Travel to the Italo-French Riviera

Written by Maria Siritzidou

The journey begins and it is the first time on a road trip, so there is the corresponding anxiety. But the mood is high and the enthusiasm will overcome any obstacle.

First stop Bergamo with a stay at the wonderful Appartamento Ponchia, an excellent apartment outside the central part where you can enjoy its peace and nature.

Citta Bassa is modern and flat squares and impressive buildings while Citta Alta is medieval and surrounded by Venetian walls and cobbled alleyways. You can go up there with the cogwheel to the castle of San Vigilio and admire the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore as well as Piazza Vecchia and Piazza del Duomo.

The next day found us just outside Bergamo at one of the most beautiful lakes in Italy in Lake Guarda and specifically at Sirmione and Riva del Guarda where we walked and enjoyed a coffee by the lake.

The second day had a visit to bustling Milan, the capital of fashion. There we admired the imposing cathedral of Milan, the Duomo, with a height of 108.5m. It is dedicated to the Virgin and took almost six centuries to complete.

Then we saw the staircase of Milan, where many artists sang, including Maria Callas. There you can enjoy an opera, a ballet performance and a classical music concert. Our next stop was Castle Sforzesko ,an imposing castle in the heart of Milan. It was built in the 15th century by Franciscan Sforza. Finally, we did not forget to walk along Via Emanuelle with its wonderful and most expensive shops.

On the third day of our trip we chose to see the town of la Spezia and the colorful Cinque Terre villages and specifically the village of MANAROLLA and ended up in Rapallo, a seaside town, for a coffee before arriving in Genoa. These villages are part of the Ligurian Riviera and are a cultural landscape of extraordinary beauty as well as being part of the Unesco cultural heritage.The city of la Spezia is the capital of the province of Liguria and is an important commercial port and base of the Italian navy.

The fourth day was dedicated to Genoa, the largest port in the Mediterranean. In its historical center there are many palaces of the old city of Genoa and mansions of the nobles in Via Garibaldi and it is also the birthplace of Christopher Columbus. We visited her aquarium with countless marine species such as seals, dolphins and sharks. The cost is steep though.

Break for a short swim on the Italian Riviera at Recco, a seaside town outside Genoa and then we saw the King's Palace with its countless rooms.

Finally, we visited the LUIGI FERRARIS stadium where the teams of Genoa and Sampdoria play.

We enjoyed Italian pizzas and drank the famous Aperol aperitif.

The next day we arrived in Ventimiglia, Italy the last place before the Italian-French border. It is a very beautiful seaside town with a population of 25,000. From there we crossed the Franco-Italian border and made our first stop in the enchanting Monaco. In this impressive Principality of the Côte d'Azur you will of course admire the Monte Carlo Casino and the Prince's Palace with its amazing view.

We then headed to Nice. This city was founded by Greeks from Marseilles in 350 BC in honor of the goddess Nike who personified Victory. It's worth a stroll along its main promenade, the Promenade des Anglais. You can still take countless walks in the old town with its tiny shops and admire its colorful buildings and taste its aristocracy. The view from Castle Hill is also fantastic but Masserna square with its neoclassical buildings is one of the most beautiful.

 Then we visited the city of Menton. Here you will admire its traditional houses that have the colors of ocher. This city of 30,000 inhabitants is built on the side of the mountain and descends towards the sea. It is worth a visit to the Jean Cocteau museum and the Botanical garden.

Then we made our way to Eze. It is a fascinating medieval village in France between Nice and Monte Carlo. The village is located on a large rock 400 meters above the sea. You will walk through its narrow streets and you will admire the view of the Mediterranean. High on the top is the garden with varieties of cacti and other plants as well as a fortified castle of the 12th century. Saint Paul de Vance is equally impressive. It is a very picturesque village. Saint Paul de Vence is located high on the top of a hill. We walked on its cobblestones and enjoyed our coffee from one of its very beautiful cafes.

Our next stop is Antibes. This seaside town exudes Greece. It was founded in the 5th century BC. Our next stop is Antibes. This seaside town exudes Greece. It was founded in the 5th century BC as Antipolis, a Greek colony by the Phocaeans of Marseilles and developed into an important commercial center due to its location. In this place, Nikos Kazantzakis bought a house and spent part of his life. you can visit it together with the fortress and the Archaeological museum.

Our next stop is Cannes. With a population of 70,000 this Côte d'Azur city has very nice sandy beaches and during the summer months a dip is required. It is famous for the Film Festival that takes place in May.

The last day of this trek found us in San Remo for a morning coffee in the lovely seaside town in northern Italy and then we made our way back to Turin and our final destination was Bergamo where we would fly to Greece.

Turin is simply magical! Although it is an industrial city (headquarters of fiat and Lavazza coffee) it is beautiful. It is located at the foot of the Alps and is watered by the Po River. It is worth seeing the symbol of the city which is the 167.5 meter high Antonelliana tower and it was built in the 190 century. Today it is a Cinema museum.

We visited the Alianz stadium of the Juventus team which is really impressive. A stop at Piazza Castello with the Musei Reali is a must as it is a lively hub of museums. Still the cathedral of Turin stands out for its white marble facade and its large octagonal dome. Before leaving Turin you must sit in one of its wonderful cafes and enjoy an aperitif accompanied by many dishes.

Then we made our way back to Bergamo. The road trip came to an end. But it was full of beautiful images that will remain etched in our hearts!!!