GARDENS of COTE D'AZUR and TUSCANY
September 16 – 26th, 2006
 

September 18th our coach met us and we drove out to the quaint town of Grasse with its charming old squares. We went on a walking tour of some of the historical areas. Rising from the hills above the Mediterranean is the city of Grasse, the perfume capital of the world, surrounded by the charming Provencal landscape and villages of the Pays de Grasse, the regional name for this breathtaking and tranquil countryside. Together, they form the French Rivera’s most beautiful balcony. On 2007 tour.

Afterwards, as we head back towards Nice, we will make a stop in Monaco to visit the Princess Grace Rose Garden. We had to park the coach in an area and walk to a set of escalators that take you up and on to the main street. The buildings are so beautiful here and so are the plantings. We also saw the church where she was buried. A lot of the buildings have these beautiful wrought iron railings on the balconies. Then we arrived at the Rose Garden, a secluded quiet spot to walk around. As we were heading back our guide suggested that we take a walk through a wonderful Japanese Garden and it was definitely worth the time. Looked upon as a temple of luxury and prestige, Monaco is a world set slightly apart from the rest of the Côte d'Azur. Because of its economic boom, many sky-scrapers have appeared in the last decades, the only ones you'll see on the Riviera. The Principality of Monaco is comprised of three main parts: Monaco (the Rock and Prince's Palace), La Condamine (a bustling shopping area at the foot of the Rock) and Monte-Carlo, the central area around the Casino with the classiest hotels. A town that thrives on prestige, Monaco is a showcase of deluxe boutiques with renowned designer names, and the most impressive collection of really enviable cars and yachts you will ever see. Then we drove through Monte Carlo and headed back to our hotel. On 2007 tour.