French Riviera & Spanish Coast Discovery

Nice enjoys a marvellous setting on one of the most glorious stretches of the Côte d'Azur, the sweeping Bay of Angels, so it's no wonder that tourists have been flocking here since the 19th century. A stroll along the waterfront Promenade des Anglais, flanked by palm trees on one side and the dazzling blue of the Mediterranean on the other, is the quintessential Niçois experience, and one we'll never tire of. Do try and make some time to explore the old town as well though; it's a maze of wonderfully winding streets, some of which may be barely wide enough to squeeze through after that hearty seafood lunch!

Few ports conjure up images of glitz and movie star glamour quite so readily as Cannes. May is when the glitterati roll into town for the Film Festival, but there’s still plenty to divert you the rest of the year, including the old quarter, Le Suquet, and the dazzling Croisette.

Ever since Brigitte Bardot put Saint Tropez on the map with the seminal ‘And God Created Woman’ in 1956, this diminutive fishing village on the French Riviera has been a magnet for the international glitterati.

The pretty Provençal fishing village of Sanary-sur-Mer is an agreeable place to spend a day, with a clutch of historic buildings and a lively open-air market. Sanary also has a fine literary heritage, home to a number of exiled German writers during the 1930s, and it was here that Aldous Huxley wrote ‘Brave New World’.

The little fishing village of Cassis is one of Provence's hidden gems, with a delightful little harbour where you can enjoy ‘bouillabaisse’, the famous seafood dish that was invented here. Cassis is also a base for boat trips to explore the picturesque limestone coves and inlets (known as ‘calanques’) that shape the surrounding coastline.

Roses is home to some of the loveliest beaches on the Costa Brava, and the town is said to have been founded by Greeks in the 8th century BC. If you don’t fancy a day on the beach then take a trip to Figueres to see the Dalí museum, or head a little further south to the engaging city of Girona.

The busy port of Tarragona, situated on the Catalan coast to the south of Barcelona, is a city full of history. This was the base from which the Romans launched their conquest of the Iberian peninsula, and there are plenty of reminders of this period, including an impressive seafront amphitheatre.

From the warren-like medieval streets of the Barri Gòtic to the fantastical modernist architecture of Antoni Gaudí, from the dizzy heights of Mount Tibidabo to the golden sands of Barceloneta, there’s never a dull moment in Barcelona.