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 Claudia Fenner is a writer, photographer and travel enthusiast from Dix Hills. She loves to plan her family’s vacations as well as help her relatives and friends with theirs. Have any travel questions you would like answered? Email her at travelingclaudia@gmail.com. Happy Travels! |
| When one thinks of the French Riviera, glamorous old images of Grace Kelly and Carey Grant come to mind. The Cote d’ Azure (The Blue Coast) is just as magical today as it was 62 years ago when “To Catch a Thief “ was released. Nice is a fantastic base for a vacation on the French Riviera. Delta is the only airline that flies nonstop from JFK to Nice and it’s a huge time saver. The airport (NCE) is a short 20 – 30 minute bus ride into the center of the city. There are 2 buses you can take.. either the #98 which takes you along the Promenade des Anglais for hotels near the beach and Old Nice, and the #99 which goes to the main train station – Gare SNCF. Both are 6 Euros pp each way. A lovely hotel to try is the Splendid Nice, which is well located between the Promenade and the train station. They have family rooms that sleep 4, which is a rarity in European hotels. See www.splendid-nice.com/en/ for rates and reservations. Nice is a great base because it’s a short train ride between the two other major cities on the French Riviera. Thirty minutes by train to the west brings you to Cannes. Thirty minutes by train to the east brings you to Monte Carlo. The fares range from about 3 Euros to 6 Euros each way depending on the type of train. No need to check the schedules.. the trains depart the main train station in Nice (Nice Ville) every 20 to 30 minutes. Sounds hokey but the “Little Train” that leaves every 30 minutes from the Promenade des Anglais, for 10 Euro pp, is a nice introduction to the city. It also brings you up to the top of Castle Hill, which affords you the most gorgeous view of the city from above. For information go to www.trainstouristiquesdenice.com/en/. We are not really “museum people” but we enjoyed the Chagall Museum in Nice. It’s a small but very beautiful collection including many biblical themes that I think everyone can relate to. We happened to be there on the first Sunday of the month where all museums are free to the public. It was a lovely coincidence. When I was planning our trip I found a wonderful website called “The Best of Nice.” It contains a ton of specific and incredibly helpful information that is very well organized. Click on www.bestofniceblog.com. Nice is truly a special place.. English and Russian aristocrats vacationed there at the turn of the century and in Monaco a Movie Star turned Princess made it her home. Visit soon.. The Mediterranean awaits you. |
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