We reach Nice airport about 10.30 p.m. It take us about 1 hours to sort out the car rental. Finally, we can go to our hotel which I have booked near the airport. Due to we are new to this location and the navigator can't show us how to get into our hotel. It took us about 45 minutes to find the hotel. Manage to find the hotel and car park to park for the night. Unfortunately, we find out that the room only able to sleep 3 people instead of 5 people. Also every day parking cost another Euro$8.00. Settle down into the hotel room, we decide to go for a walk around the area. Do you know what we found out during this walk?
Our hotel is surrounded with lot of different hotels and there are lot of prostitutes littered around these areas. Lucky, we have 2 men with us and we feel safe.
The Promenade des Anglais is one whole stretch of beach. Blue sea with small pebbles and if you want to swim, it is best to wear a rubber slipper where you can get a grip on the pebbles. Beautiful sunny day for sun tanning. There are lot of small shops and market place where on different days selling flowers, antiques and lot of sea foods cafe where they cater sea food from lunch till midnight. Drinks and food are expensive and it cost us Euro$100.00 to Euro$120.00 for 5 of us. Beautiful shops and houses around the Promenade des Anglais and it take us 2 days to see all of it.
I not keen on all the tourist spots and decided to venture further. We decided to save cost so we shopped for cheapest lunch which cost about Euro$40.00 for 5 people which consider it is still too costly then in UK. Next we go to Eze, is a charming medieval eagle nest village on the hill top. Beautiful scenery up to hill top with narrow twisting roads.
From Eze, straight to Monaco- Monte Carlo - princely palace in the old city, the famous casino square and the luxury boutiques in Monte-Carlo, and the legendary Formula 1 circuit.
Love the atmosphere in Monte Carlo but it is too expensive to stay or eat around in these areas. ~Manage only to spend a few hours here and rush back to Nice which take about 45 minutes to drive.
My children can't wait to go to Cannes, Spend 3 days here. The different between Nice and Cannes is the beaches in Cannes are fine sands and not pebbles. The disadvantages is there are so many people in Cannes and the beaches are overcrowded. This is a sunny city of glamour and is the host of the most famous international film festival for more than 60 years. Enjoy a walk on Croisette, as the favourite movie star did..
The food here is cheaper than Nice and there are lot of shops and restaurants where you can just walk in and have your dinner without any booking.
My children love sun tanning and spending hours on the beach. But not for me, so I decided to go for the unexplored areas which not full of tourists. Manage to find this spot which is Bancairon, where you can diving into the waterfalls. Spend a glorious day on the waterfalls taking photos and enjoying the beautiful scenery.
Take a ferry to an island - St Marguarite, the ferry cost Euro$17.00 per person. Worth the value. The island is not full of tourists and there are Musee and the old prisons.
Travel to St Paul De Vence this is not a tourist spot. It is most visited village in France. This extraordinary jewel of Provence is a big garden that has become a passion for painters to live in.
From here, It take about 20 minutes visit the Musee Renoir, beautiful place where Artist Renoir used to live.
Our last 2 days here, so we decided to go for glamorous lifestyles. So here come the helicopter trip - Euro$55.00 per 6 minutes per person. Enjoy the short journey around Nice ports and old harbours. Beautiful scenic sea view.
After this, we pay a visit to a castle Musee on top of the hill. Included a walk in the market place where they sell fruits and antiques. Have a nice and sweating day.
Finally, our last day, I do not want to miss a single minute of it. so it is decided to pay a visit to the Cathedral where the monks still do the prayers there. It is a design which from the Russia monks and where they used to do their prayers. This Cathedral is in Nice and please note that - Girls whom wear short sleeves or shorts are not allow in. The boys must wear trousers and not shorts. Very holy place.
Last night, before we go to the airport. we decided to go to the centre of Nice once last time, shopping for presents and gifts for friends.
Good bye to Nice - stop at the airport waiting for our flight. We are knackered and ready for our bed. Home sweet home.
We manage to travel this trip within our budget. Have to skip breakfast and have light lunch and heavy dinner to last us till the next noon. Very pleased with this trip and able to see so many places which not mention on the tourist guides. Also thanks to my girl, whom help me to start my this blogger for the travelling. Will be writing another blog soon for the next destination.
