Modest local boats, near elegant villas and gardens, share fantastic views along the Cote d’Azur.
Cannes is beautiful. We tendered in right by the Vieux Port (Old Port) and were met by MoMo, a driver we had contracted for a few hours. The goal was to get out on the coast and take in the scenery, and that is exactly what made this day so special.
Before we left town, we headed up the famous waterfront on the Boulevard de la Croisette, where the Palais des Festivals hosts the annual Cannes Film Festival and grand hotels like the Majestic, Carlton and Martinez are found. Among the high-end shops you can find Chanel, with the address Number 5, the origin of the famous perfume name. The Rue d’Antibes offered even more shops, but without the distraction of the colorful parks and action on the waterfront.
We wanted to drive along the Corniches (roads cut into steep hills) and we started with the lower, Basse, Corniche along the coast to Antibes and Cap d’Antibes. The entire area was extremely beautiful and obviously very wealthy. In Antibes we also visited a local market, sampled the delicious Socca (made from chickpeas and olive oil) and purchased some Absinthe, the legendary and controversial, potent liquor. We took in the 13 mega-yachts and one 92’ baby-yacht, all but one with Cayman Island registry, and then drove by stunning villas along the coast.
In the distance we saw the Lerins Islands of Sainte Marguerite (where the Man with the Iron Mask was jailed) and Sainte Honorat.
We did drive on all three of the Corniches, including the Grande (upper) and Moyenne (middle); these roads all follow the coastline, but at various heights along the route. Ah, yes, and more bocce “courts”, which look like large sandy fields in France, where the game is actually called Petanque.
Our drive took us to the hilltop village of Eze, where we enjoyed a quick survey of the shops, cafes and 5-star hotels scattered along the steep, narrow stone pathways.
Once back in Cannes, we visited the Old Town of Le Suquet with its Notre Dame d’Esperance 17th century, Franciscan church and castle ruins.
A final stop at a waterside café for a glace was a perfect ending to the day.
Harbor at Villefranche.
When we opened our eyes this morning and saw the whitecaps outside, we knew we were not going to be able to tender into St. Tropez.
It wasn’t long before the Captain of the Journey announced he was looking for a more sheltered harbor; and not long after, he broadcast we would anchor off Villefranche.
The crew scrambled to get together some on-shore options, and we chose to take an excursion to St. Paul de Vence, a beautiful, hilltop village right out of a medieval movie set. It turned out to be a warm sunny day, and the new harbor was nice and calm for the tenders to get to shore. Villefranche is beautiful, and also has major city walls left from the fortifications built when it was a part of the House of Savoy, and defended itself from the French.
We drove along the coastal La Promenade des Anglais through Nice, and were surprised at just how quaint, picturesque, clean, colorful and interesting it all looked. St. Paul was absolutely charming, with narrow, winding alleys filled with high-end art galleries and beautiful shops. Fitting for an area that inspired Matisse, Chagall and Picasso.
We capped it off by sitting in a café at the entrance to the village and watching the local bocce players. They played on a sandy court with no edging and the traditional smaller balls. It was amazing to watch them toss the ball in the air for a dead hit on the competitor’s ball, and then nestle their ball right up to the pelota. They took the game to a whole new level.
I loved everything we saw today, and can see why so many count this part of the world among their favorites.
Tip: Train service runs regularly along the coastal route, connecting Monaco with all the cities along the Cote D’Azur and beyond.
I know – really cheesy . . .
Pisa is about a lot more than the iconic Leaning Tower, but that’s why we came. It is a beautiful city on the Arno, very similar in appearance to its neighboring Florence. Every Piazza and building seems to be steeped in Renaissance history. Portions of the original town walls are still in place and many of the streets are lined with the famous “umbrella” pines for which the area is known.
Once again, we took the train. We had some difficulty finding a cab to take us to the station, there were crowds of people in the area. We ended up sprinting to jump on the train, without validating our tickets (a huge no-no). The train was packed and there were no seats, so for the first time since college, I stood between cars. Fortunately, it’s only about 15 minutes from Livorno to Pisa. And, the travel gods were watching over us since the conductor never got to us to punch our tickets, so we escaped the consequences of not validating our tickets (which is supposedly a hefty fine).
It seemed like half the people in Italy must be visiting Pisa today (a Tuesday in October?), taxis were scarce. We had the option of the public bus, but decided to take the local Hop-on (15 euros), 10 minutes to the Tower, and pick it up an hour later for the remaining 50-minute tour back to the train station. It worked out well and gave us a nice bit of history along the way.
Oh, about those porcupines, it seems they were hunted and eaten as part of the local Tuscan diet; I’m glad that delicacy never caught on.
Some Tips:
Train fare to and from Livorno is 5 euros each way and trains run every hour (towards Pisa at 12 after the hour; returning to Livorno at 28 after the hour). From the Pisa train station take public LAM Rossa (approx. 2 euros), to get you to the Campo dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles) where the Duomo and Leaning Tower are located.
The Hop-on bus leaves every hour on the hour from the train station. It also goes to the nearby airport. Be flexible – the headsets are a bit problematic, and the route/schedule is just slightly off, but it was worthwhile.
Along the Arno in Pisa.
The Campanile, at the Florence Duomo.
Lorenzo Ghiberti’s beautiful three-dimensional Gates of Paradise from the 1400s.
It was an easy hour train ride into Florence from Livorno. Advance info said all trains were at 12 minutes after the hour – but we caught one about 15 minutes earlier. Italian trains are always a bit of an experience and you have to validate your tickets prior to each trip (or you get a hefty fine); I had read to look for the yellow machines. PS, they are all green and they don’t all work. Another note, you still have to pay a Euro to use the toilet at the Florence station – an annoying blast from the past.
We enjoyed visiting Florence again and just walking . . . a little shopping at the San Lorenzo market, seeing the statuary at the Loggia dei Lanzi, strolling by Dante’s church and museum, and time to see the beautiful bronze doors (actually a replica) at the Baptistery of San Giovanni. Lunch overlooking the Ponte Vecchio and, of course, chocolate gelato.
The day fittingly ended with an AzAmazing evening at Livorno’s historic Goldoni Theater and a performance by three tenors singing Italian opera favorites.
Grazie Azamara.
