibes.
1) From Nice, you drive eastwards the Moyenne Corniche with a short stop at Eze (lookout). Then proceed to Monaco. Visit the Prince's Palace on the Rocher, the Cathedral (with Grace Kelly's grave) and maybe the oceanographic museum. If you want, you can also visit the cactus garden. In Monte Carlo, have a quick look at the Casino and browse the lobby of Hotel de Paris.
If you are quick you drive to San Remo (it will cost you about three hours if you spend one hour in San Remo). If you take your time in Monaco, just head back.
In any case, on the way back to Nice take the Grande Corniche and stop at La Turbie, the magnificent Roman monument with a fantastic view (should be around sunset now).
2) You take the motorway westwards to Frejus. If you like, see the Roman arena there. Then take the coastal road eastwards from St. Raphael to Cannes. It will be incredibly scenic. Stop at the lookouts and take pictures. Step down in the coves for a swim or snorkeling.
Continue eastwards to Cannes. Stroll through old town, along the yaught harbour and along the beach. Peep into the Grand Hotels and have a glass of champagne in the bar of the Majestic.
3) Do an art tour. See the picuresque village St. Paul, visit the magnificent Fondation Maeght, the Fernand Leger Museum in Biot and, if you are not exhausted yet, the Picasso Museum in Antibes.
Aug 17th, 2012, 12:40 AM
#4
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Thank you for your helpful comments. Unfortunately, we will not have a car at this stage. Would it be possible to do Monaco AND San Rremo in the one day BY TRAIN? We could go on a Tuesday for the markets.
Thank you
Margaret
Thank you
Margaret
Aug 17th, 2012, 06:20 AM
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What's wrong with the market in Nice???? Or Cannes???? or Antibes???
Why "consume" and additional 3 hrs (4 hrs compared to Nice) going to San Remo??? I've never visited the market in San Remo, but the cities of Cannes, Antibes, and Nice are more interesting to me than San Remo.
Stu Dudley
Why "consume" and additional 3 hrs (4 hrs compared to Nice) going to San Remo??? I've never visited the market in San Remo, but the cities of Cannes, Antibes, and Nice are more interesting to me than San Remo.
Stu Dudley
Aug 17th, 2012, 07:07 AM
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I cannot see spending that amount of time getting to San Remo, unless it is to check off the "I've been to Italy" box. Yes, it's another country, but IMO it saw its heyday about a century ago and is looking fairly tattered and frayed around the edges. The market is OK, but certainly doesn't hold some WOW factor that makes it superior to the markets of France. If you really, really want to be in an Italian setting for a couple of hours, by all means go; it would never be worth it to me when I was already settled into a much more attractive setting.
Aug 17th, 2012, 08:12 AM
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I'm flying into Nice at the end of the month for a week.
Staying in Cannes but will drive to Verdon one day and possibly St. Tropez.
Is it worth going beyond Monaco to Roquebrune, Menton or even Ventimiglia? Definitely will go to Nice, Eze, St. Jean, maybe St. Paul.
On the other end, I thought about maybe devoting a couple of days to get to Arles, Avignon and that area but that would take time from the Riviera.
Staying in Cannes but will drive to Verdon one day and possibly St. Tropez.
Is it worth going beyond Monaco to Roquebrune, Menton or even Ventimiglia? Definitely will go to Nice, Eze, St. Jean, maybe St. Paul.
On the other end, I thought about maybe devoting a couple of days to get to Arles, Avignon and that area but that would take time from the Riviera.
Aug 17th, 2012, 02:46 PM
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>>>Is it worth going beyond Monaco to Roquebrune, Menton or even Ventimiglia?<<<
I would say no. The interesting section is between St. Raphael and Monaco, with more attractions than you can do within a week.
I would even doubt if a trip to St. Tropez is worth the effort. St. Tropez used to be a picturesque fishing villag half a century ago but has changed into a tourist trap. Traffic will be cumbersome before mid-September.
>>>mave St. Paul<<<
Do it. St. Paul is touristy, but in a positive sense. And Fondation Maeght is magnificent. The garden alone, designed by Miro, is worth the entrance fee.
You will see some Roman remains at the Cote d'Azur (Frejus has an amphitheater and and aquaeduct and La Turbie is a gorgous Roman monument with a spectacular view over the coast), but Arles, Nimes, Orange and Les Antiques have the finest Roman relicts at all. Avignon has the medieval Papal Palace, so this part of Provence will add another quality to your trip.
I would say no. The interesting section is between St. Raphael and Monaco, with more attractions than you can do within a week.
I would even doubt if a trip to St. Tropez is worth the effort. St. Tropez used to be a picturesque fishing villag half a century ago but has changed into a tourist trap. Traffic will be cumbersome before mid-September.
>>>mave St. Paul<<<
Do it. St. Paul is touristy, but in a positive sense. And Fondation Maeght is magnificent. The garden alone, designed by Miro, is worth the entrance fee.
You will see some Roman remains at the Cote d'Azur (Frejus has an amphitheater and and aquaeduct and La Turbie is a gorgous Roman monument with a spectacular view over the coast), but Arles, Nimes, Orange and Les Antiques have the finest Roman relicts at all. Avignon has the medieval Papal Palace, so this part of Provence will add another quality to your trip.
Aug 17th, 2012, 11:21 PM
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>>What's wrong with the market in Nice???? Or Cannes???? or Antibes???<<
I'm sure nothing wrong with them StuDudley; I should have mentioned that we will be spending 3 full days in Nice itself (and 5 nights)...we just wondered about travelling out of Nice for the other 2 days.
>>Why "consume" and additional 3 hrs (4 hrs compared to Nice) going to San Remo???<<<<
I had read somewhere that the train trip to San Remo along the French and Italian Riviera was worthwhile? Perhaps I have this wrong?
Thank you all for your helpful suggestions
Margaret
I'm sure nothing wrong with them StuDudley; I should have mentioned that we will be spending 3 full days in Nice itself (and 5 nights)...we just wondered about travelling out of Nice for the other 2 days.
>>Why "consume" and additional 3 hrs (4 hrs compared to Nice) going to San Remo???<<<<
I had read somewhere that the train trip to San Remo along the French and Italian Riviera was worthwhile? Perhaps I have this wrong?
Thank you all for your helpful suggestions
Margaret
Aug 18th, 2012, 02:03 AM
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Well I would suggest if Villa Euphrisi is not already on your itinerary you spend the day there. It is so lovely - the interior is very interesting and has a nice audioguide included and then the gardens are just amazing. The woman who lived there had quite a life. There is even a modest fountain and music portion. Lovely, lovely views inside and out. There is another villa nearby if you have more time that we have not visited (yet!). Then you can walk some more around the Cap past gorgeous homes and flowery lanes. We have visited Nice on several occasions - it was the best daytrip of all - very doable by the cheap bus with a beautiful drive along the coast, all for 1E, I think.
Aug 18th, 2012, 06:34 AM
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>>I had read somewhere that the train trip to San Remo along the French and Italian Riviera was worthwhile? Perhaps I have this wrong?<<<
We took that train trip in '06. As I recall, much of the section from Nice through Monaco was underground - except for the section around Eze - but that is not where the best views are from (Corniches higher up are better). The remainder of the trip was OK - but we were quite disappointed. Before our trip, someone on Fodors said that the views were good - but we didn't think so. And if you happen to be seated on the "wrong" side of the car with a full train - getting to the side of the car so you can even see the views will be difficult. That was the case for our trip (late June). Compared with the views from the corniches, I would give the train trip about a "C".
Are you exploring any of the Nice Hinterland??? St Paul, Vence Tourrettes, Sospel, Gourdon, Gorges du Loup, Gorges de Vesubie - just to name a few sites in this region.
I would sure rather spend the day in Antibes (our second favorite city) and/or Cannes - than San Remo.
My wife and I have vacationed for 16 weeks on the Cote d'Azur - most of it around Nice. I have a 27 page itinerary for the Cote & Provence that I've sent to over 3,000 people on Fodors. If you would like a copy, e-mail me at [email protected] & I'll attach a copy to the reply e-mail.
Stu Dudley
We took that train trip in '06. As I recall, much of the section from Nice through Monaco was underground - except for the section around Eze - but that is not where the best views are from (Corniches higher up are better). The remainder of the trip was OK - but we were quite disappointed. Before our trip, someone on Fodors said that the views were good - but we didn't think so. And if you happen to be seated on the "wrong" side of the car with a full train - getting to the side of the car so you can even see the views will be difficult. That was the case for our trip (late June). Compared with the views from the corniches, I would give the train trip about a "C".
Are you exploring any of the Nice Hinterland??? St Paul, Vence Tourrettes, Sospel, Gourdon, Gorges du Loup, Gorges de Vesubie - just to name a few sites in this region.
I would sure rather spend the day in Antibes (our second favorite city) and/or Cannes - than San Remo.
My wife and I have vacationed for 16 weeks on the Cote d'Azur - most of it around Nice. I have a 27 page itinerary for the Cote & Provence that I've sent to over 3,000 people on Fodors. If you would like a copy, e-mail me at [email protected] & I'll attach a copy to the reply e-mail.
Stu Dudley
Aug 18th, 2012, 07:15 AM
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>>Gordon chateau is no longer open to general public<<
I don't know anything about Gordon Chateau.
Gourdon is a very cute village with expansive views. It is on the Gorges du Loup loop - west of Tourrettes.
Stu Dudley
I don't know anything about Gordon Chateau.
Gourdon is a very cute village with expansive views. It is on the Gorges du Loup loop - west of Tourrettes.
Stu Dudley
