A Whirlwind Day in Nice & Eze
How can you fit a week’s worth of vacation into one day?…short answer, you just can’t 😩😂(at least I couldn’t). But with the help of our amazing guide through Viator I think Nate and I got pretty close! 😉
On our recent Mediterranean cruise we had one day in Cannes, France. Nate and I decided to fulfill as many of our French Riviera dreams as we could, traveling through two countries in one day trip 😳(yep we’re “those” people)!🤪With the help of Viator and Guidtour, we knew we would be in capable hands. We booked an all day customized private tour and we were not disappointed.
Our day started bright and early as we made our way into Cannes, and met our wonderful guide Sumin (Sue). I can’t wait to tell you all about my time in Cannes (which is featured in this post), but if I try to fit our whole day in one post it will turn into a book! 😂
After briefly exploring Cannes, we set off on our journey to Nice (about a 45 minute drive). Sue was amazing and shared detailed information about the local history and many points of interest.
We started our time in Nice by taking a leisurely walk along the beach at Promenade des Anglais, and then we made our way to the Cours Saleya Flower Market for some fresh fruit and flowers.
The old town (Vieux Ville) is a vibrant and popular tourist spot, filled with a maze of narrow and winding roads that you can get lost in, as you enjoy the many small shops and cafes.
We enjoyed delicious macarons and scrumptious gelato as we meandered down the historic cobblestone streets and alleys to the sounds of this beautiful bustling town.
We then made our way through Place Massena, the main square of Nice. This pedestrian only area features seven kneeling statues set 30 feet above the ground, as well as a Greek fountain of Apollo.
Our next stop was Parc Du Mont Boron…and in my opinion this should be one of the highest rated spots in Nice. From the picture perfect vista overlooking the French Riviera, to the walking trails offering mountain and city views, I could have enjoyed a full day here…but my favorite part of this stop had to be Fort Du Mont Alban.
Built in the 1550s, this military fort has managed to stand strong over the centuries. While there was no inside access during our visit, I enjoyed walking up the fort steps to the mighty front gate. It feels so special to walk around this fortress and overlook some of the most stunning views the French Riviera has to offer.
I would consider this stop off the beaten path and slightly less traveled than some of the more popular “touristy” areas. In fact, we had the entire cliff to ourselves, just Nate, Sue (our guide), and me. What fun it was to imagine guarding “our” fort! 😄
As difficult as it was to leave, we followed our guide to the next location on our journey, Eze, France. I am ashamed to tell you that on our drive to Eze, I tried to talk Nate out of stopping here. I had heard all about the famous Parfumerie Fragonard in Eze, but with our limited time it wasn’t at the top of my list…and I absolutely wanted to make sure we had time to visit Monaco, which was less than ten miles away from us. Thankfully Nate reminded me that our guide had been spot-on with everything we wanted to see and do so far, and he encouraged me to trust her. I am so glad we did! When I think of the beauty I could have missed out on had we not made it to Eze, I shutter!
Our guide actually recommended we visit Vieux Eze and Chateau Eza because we had enjoyed Fort Du Mont so much. When we first arrived, all I could do was look at the path we would be walking. I don’t know if I should say the Château is set at the top of a very steep hill or a small mountain, but it is a trek to get there, so make sure you’re wearing your comfy shoes! 😉
As we started walking up the path, I began to realize how magnificent our time here was going to be. Stunning, breathtaking, picturesque–all of the adjectives seem to fall short when I try to describe the unique beauty of this place.
Overlooking the French Mediterranean Sea, this cliff is set 1400 feet above sea level. You can walk the Nietzsche pathway (yes, the very path Friedrich Nietzsche used to walk daily)…although I would definitely call this “walk” more of a hike that takes at least 45 minutes each way. If you’re looking for something a little less strenuous you can enjoy one of the amazing restaurants with stunning views and magnificent cuisine. However, The Exotic Garden had to be one of my favorite spots. Destroyed in 1706, the garden has been magnificently restored, and is now lush and rich with life.
My only complaint about my time in Eze is that I couldn’t stay considerably longer. 😉 Nate and I have already started talking about taking a trip back solely to visit this place that we have fallen in love with. Slightly removed from the many loud, fast-pace tourist locations, Eze has a quiet and gentle history that is so welcoming, you won’t want to leave.
Sue made sure we had time for a quick visit to the country of Monaco (the second smallest country in the world) before driving us back to Cannes for the evening. I am working on that post right now, so I will tell you all about the rest of our time in Monaco and Cannes soon!
What’s the most epic day trip you’ve taken?
