Nice & the French Riviera

Meeting our Tour Manager and fellow travellers this morning at London St Pancras, we board the Eurostar service to Paris. In the French capital, we change trains for the direct service to Nice, journeying through the heart of France to the French Riviera. From St Raphaël, the route winds along the Mediterranean, revealing beautiful glimpses of the coast before we arrive in Nice this evening.

Our hotel is located a short walk from the famous Promenade des Anglais, the palm-lined seafront looking out on to the Mediterranean Sea. The contemporary hotel has a roof terrace for relaxation and a private beach for which guests receive preferential rates. After a welcome drink on arrival at your hotel, the evening is free for you to enjoy dinner at a local restaurant of your choice.

Today, after breakfast, you can spend a relaxing day getting to know Nice at your own pace. A stroll down the Promenade des Anglais lets you soak up the appealing atmosphere of this beautiful city. You could stop at the Jardins du Musée Masséna on the way. Admission is free to these landscaped gardens full of tropical plants and trees, surrounding a Belle Époque villa.

Alternatively, venture into the city on the modern Nice Tramway, which connects the city centre with our hotel in less than 10 minutes. In the Old Town, Cours Saleya is a buzzing and colourful market selling flowers, antiques and local produce. For a flavour of Nice, try 'socca', a local crispy pancake made from chickpea flour. After wandering the intriguing passageways and courtyards, there are many fine squares for you to explore, including Place Giuseppe Garibaldi and Place Masséna. Both abound with cafés and restaurants.

Dining independently tonight, you could enjoy authentic local food, known as Cuisine Nissarde. Renowned Salad Niçoise, pistou soup and ratatouille can all be savoured with a delightful local wine.

• Breakfast

Heading along the coast by train this morning, we visit the harbour town of Antibes for time at leisure. With historic streets lined with quaint medieval fisherman's houses, this old port has attracted visitors for centuries, including Pablo Picasso who lived in Château Grimaldi. The castle is now the site of the Picasso Museum, housing a collection of the artist's work. Take in the sights and scents of fresh produce at the covered Provençal Market or admire panoramic sea views from the well-preserved coastal citadel, Fort Carré.

In the afternoon, we continue by train to Cannes. This glamorous town was originally a small fishing village that can still be uncovered in the cobbled streets of Le Suquet. Cannes is now world famous for its prestigious annual film festival, held at the start of the Croisette. This boulevard, dotted with palms and upmarket boutiques, stretches along gold sand beaches. There is also a colourful Provençal market that is a feast for the senses.

Returning to Nice by rail this evening, we have dinner together at a local restaurant.

• Breakfast, Dinner

With nearly three miles of beaches in Nice, you might prefer to spend a free day lounging next to the brilliant blue sea. However, Nice is also renowned for its culture, and there are many excellent museums in the city. The Musée National Marc Chagall is just north of the city centre and honours the Belarussian-born French artist who was a pioneer of modernism. In the hilltop Cimiez quarter, you can find the Matisse Museum, which contains works by Henri Matisse, a leading figure in the colourful Fauvism movement who spent many years in Nice.

For those interested in live music, the Old Town of Nice buzzes with jazz bars. You could also visit the Hotel Negresco to sample the famous Royal Negresco cocktail containing champagne and flakes of gold.

After a dinner of your choice this evening, you could also stroll along the Promenade des Anglais - an evening ritual for many local residents, dog walkers and joggers - enjoying sea air and views of the Mediterranean.

• Breakfast

Travelling by rail this morning to nearby Villefranche-sur-Mer, there is free time to explore. An attractive small coastal town, Villefranche-sur-Mer is a rainbow of pastel-coloured buildings cascading down to a sheltered harbour. The Old Town is a warren of cobbled streets of sun-baked houses rising. One of the more unusual streets in Villefranche is the Rue Obscure, a covered alley constructed in the 13th century to allow military personnel to pass through the town unseen. On the quayside, you can find the colourful Chapel of St Paul where another surprise awaits - the interior is decorated with delicate renderings by filmmaker and artist Jean Cocteau.

Return travel to Nice is included in the afternoon, but with train tickets only costing a few euros, you could opt to explore further. Nearby is Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, one of the most exclusive residential areas in the world. On this pretty peninsula is the pink-hued villa and gardens formerly owned by socialite Baroness Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild. Around the harbour berthed with yachts are many wine bars and restaurants where you could dine this evening.

• Breakfast

The scenic Lower Corniche Road provides fantastic views of the azure Mediterranean on our way by coach to Monaco after breakfast. The world's second-smallest sovereign state, Monaco is renowned as a playground for the rich and famous with superyachts lining the large marina. With one-third of Monaco's residents being millionaires, wealth is on display across the principality, especially around Place du Casino. During a guided tour, we visit this glitzy square and view the world-famous Monte-Carlo Casino.

On its strategic position on top of a large rock, Le Rocher is Monaco's Old Town and still retains winding medieval lanes. Since the 13th century, this has been the stronghold of the Grimaldi dynasty - the principality's ruling family. Our tour takes in the Palais du Prince to witness the time-honoured Changing of the Guards ceremony. After the tour, there is free time to look around - maybe having a flutter in the casino or enjoying a drink in the Café de Paris, Monte Carlo's prime people-watching spot.

Returning to Nice this evening, we enjoy our final dinner together in a local restaurant.

• Breakfast, Dinner

With incredible culture, Nice and its famous Promenade des Anglais was the ideal base from which to explore the south of France on this memorable holiday. With the Mediterranean Sea never far from view, we have explored some of the area's most beautiful towns and cities. Time at leisure provided the opportunities to soak up the Old Towns of Antibes and Cannes, and we also uncovered the charms of Villefranche-sur-Mer and its attractive harbour. A guided tour of Monaco provided a glimpse into the lives of the rich and famous.

Leaving Nice and the French Riviera behind after breakfast this morning, we board the direct train to Paris. In the French capital, we swap to the Eurostar service back to London St Pancras, where we arrive this evening and say farewell to our Riviera expedition.

• Breakfast