A Trip Round The French Riviera

Julius — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 22:59:24 +0000

There’s a Turkish Riviera, an Italian Riviera, a Mayan Riviera and even an English one and the names for all these coastal resorts have been inspired by the stretch of coast in the South of France that first became popular as a winter resort in the 18th century. Eventually, someone found out that the area was also lovely in the summertime, plus the railways arrived, and voila, it became one of the first modern resort areas largely frequented by the English.

Here are just a few of the towns and their attractions to be found along the coast:

Nice

Probably one of the city’s most famous features is the 7km long Promenade des Anglais, named after those English tourists. It follows the coast, is long and wide and is a magnet for line skaters and skateboarders as well as promenaders (it’s wide enough to accommodate everyone).

The Old Town is not to be missed and neither is the pedestrianised Cours Saleya, home to a fruit and flower market some days, an antiques market the rest of the week, and lots of restaurants and cafes for lunch and dinner. Beautiful Belle Epoque buildings including the gorgeous Negresco Hotel grace the city with their presence.

Nice, French Riviera by Jean-Pierre Dalbéra

Saint-Tropez

Saint-Tropez is of course well known for its rich, famous visitors, and the eye-bogglingly expensive yachts belonging to these people are certainly worth a stroll round in Quai Jean Jaurès.

There’s a 16th century citadel on a hill overlooking the town from which there’s a great view out to sea and if you’re in the mood for a proper walk, take advantage of the 7 mile track around the coast to the Pampelonne beaches, past Bridge Bardot’s house and Roger Vadim’s grave.

Saint-Tropez, French Riviera by Alessandro Prada

Cannes

Home of course to the film festival in May when you’ll be hard-pressed to find a luxury hotel, the old town (Le Suquet) on the hill is accessible all year round and a wonderful place for people-watching while sitting at a cafe. Cannes, too has its share of big boats that can be viewed in the Old Port area.

The city’s equivalent of the Promenade des Anglais, and just as famous, is the La Croisette with the sea on one side and a myriad of expensive hotels and palm trees on the other.

Cannes, French Riviera by Christophe.Finot

These are all famous, large towns well-visited by multitudes of tourists, but there are also some smaller towns on the French Rivieria …

Julie is a world traveller who loves combining her passion for writing and travelling in fantastic short travel guides. She also writes for Fortina Spa Resort, one of the top Hotels in Malta, situated in a prime seafront location overlooking the capital city Valletta.

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Traveling to San Remo – City of Flowers | Italy

Julius — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 18:44:48 +0000

Who wouldn’t want to go to a coastal town with the moniker City of Flowers? It sounds like a fragrant dream waiting to be experienced and taken in by all the senses. San Remo is on a small bay in the Ligurian Region of Italy, in an area known as the Italian Riviera. San Remo earned its nickname by having an intense array of tropical plants everywhere you turn. In this region of Italy, the tourists come in while the olive oil gets exported out. If you’ve ever hungered for real Italian cooking or longed for gorgeous scenery, then you will want to visit San Remo, and one of the best ways to do that is aboard a privately chartered yacht.

San Remo Harbour, Liguria, Italy by Dr. Gert Blazejewski

City of Flowers

San Remo is special for a few very simple reasons. The atmosphere here is pleasant- meaning that you will get accustomed to its fresh food, warm weather, majestic mountains, and Italian ambience rather quickly. San Remo’s favorable climate conditions are part of what make sailing a pastime here. There is plenty of sunshine without much rain, and the wind is quite predictable. The nice weather also means that attractions are open all year so you can enjoy a round of golf or a trip to the outdoor market any month you happen to dock here.

For those who opt to charter a motor yacht instead of a sailing yacht, San Remo will beckon you to get your exercise by experiencing the town on foot. La Pigna is San Remo’s town center, and many of its old treasures are only accessible to pedestrians. The harbor, popular among the luxury yacht set, is the place to go for restaurants with the freshest seafood. Imagine taking in Mediterranean sea views while dining al fresco only to turn around and see mountains stretching up into the sky behind the bay. After the meal on land, you’ll get to return to your private yacht for a nightcap and a good night’s sleep.

Streets in San Remo, Italy by Susana Ferreira Machado

The Music

The other appeal of San Remo is that music is very much alive and appreciated in this town. There is the requisite annual Music Festival, but also, their Symphony Orchestra performs 120 concerts a year! And true to its name, the City of Flowers hosts a Flower Parade that reminds everyone of the town’s most fragrant residents. San Remo not only revels in these simple delights, it also caters to high rollers’ favorite vice: gambling! The casino in San Remo is 100 years old, and the town takes advantage of the building’s cache by hosting the European Poker Tournament every year.

Getting to your private yacht (or planning a meeting place for your guests) should not be too much trouble since the Cote d’Azur Airport serves this area. Trains frequently go between Nice, Genoa, Milan, and the Italian Riviera. Perhaps you can arrange for a boat transfer instead and cross the Med to get to your chartered yacht! Alfred Nobel deemed San Remo the perfect spot for his villa, and he was a pretty smart guy. Why not follow in the footsteps of his legend and head to San Remo where picturesque anchorages are idly waiting for you.

International Yacht Charter Group is the only yacht charter contact you’ll need to make.

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