Pricipality of Monaco - South of France
The French Riviera needs no introduction. It is known worldwide. Cannes, St. Tropes or Monaco are famous as a summer destination for many celebrities. I, in turn, decided o take a different approach. Instead of visiting the obvious, popular spots, I explored the region to find something unique. And discovered that this beautiful coast hides surprising gems - magnificent little towns, villages virtually unknown, without hordes of tourists. One of such towns is Èze - beautifully situated on a steep hill that overlooks the intensely blue Mediterranean sea.
Nice is grander, a city of spacious squares and long esplanades. It was one of the first coastal destinations to attract tourists, furnishing it with imposing 19th-century palaces and hotels on the Promenade des Anglais. You can duck down the alleys of Vieux Nice to shop at the boutiques and flower market at Cours Selaya, or ascend the Colline du Château for a view that never ceases to delight. If you don’t mind pebbles you can also join the select few who go down to sun bathe on Nice’s beaches. Even in July and August it’s never exactly heaving on the shore and most visitors stick to the promenade.
Èze is a medieval village perched like an eagle's nest on a narrow rocky peak overlooking the Mediterranean sea. The ancient fortified village is still crowned with the ruins of its 12th-century fortified castle (torn down in 1706), sitting on a narrow rocky peak. The castle grounds host the well-known Jardin Exotique, and from the top (429 m) you have an great view of the coast. The streets are very narrow, and very pretty, with cobblestones, stone walls and ancient buildings.