Hello, I will be in Nice with my family this summer and the kids are begging to drive over the border into Italy. I only want to do this if there is something we would see/do that would be worth doing.
Let me qualify that by saying - I know that Italy is worth doing - what I mean is that our trip focuses on France and I do not want to cross the border just to say that we were in Italy.
That said, what town of interest would you recommend within a day trip from Nice? What would you do?
Thanks
A few years ago I took a train from Zürich south into Italy. We entered a tunnel in Switzerland and exited the tunnel in Italy. I was amazed at the instant contrast between the two countries. (Switzerland was too clean and perfect, Italy had some litter, broken glass, buildings in disrepair...I could tell humans live in Italy, I wasn't so sure about Switzerland.)
The minute you enter Italy you're in a new world, with a new language, a new lifestyle, and a new cuisine. I'd say crossing the border, driving a half-hour, then finding a place to eat a meal might give you a great memory.
True, it's a long way from experiencing the real Italy, but I'd still do it if I were you.
Check with your car rental agency. A few years ago the rental agencies in Northern Europe wouldn't allow their cars to enter either Italy or Eastern Europe. We also had to pay for a sticker when entering different countries. But it really is amazing to see the differences when leaving one country and entering another. Going from London to Paris on the Eurostar it's hard to believe the countryside will look so different from one side of the Chunnel to the other but it really does.
If there are no penalties with regards to the hire car then I would suggest Ventimiglia - less than 1 hours drive from Nice. The reason I know this is that I was getting the train from Genoa to Nice and there was a rail workers strike in France. We stopped there and I had to get a cab into Nice. As I drove through the town I thought how pretty it was and would love to go back and spend some time there.
I think any of the coastal towns would be worth a look at. It's very pretty along that stretch of coast.
Have you considered Cinque Terre? We just returned from Italy and we drove from LaSpezia to Nice in an afternoon. From LaSpezia it's a very short train ride to some or all of the Cinque Terre villages and they are spectacular.
The Cinque Terre is a long drive from Nice. I wouldn't drive to one of the Italian Riviera towns, though. The train will be far easier. Also, a lot of the towns are summer resorts without much charm. Multi-story concrete hotels and private beaches.
Doug said, "I wouldn't drive to one of the Italian Riviera towns, though...Also, a lot of the towns are summer resorts without much charm. Multi-story concrete hotels and private beaches."
I agree with Doug. If I were doing just an afternoon drive for an experience of Italy, I wouldn't go to a big busy tourist town. That's not Italy, or at least not the Italy I'd be looking for. I'd go to a small in-land town that's typical of Italy, eat a meal, shop, and just look for the differences between Italy and France (and home).
Unfortunately, I've not traveled in the part of Italy near Nice yet, so I can't make a recommendation of what charming little town you should head for.
Doug and Patrick both have good insights for the Italian Riviera...many beachside resorts are long stretches of souless highrises with their requisite beach umbrellas...one exception to that is on the stretch between Ventimiglia and San Remo including both towns...these are great historical sites with many charming features and a different slice of Italy. In the same way that the Alsace is not entirely French or German, this coastline running from San Remo to Nice in not entirely French nor Italian. The distance from San Remo to Nice is about 40 miles.
thanks!
there is a good aquarium in geona, italy.
Near the French Riveria there really is not much that is interesting in Italy to make you spend time and euros to see. Leave your visit for another time and see mote of FR and the corniches in France.
Take a train into Italy and stop at one of a number of towns close to the border. There are no big tourist towns - try Ventimiglia, Alassio or San Remo.
You and your kids will enjoy any of them. Surf the internet to learn something about the town and then pick one.
We went to San Remo from Nice just for a few hours. San Remo is the city where one of the biggest music festivals takes place every year.
