Nice – French Riviera, Genoa – Lombardy Lakes

Breakfast and departure for a wonderful excursion to Como and the beautiful city of Lugano, on the lake of the same name in Switzerland. Como offers a unique natural landscape, with a beautiful lakeside promenade and a picturesque historic center. In Piazza del Duomo, we’ll admire the Cathedral. A visit to Como’s cathedral (Duomo) is definitely one of the best things you can do. The Broletto (Old Town Hall) is also located there. Next, we’ll take a stroll toward Piazza San Fedele to get lost in the charming narrow streets of the city center.

Then we’ll head to Switzerland and Lugano, on the northern shore of the lake of the same name. Lugano is not only Switzerland’s third-largest economic hub but also a conference, banking, and business center. With a Mediterranean flair, the lakeside city of Lugano offers all the advantages of a world-class city. The historic city center, the numerous Lombard-style buildings, the museums, and the lake itself invite visitors to enjoy the atmosphere and the "dolce far niente." We will then board the bus to head to our hotel.

After breakfast, departure for the Côte d'Azur and Menton. Menton, known as the "Pearl City" of the Côte d'Azur, welcomes visitors with an air of old-world elegance. The tour begins in the old town, with its narrow alleys leading to St. Michael’s Cathedral. On the Promenade du Soleil, with the sea as a backdrop, there is time for reflection or a coffee.

We then depart to explore the small Principality of Monaco. We’ll take elevators to the top of the hill, next to the Jacques-Yves Cousteau Oceanographic Museum and the exotic gardens. We’ll take an exterior tour of the Grimaldi Palace, where we may also see the changing of the guard. We’ll then head to Nice, transfer to the hotel, check into our rooms, and spend the night.

After breakfast at the hotel, we will begin our tour of cosmopolitan Nice, the famous capital of the French Riviera. We will walk along the famous Promenade des Anglais, which stretches along the beach. We’ll see the iconic “Negresco” hotel, pass through Massena Square with its statue of Neptune, then Garibaldi Square, and finally visit the Nice Cathedral.

Free time for coffee, and then we’ll head to one of the most picturesque villages in the area, Saint-Paul-de-Vence. A medieval village surrounded by the walls of Francis I. Return to our hotel in Nice. For the evening, we recommend a visit to Monte Carlo. Join us to explore the world’s most famous casino and try your luck in its dazzling halls. Return to the hotel late at night. Overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel, then we’ll head to Antibes, which we’ll explore on foot through its picturesque alleys. We’ll pass by the market, the Picasso Museum (exterior), and Nikos Kazantzakis’s house (exterior). We will then arrive in Cannes, with its famous Croisette. We will see the magnificent buildings and the Cannes Film Festival Palace.

We will then depart for Grasse, the world capital of perfumery. A visit to one of the city’s famous perfumeries, such as Fragonard, Molinard, or Galimard, reveals the magic behind a bottle of perfume. At the end, guests participate in a short workshop on creating their own personal perfume. The day concludes with a leisurely return drive along the Riviera.