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The Perfect Holiday: From Nice to Portofino and Cinque Terra By
Arnie Greenberg (The is the first in a series of articles by Arnie Greenberg on the perfect European holiday) (Pictured above, the lovely Gran Duca Hotel, only 30 minutes away from Lucca) Nice is the perfect place to start your south France vacation. Here you can discover French southern charm, museums, beaches and promenades you dream about. Here you walk along the Mediterranean, past the famous Negresco Hotel and the shining white buildings dating back to Nice's glory years.
(A sweeping view of the harbor in Nice) In Nice there are open air flower markets, wonderful restaurants, like Flo, right behind Galleries Lafayette, where shopping is the best. Chez Flo is a reconverted movie theatre. The food is top quality and the atmosphere exotic. The flower market was created in 1897 at the Cours Saleya near the water. There is a food market open every day, but Monday an antique market open daily from 7:30 - 6 p.m., though not on Mondays. In the evening from June 1 - Sept 30 there's an evening showing of local art. Of
course, no visit to Nice is complete without the Chagall Museum of the Bible and
the park-like setting of the Matisse Museum.
(At Villefranche, one enjoys the view from the deep water bay) Nearby, a day trip to sunny Villefranche: the harbor with the fortress, permanently decorated Jean Cocteau Church and the Rothschild home perched on a rise above the deep water bay on cap Ferrat, all pink and inviting. The admission charge is worth it and there's a charming restaurant for lunch. Another place to visit while here is the Russian Orthodox Church. There was once a great Russian presence in the area as the Russians leased Villefranche Harbor for their fleet. Nice and area offers everything from modern art to gambling. It is a city with a spirit, but even a simple salad Nicoise is not so simple. I suggest Hotel Rivoli…centrally located in Nice. From here you have easy access to all points and it's walking distance to the beach. (Indoor pool). Hotel Nice Rivoli 3* 45 rue Pastorelli, Nice Tel: 33 (0) 4 93 92 69 60. Hotelnicerivoli@aol.com On
to Monaco...
(The palace in Monaco, all lit up at night) The perfect place for the rich and famous. Here the hotels are splendid but expensive. The gambling casino is famous, the palace is splendid and the Monte Carlo auto race attracts thousands. It's a nice place to spend a day touring around or perhaps overnight, but it is a tiny municipality with a forest of high-rise buildings. Yet the views are wonderful and the experience not to be missed. There are day or evening tours from Nice by motor coach. The drive along the Cornish with its twist, turns and tunnels is in itself a treat. But if you are going into Italy by car, I wouldn't spend too much time here. There are treasures ahead not to be missed. The Corniche is the fastest way to get through the first part of the Italian coast. Here you'll pass spectacular views and see the towns far below near the sea. Once you get to Genoa, you turn south and the terrain becomes more forested and serene. Genoa is a mega-city famous for its relationship with ship building and Columbus, but there are more interesting places an hour to the south, so stay on the main route You will soon see the exit for Rapallo and Portofino.
A Stay in Portofino...
(Portofino...where dreams are realized) There is an indoor garage and a very short walk to the sleepy fishing village that awaits you. It is one of those picture-perfect places to have a glass of wine with biscotti, even in the morning, as they do here. The jet set discovered Portofino and made it famous. Climb the stairs and see the port from above. There is a yellow church, a museum and a castle open to the public. On a recent visit I bought a delicate water color poster of the bay. It hangs in my kitchen ever since. That alone could wet anyone's appetite to visit Italy. Movie stars and royalty visit here often. You can join them. There is no more peaceful place for a holiday. You can stay -- but make a reservation in advance. Hotel suggestion: Hotel Splendido, a classic 4-story hotel in a historic building dating from 1400. It sits on beautiful grounds overlooking the sea. There is a bar, restaurant and pool. Inquire for prices at Tel: 0185 267806
Miss Cinque Terre and Spectacular Panoramas...
(Who can resist Cinque Terre?) Driving can be another problem, but there is a train and good walking paths. From Riomaggiore you can descend the steep street that leads to the harbor. The bright-colored fishing boats are a photographer's delight. Try to get to Manarola, the most picturesque of all. There's an American-style restaurant, but not much else. The dock is cut from the rock wall. From here, there's a ferry to Vernazza From this area you can take a ferry to Elba. It's of great historical significance . Mountainous with lovely beaches and you can see the mansion in Portoferraio, where Napoleon lived while in exile for ten months after his defeat at the Battle of Leipzig in 1814. He returned from here and organized an army that was defeated in 1815 at Waterloo (near Brussels). Everyone
Knows about the Leaning Tower of Pisa...
(There it is, the leaning tower of Pisa) Secondly,
if you arrive by car or tour bus, you have to drive outside the city and leave
your car in a special car park. From there the small shuttle busses take you back
and forth to the tower. As you drive east from the village, you will come to a tiny town with thermal baths. While it has its charm, San Giuliano Terme offers an excellent modern hotel with a wonderful dining room (See my article on risotto). Gran
Duca Hotel:
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