Nice, Monaco and Cannes- A Travel Log in Pictures


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I recently toured Europe and visited quite a few cities. These included Rome, Pisa and Venice in Italy, which I have been to before, but also Nice, Monte-Carlo and Cannes, which I had never been to before. 

This post is about what I did and saw in my short time in Nice, Monaco and Cannes. In that order. 
I landed in Rome, stayed one night and the next morning I took a flight via EasyJet to Nice. I must say, the airline was very comfortable. A thousand times comfortable than my horrible Economy class seat in Etihad. 

Moving on.  

It was very, very cold which is why you'll see me swathed in layers and layers. Let's begin with Nice.

Nice

Nice is a small city located at the foot of the Alps, on the south-east coast of  France. I was given a ride from the airport to my hotel by a kind Argentinian lady and her daughter, in their Uber. She kept telling me that the main area of Nice is very small, and I can easily walk around the entire area. She was right. My hotel, Hotel 64, was located on the lane leading up to the Promenade des Anglais, and just a few minutes away from Nice-Ville Train Station. I loved the hotel as the lady at the reception was super helpful and the room was lovely. Spacious and decorated simplistically, with windows looking out onto the street. 

I was in Nice only for 2 days, but I managed to see quite a bit. 

The most important square in the city is Place Masséna. This is a colourful, historic and large square. It's a crossroads for the main boulevards and has lots of art and architecture that's very different from the usual historic places in Europe. The checkered floors, the men sitting and standing in different positions on top of the lam-posts, the coral facades of the buildings and their blue shutters. All these things make this square a visual treat like you've never seen before. 


In the middle of the square is a marble statue of Apollo in the middle of a huge fountain, called Fontaine du Soleil. The statue is 7 metres high and has other bronze statues around, on the fountain. With the #ILoveNice sign here, it's the perfect photo op!

On the way to the square, I passed by a beautiful, gothic cathedral with square towers. The Basilica of Notre-Dame de Nice, on Avenue Jean-Medécin.

Having a love for all old Roman Catholic churches, I had to take a look inside. It was magnificent on the inside, filled with rows of lofty arches and high stained glass windows. 

Just a short walk away from Place Masséna is the Promenade des Anglais, or 'The English Walkway' built overlooking la Baie des Anges or the Bay of Angels. This is where you can really witness the Cote d'Azur or the azure coast. There are many seats along the promenade, and the Nicoise come here for strolling, cycling, skateboarding, spending time with family or sunbathing on the beachfront. Indeed, there were people in bathing suits on the beach in this freezing weather... while I was wearing all the contents of my suitcase!

Behind me, in the distance is Castle Hill or Colline du Chateau. It's more of a hill than a castle. You can walk up the hundreds of steps for a breathtaking panoramic view of the Baie des Anges. Thankfully, there's also an elevator. Once you reach the top, on the hill's summit, you're greeted by a vast green park.

From all around the park, you can see stunning views of the bay, the boats and the hills. 

On a lower floor is a terrace on the castle hill is a terrace from where you can see a panoramic view of the promenade and the pretty town of Nice.

What I loved the most about Nice were its buildings. Everywhere you look, there are colourful buildings in pastel colours with contrasting shutters and pretty wrought-iron balconies. 

Monte-Carlo in Monaco

Monaco is a short train ride away from Nice, so I decided to do a day trip to this little country From Nice-Ville Train Station I took a train to Monte-Carlo. The train journey is only 45 minutes and on the way, you pass by some beautiful French towns on the Mediterranean Coast.

Monaco is one of the smallest countries in the world, with Monte-Carlo as its capital. The city is exactly as it's shown in Bond movies - all hills and shimmering waters, expensive cars and yachts. The entire city feels rich.

One of the places that is a must-visit in Monaco is Le Casino Monte-Carlo. The building is absolutely stunning with its pale yellow facade and intricate sculptures.

Once you step inside, it's even more stunning. The interiors are opulent, with gilded ceilings and walls, decorated with frescoes, paintings and a skylight. When I visited, there was an art installation called The Enchanted Garden, in the atrium area of the casino. The greenery against the muted gold of the decor made for a striking contrast.


Another place I wanted to visit was the Prince's Palace of Monaco, but unfortunately, it was closed on the dates I was there. 

The photo below sums up Monte-Carlo: sleek cars standing in a beautiful, modern, rich city set against the backdrop of the Alps.


Cannes

A short train ride from Gare de Monaco-Monte-Carlo is the French city of Cannes. It was almost sunset by the time I reached. The only place worth visiting in Cannes is the Palais des Festivals, where the Cannes Film festival takes place in May each year. 

Since Cannes is so close to Monaco, I took the opportunity to visit. In retrospect, I shouldn't have wasted my time as there's nothing else to see in Cannes other than the Palais des Festivals. Even when I visited, I wasn't allowed to go behind the building to the area overlooking the sea. 

Food and Drink in all 3 cities

A word of caution- food in all these cities is expensive. I was constantly appalled at the prices in every cafe and restaurant I went to. I've been to Italy before and I didn't remember the food being so pricey. But this is a very different part of Europe than good old Italia. All these 3 cities are for the elite and the jetsetters. I couldn't even find any street food, or simple cafes to eat in. Every place seemed posh and glamorous. C'est la vie!

If I could do it again, I'd definitely spend more time exploring Nice and its old fishing villages and quaint spots. Maybe even explore a few of the small towns on the coast that I saw on my train ride, which looked idyllic and sleepy. 2 days was not enough in Nice, so if you're planning a trip to this colourful French city, add a day or two more. Monaco can easily be done in a day trip, so you save on hotel cost. Hotels are cheaper in Nice, and there are many to choose from. There are very few hotels in Monaco and they're not easy on the wallet!

Next travel post coming up- the new sights and scenes I visited in Italy. As you know, I love travelling. If you're wondering how I manage to go to so many places while being an ordinary working woman, I've written exactly how in the chapter Money Management, in my book, Loving Yourself In Style.

I hope you found this post helpful. Let me know if you're planning a trip to these places and what you would do differently! 
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Shabana Feroze
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