My unexpected arrival on the French Riviera was due to a "couch surfer" who offered to host my boyfriend and I. I had sent out several requests while I was still in Italy to people in a few locations: Torino, La Spezie, and Nice. We were making our plans only a few days before our departure and the location was less important than the accommodations and host. Of course it is easy to do this when every city is within reach by train and all are equally as amazing! This flexibility is one of the things I love most about my backpacking trip. Christope from Nice replied that we were welcome to stay with him so off we were to Nice.Â
On the way we had to catch a connection train in Milano so we dedicate a few hours to exploring the cosmopolitan fashion capital before boarding another train to Nice. The train ride along the Blue Coast, as dubbed by the Italian and French, is a mix of beach and sea scenery. Upon arriving in Nice our host asks us if we would like to go to a beach party with him that night in Cannes!Â
My first night on the coast I partied to electronic music on the sandy beach of Cannes, only a few steps away from the Palais des Festivals et des Congres, home to the Cannes Film Festival. The next day we were off to the Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco, the playground of the world’s rich and elite. It was here where my boyfriend drooled over Ferraris and other incredibly expensive cars which only boys can truly appreciate. While I admired the photography exhibition in memory of Grace Kelly, he waited for the owner of the Ferrari parked in front of the Casino to drive away so he could hear the “Vrooomm” of the engine.Â
Although Monaco may be a flea of a country at only 1.96 square kilometers, it is a wealthy country and it does not collect income tax from its residents. For this reason, it has attracted many wealthy Europeans to its coasts. Monaco with the Grimaldi Royal family, Formula 1 Grand Prix race, Louis II soccer stadium, Yacht show featuring the world’s mega-yachts, Rose Garden in memory of Grace Kelly, high rise apartment buildings with pools and trees on their rooftops, and museums is truly a glamorous (and cramped) nation. Â
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Nice is a good compromise between neighbors Cannes and Monaco. Its a larger but more moderately priced city that has beautiful beaches, an opera house, great restaurants and stores lining the picturesque streets, a shopping mall, a modern art museum with an impressive collection, a castle, churches, pedestrian walkways on the beach and throughout the old city. It is the perfect location for a few days on the Riviera.
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Nice provides easy access to other nearby popular destinations but it has a life of its own. The easiest way to move between the cities is with the regional trains. However, I would suggest starting your nights early in Nice since most bars close early around 1:30 a.m. due to some local laws. We did party at a club that was open until 5 am (the only one in the area) but be ready to dish out 15 Euros to get in. That is unless you have the hook up with cool locals like we did! Â
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Everyone back home wanted to know if we experienced any unwelcoming feelings from the French and we happily told them that we didn’t. The people we met were not fazed by the fact that we were Americans. I was happy (and unafraid) to tell people I was American and Puerto Rican. Everywhere we traveled in Europe, people thought it was great that we were visiting so many amazing places. They were impressed by our genuine interest in their culture.
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Perhaps our experience was incredibly positive because we stayed with people living in the country that we met through
Couchsurfing.com, a network where you can find accommodations with people who in the country you're visiting (you can actually stay in their guest rooms--or on their couches). And to be a couch surfer, you have to be a certain type of person and traveler. However, I don’t think that the people we met are the exception to any rule. Their friends and family members were equally as welcoming and fun to be around. We shared many unforgettable meals, drinks, and experiences together!
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