Posts Tagged ‘shopping’
Karen in The Côte d’Azur!
The Côte d’Azur is somewhere I return to year after year and still find new places to explore each time. For me it’s the perfect blend of beach, city and culture – with the bonus of delicious French food and wine! What makes it even more appealing is their seamless public transport with trains and buses that are user friendly and reliable: No car required. If you’re going for 3 or more days then a Sud Azur Explore pass is a good investment if you want to do some excursions. It’s available from the tram ticket machines at Nice Airport and 3 days currently costs only €35 per person for unlimited travel on trains, trams and buses within the region, including Monaco.
These are some of my favourite day trips to do from Nice or Monaco (which you can do with your Sud Explore Pass):
Eze Village. Perched on a hill above Monaco the hilltop village of Eze is the prettiest place I have ever been to. Take the train to Eze-sur-Mer and then hop on a bus to the topmost village 450 vertical metres above. The medieval village has steep cobbled streets winding up the hill, with plenty of independent shops, art galleries and restaurants to give some respite from the climb.
The very top of the hill is adorned with the flourish of a stunning botanic garden full of cacti and sculptures. If you are feeling energetic, there’s actually a walking trail linking Eze-Sur-Mer and Eze Village: named after the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche who supposedly climbed the trail daily while living in the area while contemplating the relationship between man and nature. It’s an arduous hike – even just walking down, as I did, requires sturdy shoes and plenty of water. Your effort is rewarded with stunning views, and perhaps spiritual enlightenment!
St Paul de Vence is another hilltop village that I love – this one sits just to the west of Nice. A regular bus service goes from the train station at Cagnes-Sur-Mer and winds through villages and vineyards to the fortified village of St Paul de Vence. You really get a sense of the varied history of the settlement – over the course of 1,000 years it has been a place of worship, a border stronghold, an artists retreat and it’s currently a hub of art and culture with independent boutiques, art galleries and restaurants galore. Just outside the town walls is a stunning contemporary art gallery and gardens: the CAB foundation is worth a few hours of anyone’s time.
If you fancy getting further into the hills then an adventure in the Vallee des Merveilles (Valley of wonder) is a day well spent. The train line from Nice is currently closed until the end of 2025 but there’s a regular bus service that takes you through the beautiful hill villages in the Roya Valley to Tende which sits at the top. Alternatively you can come by train from Nice or Menton going via the Italian town of Vintimille. It’s around a 3 hour journey to get to Tende, and the scenery is stunning all along the route. Tende itself is a well preserved medieval village without the tourist numbers that you’ll find in other places. The nearby Mercantour National Park is home to over 50,000 rock engravings that date back as far as 3,000 BC ad and there’s a great museum in Tende with lots of information about the petroglyphs. Have a wander round the crooked streets, enjoy the locally produced cheese and honey and breathe the cool mountain air!
If gardens are your thing then you need to get to Menton. This pretty town has been Italian in its past, and is now just on the French side of the border. It retains a lot of Italian character and is reputed to be the sunniest spot on the Cote d’Azur, without ever getting too hot. This makes it the ideal setting for a beautiful garden and the Jardin Botanique Val Rehmeh is just that! With different sections of the garden dedicated to specific planting themes you feel like you’re on a real journey as you wander through. Top tip though – do put on some insect repellent as the mozzies love to take advantage of your distraction! While in Menton be sure to check out the daily market – foodie heaven! Where Provence meets Liguria delicious things happen. Next on my wishlist is a meal at Mirazur – the Three Michelin star restaurant that was voted best in the world in 2019 and is still innovating.
I could go on.. but my best piece of advice for anyone thinking about visiting the French Riviera is: do it. There’s really something for everyone: history lovers, sun seekers, foodies and shoppers. Take me back there now!
To find out more about Karen’s visit to The Côte D’azur or if you’re interested in a similar trip,
give the team a call on 0131 243 8098 or send us an email.
FREE Lisbon Walking Tour with Every Lisbon Booking
Our Short Break Specialist Nicki had a fantastic time on her FAM trip to Lisbon. To read more about her visit, head to our blog and find out what she got up to! In celebration of this amazing city, we are offering a FREE Best of Lisbon Guided Walking Tour for every booking made in August and September.
Famous for its vibrancy and unique blend of rich history, Lisbon has many a charming street to explore with stunning architecture and picturesque viewpoints. For the foodies out there, it’s a feast for the eyes with a culinary scene offering everything from pastéis de nata to succulent fresh seafood.
Take a look at our Lisbon properties, carefully selected by the Osprey team to ensure we provide only the best quality accommodation.
All bookings made must include a minimum of flights and accommodation with a minimum stay of 2 nights.
Terms and Conditions
- The offer is applicable to any new Lisbon bookings confirmed between 1st August 2024 – 30th September 2024.
- The booking must include a minimum of flights and accommodation.
- The booking must be a minimum stay of 2 nights.
- The tour must be requested at the time of booking and is subject to availability. We will inform you prior to booking if the tour is not available on your selected dates.
- The tour is non-transferable and non-refundable, and resale is prohibited.
- In the unlikely event that the tour needs to be cancelled by a local supplier, no refund shall be given.
- The tour is complimentary and non-commissionable.
- The offer is open to all agents working within the UK travel industry and direct clients.
- In addition to these terms, Osprey Holidays Terms and Conditions apply.
Valerie: Seville in 72 Hours
Day One
After a smooth Ryanair flight direct from Edinburgh, we took the bus located outside the airport terminal to the centre of Seville which took half an hour, this is an easy transfer costing 4 Euros per person. We checked in at our 4-star hotel, the Fernando III, freshened up and went to the highly rated tapas bar, La Bartola opposite the hotel for lunch. Read the rest of this entry »
Our Lisbon & Porto Twin Centre Adventure
Lisa and Lawrence feeling on top of the World at The Santa Just Elevator, Lisbon, Portugal
Day 1 – Lisbon
Ola from Lisa and Lawrence in Portugal! We arrived and it was just such beautiful sunny day in Lisbon! Read the rest of this entry »
Cracking Krakow!
Christmas Markets, Main Square, Krakow, Poland
After arriving into Krakow it was great to have our transfer driver waiting for us ready to whisk us off to the hotel. After check-in we decided to have a quick wander round to get our bearings and check out the Christmas Markets Read the rest of this entry »
Our Ladies in Prague!
Diane & Irene in Prague
After a speedy transfer from Prague Airport we dropped off our bags at the K&K Hotel Central, our base for our two nights in Prague. First stop was lunch, we stumbled upon a market in Republic Square just minutes from the hotel, we each a had delicious hot pulled pork baguette from a street food stall. There are lots of interesting food stalls dotted all around the city with their tempting warm steamy aroma. Read the rest of this entry »
Eating their way through Copenhagen!
Sarah & Nathalie in Väkst Restaurant
Nathalie our Product Manager and Sarah our Marketing Manager were the lucky two that managed to escape to Copenhagen for a couple of nights to sample the food, drink, hotels and just about everything Scandic! Find out what they got up to during their trip last week. Read the rest of this entry »
Top 5 Must See Cities for 2017
Cityscape panorama of Arno river, towers and cathedrals of Florence
With over 60 destinations to choose from how do you pick where to visit in 2017? We’ve compiled a list of our ‘Top 5 Must See Cities’ for the year ahead, including some of our newest additions such as Porto and Tromsø! It covers a bit of everything from the picturesque and cosmopolitan to the historical and vibrant. Read the rest of this entry »
Rome by Steph & Melissa
We arrived in the evening so the traffic was light and from Ciampinio Airport to our hotel in central Rome it was only about a 35 minutes drive. It was lovely driving through Rome at this time of year and at night, as all the Christmas lights were glistening and it looked so festive, it got us right into the spirit of December! Read the rest of this entry »
28 Hours in Brussels by Helen
Last week I headed over to Brussels for a trip to the Christmas markets, courtesy of Carlson Rezidor, Eurostar and the Belgian Tourist Office. Read the rest of this entry »
