Posts Tagged ‘Tourism’

Italian French Riviera – Trains Trams & Tourism

Diano Marina to Nice. Stopping off on the Train at towns on the Italian Riviera (Liguria) and Local scenes (inc France). Diano Marina, Imperia, Ventimiglia, Menton & Nice. (I thought the cheesey 50′s music went fine in with the video but I got a nasty email from the Music Industry Thought Police telling me I had infringed music copyright, hence the silent video now!)

The French Riviera – Travel and Tourism in and around Nice

Nice, with the principality of Monaco and Italy just a stone’s throw away to one side, and the ancient port of Antibes and the rest of the Riviera (with miles and miles of tourist-pulling beaches) as far as St Tropez on the other, is a popular tourist destination and also a thriving city with a fascinating history and an abundance of culture.

For many, visiting Nice outside the summer months is more enjoyable. It is less crowded, less expensive, but there is still more than enough to see and do. Nice is jam-packed full of museums, galleries, concert venues, theatres and a myriad of things to see and do.

To spend just a few days in this little corner of paradise, it soon becomes obvious why many artists and writers made it their home – from Renoir in the 19th century through to Matisse, Dufy, and Chagall in more recent times. Many artists lived here for lengthy periods, finding inspiration in the city’s varied seaside and mountain landscapes. Claude Monet was also a regular visitor.

But Nice is an ancient city with a history dating back almost 400,000 years. You can uncover some of this ancient history at the Terra Amata Museum. Later on, the Greeks established a trading post here which they called “Nikaia”, meaning “victory”. Later still came the Romans who established the town known as Cemenelum, the seat of government for the region.

From the Middle Ages right up until the 18th century, the area comprising Nice became a part of and then separated from many geographic entities and underwent many political upheavals. It was not until 1706 that Nice became a part of France. However just 7 years later, it was handed over to Victor Amedee, King of Sicily, and didn’t return to French ownership again until 1860.

There are many ways to see Nice and public transport is reliable and inexpensive. There is also a new tramway currently under construction and due for opening in 2007. But for those with time available, a walking tour is by far the best option. Stroll along the Promenade des Anglais and step back in time to the Victorian era along the palm tree-lined shore with some of the finest hotels, cafes and restaurants on the Riviera.

Many of the hotels along this famous five-mile stretch combine modern comfort with the splendor of the Belle Epoque. Typical and perhaps the most splendid is the exquisite Hotel Negresco, which quite nonchalantly houses four centuries of French art – worthy of a museum – for all to see. Go and take a look. Don’t be daunted by the doormen and hall porters dressed in traditional 18th century French attire. They will welcome you courteously with a smile as you enter the splendid lobby decorated in Louis XVI style.

Opposite the Hotel Negresco – being careful as you traverse the sometimes crazy palm-lined dual carriageway – you’ll find a beautiful, though rocky, stretch of beach. This extends as far as the eye can see and beyond. But fortunately the stones are smooth, making walking on the pebbles less painful than it might seem.

From the Promenade des Anglais, you can then make your way along the coast to the port. Here you’ll find the beautiful church of Notre Dame du Port, standing guard over the harbor, blessing seafarers as they leave the city. The port is always highly active and welcomes cruise liners from around the world.

The old town, known as Vieux Nice, delights visitors with its picturesque narrow streets and eclectic mixture of architectural styles. Several parts date back to medieval times.

One of the most interesting buildings in Vieux Nice is the Opera house. Built in 1885, it is a fine example of Second Empire architecture.

A few steps away is the Cours Saleya, a little like Paris’ Left Bank, with a myriad outdoor cafes welcoming locals and tourists alike. Don’t forget to try the local specialty dishes – they are numerous and all delicious. The nearby flower market, which on Mondays becomes an antiques flea market, sweeps up passers by into a symphony of sounds, scents and colors. Here you can also investigate other staples of Nice cuisine, such as figs, goat cheese, olives and even candied fruit. Don’t forget to try the local favorite known as “socca”, a savory pancake made from chickpea flour. It’s inexpensive, great with a beer, and beats a hot dog any day!

Dining in Nice ranges from the casual to the most elegant, with the city possessing some of France’s most renowned restaurants.

Seeing Nice by night, with the lights from the palatial hotels along the coast reflecting off the moonlit Mediterranean, is an almost surreal experience – a fantasy of light, sounds and savors. The city’s nightlife is also legendary, including cafes open to the small hours and nightclubs, discotheques and casinos – including the famous Casino Ruhl and the newly re-opened and sophisticatedly decadent Palais de la Mediterranee.

There is much more to see in and around Nice. But we hope that this is just enough to whet your appetite. Given a month, you would only just be able to touch the surface of this jewel of the French Riviera.

French Riviera Tourism -The Carnival of Nice

The ancient city of Nice on the French Riviera, sandwiched between Cannes and Antibes to the west and the principality of Monaco to the east, is a year-round resort and thriving commercial center. It is a city famous for many things, perhaps the most illustrious being the carnival that has taken place in February each year since the Middle Ages.

The most widely-believed origin of the word “carnival” is from the old Italian “carne levare”, meaning “away with meat”. By the Middle Ages, the people of Nice, before fasting forty days, as appropriate for the Catholic tradition of Lent, enjoyed rich and plentiful dining.

To enjoy this time of festivity even more, every excess was permitted. It was also a time for making fun of everything and everybody at everyone’s expense. This involved the elaborate charade of concealment behind masks and disguises until Mardi Gras.

The first reference to a carnival in Nice in the history books dates back to 1294 when Charles d’Anjou, Count of Provence, mentions having spent “some joyous days of carnival” in the city. But In the 17th century excesses were brought under control by the “Abbés des Fous” whose role was to regulate the population. At this time, under the influence of the famous Venice Carnival, balls become more common that street entertainment.

During the major political upheavals during France’s eventful history, such as the French revolution or the first empire, the carnival was put on hold temporarily.

However, the first carnival parade, which is typical of the modern carnival, was inaugurated in 1830 in honor of Charles Felix and Marie-Christine, sovereigns of the Piedmont Sardinia Kingdom. The parade involved a display of thirty carriages before the king and Queen to announce the start of the carnival.

The carnival in the form we know it today was started in 1873, with the founding of the “Festival Committee” which would organize the carnival and massively increase it in size under the patronage of the city’s governors. Now parades and floats, paying stands and a more organized event made their appearance.

It was at this time that one of the carnival’s most spectacular and fascinating features was born. The local artist Alexis Mosssa together with his son Gustav Adolf brought a surprising particularity, at once both fabulous and grotesque – the now famous giant models which have become its hallmark.

The first Flower Procession was started in 1876 on the Promenade des Anglais. The same location has been used ever since and it has developed into a glorious show, an important part of today’s carnival.

Nice carnival always tries to be topical in its annual choice of theme, if indeed a little irreverent, in keeping with the spirit if the original carnival. Cartoonists and artists from around participate in creating some of the designs used in the parades. In 2002, to celebrate the King of Euroland, artists created their vision of the introduction of the Euro. In 2004, the artistic requirements became even higher as the carnival producers engaged several sculptors to further improve the originality of the floats.

For the 2005 carnival, the model creators were all trained to use “plastazote”, a thin foam that made highly intricate but lightweight designs possible. The result was the creation of many giant heads.

Carnival themes are becoming increasingly more philosophical and satirical in nature. The 122nd edition of the carnival in 2006 has the theme “King of Dupes”, intending to illustrate the paradoxes of contemporary society where the real and the virtual mix, to the extent that their respective boundaries are no longer discernible, creating a sort of showbiz culture. Here the carnival parades become “virtual moons of green cheese” and the flower parades are made of “fantasy and illusion”.

Now Holistic India Tours from India Tourism!

After Holistic Health Packages of Ayurveda and Holistic Healing through Yoga and Meditation, India Tourism now offers holistic India Tour for those who want a wholesome fulfilling travel experience in India, which include visiting prime tourist sites, witnessing highlights of Indian cultural, traditional and arts scene, staying at best luxury heritage hotels and five star resorts, and personalized services throughout the trip to India.

For three consecutive years, India remains amongst the most popular countries in the Readers’ Travel Awards by the world’s leading travel magazine Conde Nast Traveller. In 2007, it was the world’s most liked country for variety of attractions it offered, value for money, and culture. The culture of India remained its favorite highlight over the next year too. India gained most points for glorious scenery in 2009. Incredible India campaign by Ministry of Tourism not only received a warm response all over the world but its creative on ‘Taj Maha’ was also awarded the Bronze Lion Award at the 55th International Advertising Festival held at Cannes, France.

The holistic India Tour and Travel Packages offer a range of tour themes to international tourists that may include India Heritage Tours, Rajasthan Fort and Palaces Tours, Textile Tours of Gujarat, and Tribal Tours of Orissa and Chhatisgarh. Camel Safaris in the Desert Triangle, Temple Tours of South India, Goa and Kerala Beach Tours, and Wildlife Tour and Tiger Tours to some of the best National Parks and Bird Sanctuaries of the World offer different types of experiences. Active people may prefer Adventure Tours in Himalayas, while romantic couples may prefer Kerala Houseboat Tours. There are pilgrimage tours for people of all faiths and religions in India as well as spiritual tours to cities like Varanasi, where a boat ride in River Ganges spell a transcending experience for many.

Customized to one’s tastes, interests, vacation dreams, activity and fitness levels and age groups, Holistic India Tours may offer leisurely packages with ample of rest time for a group of oldies, those who may have various physical problems, or for those who just want to relax and unwind as a break from their hectic, strenuous daily lives. They can also be fairly activity-oriented and extremely educational for teenagers who are always interested in exploring different vistas, going on treasure hunts in old caves, heritage monuments and temples, and experiencing thrill and adrenaline rush as they trek through most inaccessible and treacherous trails in forests and jungles or high mountains.

With an eye on responsible and sustainable tourism and the focus on safe and stress-free travel experiences for foreign visitors, India Tourism is fast taking over as the most rapidly rising sector for earning foreign exchange revenue in the country. A country of one billion, India can provide you with the company you desire or allow you free moments to reminisce on old memories and ponder on the glory of human achievements. India tour operators and travel agents offer expert consultants who can help you come up with well-planned itineraries that can help you see and experience India in your very own way without having to face unnecessary troubles from the unknown challenges of local regions.