The French Riviera & Italian Charm

Stay: Nice — Night 1

Afternoon

• Private airport transfer
• Check into a boutique hotel in Old Nice or near the Port
• Time to rest or walk along the waterfront
• Casual exploration of Vieux Nice

Evening

Private welcome aperitif followed by a Niçoise dinner.

A beautiful opening could include local specialties such as socca, petits farcis, pissaladière and pan bagnat. Nice also gives you access to food tours, cooking experiences and vineyards in the nearby Bellet wine region.

Curated Away moment

Welcome package containing:

• TBD
• A locally made lavender or citrus product
• A handwritten welcome card
• A small illustrated route map
• A group-trip journal

Stay: Nice — Night 2

Morning

• Guided visit to the Cours Saleya market
• Progressive food tasting through Old Nice
• Meet local food vendors
• Walk through hidden lanes and historic courtyards

Afternoon

Choose one signature experience:

• Provençal cooking class
• Private boat excursion
• Bellet vineyard visit
• Artist-led painting or perfume workshop

Evening

Sunset from Castle Hill followed by an independent dinner or optional group dinner.

This creates a balance between guided activities and personal time.

Stay: Nice — Night 3

Travel by private minibus so the group can experience the upper coastal road and viewpoints that are harder to reach by train.

Morning: Èze

Èze is a medieval hilltop village between Nice and Monaco, known for its steep stone lanes and elevated Mediterranean setting.

Experiences

• Arrive early before the busiest period
• Walk through the medieval village
• Visit the hilltop exotic garden
• Participate in a private fragrance workshop
• Terrace lunch overlooking the coast

Afternoon: Monaco

Include the recognizable Monaco highlights without devoting an entire day to them:

• Monaco-Ville
• Prince’s Palace area
• Cathedral
• Port Hercule
• Monte Carlo Casino Square

Evening

Return to Nice for a relaxed evening.

Curated alternative: Instead of only viewing Monaco’s luxury side, arrange a guided storytelling walk focusing on the principality’s unusual history and architecture.

Stay: Camogli — Night 4

This will be the first hotel-change day.

Morning: Menton

Menton makes a charming bridge between France and Italy.

Experiences

• Walk through the colorful Old Town
• Visit a historic garden
• Lemon pastry or citrus tasting
• Explore the covered market
• Early lunch by the waterfront

The regional journey between Nice and Menton is short enough that Menton works equally well as either an excursion or a stop while continuing toward Italy.

Afternoon: Finalborgo, Italy

Continue by private minibus across the border.

Finalborgo gives you the medieval Italian village experience without taking the group far inland.

Experiences

• Guided walk through the walled village
• Local bakery or focaccia stop
• Small artisan workshop
• Aperitivo in a hidden courtyard

Then continue to Camogli for check-in.

Why not sleep in Finalborgo?

It is worth visiting, but Camogli provides a stronger two- or three-night base, more restaurant choices and easier access to the eastern Ligurian coast.alance between guided activities and personal time.

Stay: Camogli — Night 5

Camogli offers the colorful Italian Riviera atmosphere many travelers seek in Cinque Terre, but it retains a more local vacation-town character and is often overlooked by international visitors.

Morning

• Guided village walk
• Visit the harbor and waterfront
• Meet a local baker or focaccia maker
• Taste Ligurian focaccia and fresh pesto

Afternoon

Give guests slower personal time:

• Beach
• Shopping
• Waterfront lunch
• Photography walk
• Optional coastal hike

Evening

Arrange a pesto-making class followed by dinner.

Signature experience

Have the class held in a private home, small restaurant kitchen or countryside property rather than a large commercial cooking school..

Stay: Camogli — Night 6

This would likely be one of the trip’s most memorable days.

Morning

Depart Camogli by private or semi-private boat.

Stop 1: San Fruttuoso

• Visit the abbey and secluded cove
• Swim or relax near the water
• Enjoy a simple seaside lunch
• Optional short coastal walk

Stop 2: Portofino

• Walk the harbor
• Explore the lanes above the waterfront
• Visit the church and scenic overlooks
• Enjoy an aperitivo

Boat excursions commonly connect Camogli, San Fruttuoso and Portofino, allowing the group to see several villages while avoiding repeated road transfers.

Important positioning

Portofino should be a stop, not the central focus. Camogli is where the group sleeps and experiences local life; Portofino provides the recognizable highlight.es a balance between guided activities and personal time.

Stay: Alba, La Morra or Monforte d’Alba — Night 7

Travel by private minibus into the Langhe hills.

This transportation day should become part of the experience rather than feeling like lost time.

Possible stop en route

• Family-run olive oil producer
• Small cheese dairy
• Historic village lunch
• Scenic picnic arranged by your tour team

Arrive in Piedmont during the afternoon.

Evening

• Check into an agriturismo, vineyard hotel or restored country estate
• Sunset walk through the vineyards
• Piedmontese welcome dinner

Best base

For a Curated Away trip, I would choose one of these:

Alba: Best for walkability, restaurants and operational convenience.

La Morra: Best for elevated vineyard views and romantic atmosphere.

Monforte d’Alba: Best for a more intimate village experience.

Alba is considered the central town of the Langhe, while Barolo, La Morra and Monforte are among the area’s distinctive wine villages.d activities and personal time.

Stay: Piedmont — Night 8

This should not feel like a day of traveling from winery to winery. Build one immersive, unhurried experience.

Morning

• Scenic drive through the Langhe hills
• Visit Barolo village
• Walk La Morra’s lanes and overlook
• Meet a small family wine producer

Lunch

Long vineyard lunch with regional pairings.

Afternoon

Choose one additional activity:

• Pasta-making lesson
• Hazelnut farm visit
• Cheese tasting
• E-bike ride
• Art and vineyard experience
• Seasonal truffle hunt

The official Italian tourism route through the Langhe connects villages including Alba, Barolo, Monforte and La Morra, and suggests exploring the wine landscape by Vespa or similar slow-travel methods.

Piedmont is especially suited to food-centered travel because the area is associated with Barolo and Barbaresco wines, hazelnuts, white truffles, tajarin pasta and agnolotti del plin.

Strongest Curated Away experience

Arrange a private truffle hunt—even outside prime white-truffle season, some operators offer seasonal black-truffle experiences—followed by a cooking demonstration and lunch.between guided activities and personal time.

Stay: Nice — Night 9

Spend a relaxed morning in Piedmont before returning to France.

Morning options

• Alba market
• Village photography walk
• Chocolate or hazelnut tasting
• Visit to a small producer
• Leisurely brunch at the property

Afternoon

Private transfer back to Nice.

Build in one scenic comfort stop so the transfer does not feel overly long.

Evening

Host the farewell celebration in Nice:

• Rooftop aperitif
• Private dining room
• Waterfront restaurant
• Guest reflections and photo sharing

Returning to Nice on Day 9 is important. I would not schedule a long international road transfer on the same morning guests are flying home.etween guided activities and personal time.

Breakfast

Group airport transfers arranged by departure window

Optional late-morning café or market visit for guests with afternoon flights

Photography overview:

Hello, I’m Melissa. I’m a photographer with over a decade of experience and a love for capturing beauty in its most natural form. My style is candid and I like to capture real connections, those little in-between moments, genuine smiles, and perfectly imperfect moments that make each photo feel alive. I believe the most beautiful images come from authenticity.  You can see my work on Instagram: @melissadelarosaphotography.

When you book your trip with me, you will automatically have a professional photographer capturing your most memorable moments and captured into a keepsake photo book.  ce between guided activities and personal time.