French / Italian Riviera

[Jay-Bone]

Planning a trip for early September. Anyone been? Any tips? Where to go? What not to miss? We're thinking of staying in Nice while doing day trips to Cannes and Monaco. Do we need to do Marseilles or Saint Tropez? We're also thinking of staying in Portofino and maybe going to Cinque Terre (although my fiance has been before). Should we do a bus tour or cruise or customize ourselves and take the rail? Any help would be much appreciated.

Btw, sorry for not OT'ing.

 

[sledog]

Wait till off season - spring or fall - less crowded

 

[Exit 4]

I was in the area last year at the end of a trip to Provence. I stayed in Antibes and thought it was fantastic. Nice is pretty dense, but interesting. I didn’t have time to get to Monaco.

My two can’t misses:
-get up to the little village of Ez and be sure to pay the few bucks to tour the garden at the top of this medieval village perched 1200 ft above the sea.
-the sea walk (littoral walk) in Cap d’Antibe is worth the time. Do the whole thing.
-if you stay in Nice then castle hill is worth your time. If you don’t stay in Nice and have limited time, the trek to Ez is the far better choice between the two.

Lots of English speakers - you won’t have a problem.

 

[NJHusky]

ive been to Marseille for work. Nice town big marina. I’m sure there are beaches. Not a place I would plan to go back to for vaca

Portofine is very charming and close to cinque terre. It’s a very charming drive between them. We loved cinque terre. It’s not a long drive to the leaving tower from there

I was in Monaco many years ago. Thought it was a cool place for 2 nights. Lots of people on the beach and a James Bondish casimo.

September is a great time to visit Europe. Great weather and fewer tourists.

 

[Exit 4]

Yeah, I would skip Marseille, it’s a bit grimmy.

 

[husky429]

Always do it yourself. Way more enjoyable.

 

[husky99]

finale ligure.. amazing

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Sweet brag

 

[I Bleed Blue]

Planning a trip for early September. Anyone been? Any tips? Where to go? What not to miss? We're thinking of staying in Nice while doing day trips to Cannes and Monaco. Do we need to do Marseilles or Saint Tropez? We're also thinking of staying in Portofino and maybe going to Cinque Terre (although my fiance has been before). Should we do a bus tour or cruise or customize ourselves and take the rail? Any help would be much appreciated.

Btw, sorry for not OT'ing.

Skip Marseilles. Just a sea port city, nothing more. Nice is great, definitely worth a stop if you’ll be in Monaco. I’ve heard Saint Tropez is beautiful too.

I just got back from Italy. Cinque Terre is amazing as is the Amalfi Coast-Sorrento.

 

[husky99]

AmalfiCoast-Sorrento..rent a driver and have him drive u. Very amazing

 

[Jay-Bone]

Sweet brag

Buddy relax, its my honeymoon that we're barely getting an opening to fit in last minute pre-kids. The yard has given me great travel advice in the past and I want to get it right. That's all.

 

[jibsey]

There’s a reason why Elton John,Michael Douglas and many in the world of wealth have homes in Nice. The place doesn’t suck. My dream is to spend a month there walking around the markets, hitting cafes and French bakeries and drinking wine until i drop. We did a shared van tour of Nice and Monaco which was about 7-8 hours. Watch the Cary Grant movie To Catch A Thief. I’m drooling over Grace Kelly. It’s going to be $150-200 per person with only 5-8 people. The guy drives you around giving all the juicy dirt on the place while he negotiates the winding roads and cliffs. Your wife will love this. He drops you off in the markets, the casino, etc. and you don’t have to park or figure out where you’re going. If there for several days you can do 1/2 day tours each day.

 

[MadDogRevival]

Sweet brag

What was the point of this? You weren't accusing the OP of "bragging", were you? Please tell me I misunderstood you.

 

[Bonk]

Just recently got back from study abroad and took a trip to Nice/Monaco. If you're going to go to Monaco I suggest more than a day trip, at least one night. Night life there is pretty cool by the marina and the casinos are a hype time (if you can stomach $50-100 minimum bets) lol

 

[polycom]

To the travel board you go

 

[Exit 4]

Yeah, but the travel board generates weird pop ads.

 

[Jay-Bone]

To the travel board you go

I can't get a little love yet? Not even a day? It's off-season isn't it?

 

[J187Money]

I can't get a little love yet? Not even a day? It's off-season isn't it?

You didn't say "OT: French/Italian Riviera" which is the BY's version of Simon Says.

 

[Jay-Bone]

You didn't say "OT: French/Italian Riviera" which is the BY's version of Simon Says.

Fair enough, fatal mistake. I knew better. I did try to caveat after the fact.

 

[businesslawyer]

On a cruise a few years ago, we saw Monaco and Nice, and then St. Tropez. There are plenty of easy day or half day trips from Nice (absolutely yes to Eze), but St. Tropez was absolutely beautiful. If I was going to one or the other to relax, and money isn't an issue, I would kill to spend a few days in St. Tropez. Nice is a big beach city, like Miami or Honolulu. St. Tropez is much smaller and less crowded.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

@Jay-Bone How many days? That makes all of the difference in planning and enjoying a good trip, i.e., njoy yourself v trying to do too many things. If your wife-to-be's already been to Cinque Terre, consider putting it on the back burner for a future trip & instead go to places you both can enjoy as virgins

Otherwise, follow Exit 4's input, businesslawyer's St Tropez advice, and jibsey's van drop off suggestion for a day or so. Unless you absolutely have to transit via Marseille, others have advised you well. Only if you have to kill a few hours or so there, Cathédrale Sainte-Marie-Majeure's worth a glance followed by a quick walk near the port. In Marseille and elsewhere, keep your wallets, purses, backpacks, etc very secure!

Congrats & enjoy your honeymoon.

 

[Jay-Bone]

@Jay-Bone How many days? That makes all of the difference in planning and enjoying a good trip, i.e., njoy yourself v trying to do too many things. If your wife-to-be's already been to Cinque Terre, consider putting it on the back burner for a future trip & instead go to places you both can enjoy as virgins

Otherwise, follow Exit 4's input, businesslawyer's St Tropez advice, and jibsey's van drop off suggestion for a day or so. Unless you absolutely have to transit via Marseille, others have advised you well. Only if you have to kill a few hours or so there, Cathédrale Sainte-Marie-Majeure's worth a glance followed by a quick walk near the port. In Marseille and elsewhere, keep your wallets, purses, backpacks, etc very secure!

Congrats & enjoy your honeymoon.

Thanks Buddy! Sounds like you all are steering me in the right direction. Some great info here. Much appreciated.

We're thinking 9 days tops, including flights out and back, so it'll be tight. May have to cut Cinque Terre loose.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

May have to cut Cinque Terre loose.

Arrivederci Cinque Terre!

 

[NJHusky]

My wife raves about EZ. She’s been bugging me to go back. If u stop in Portofino you will get a sense of cinque Terre so as others have said u can skip it. My wife and i also made it a point to go to a place neither of us had been for our honeymoon. We’re glad we did. It’s a special time you both experience together

Congrats!!

 

[sledog]

I thought the Riviera was a Buick?