DAY 1

We fly to Nice and transfer to the 4 star Hotel Nice Riviera. The picturesque old quarter of Nice is a few minutes' walk away.

DAY 2

Our exploration begins in St. Jean Cap Ferrat, the quintessential representation of the Cote d'Azur. We visit the Villa Ephrussi Rothschild, an elegant villa with an important collection of fine art. Formal and spontaneous styles converge in the famous garden. Later we go to the Villa Kerylos, a contemporary and stylish recreation of a classical villa overlooking the sea.

DAY 3

Today we travel just across the Italian border to visit the famous and extensive Hanbury Gardens at La Mortola. Established in the late 19th Century, the gardens have an impressive collection of exotic species and a symphony of cascading banks of scented plants. On our return to Nice we stop at Monte Carlo to enjoy the succulents and cacti at the principality's Jardin Exotique.

DAY 4

We stay in Nice today to see the wonderful Marc Chagall Museum. Later we will go the city's Musée d'Art Moderne et d'Art Contemporain. There will be some free time to explore Nice independently in the afternoon.

DAY 5

Today we go to Vence, one of the most attractive inland towns in the area. We visit the Fondation Maeght with its stunning collection of works by Picasso, Miró and Barbara Hepworth. After some time at leisure in Vence, we go to the beautiful Chapel of the Rosary, designed and decorated by Matisse.

DAY 6

Today in Nice we visit the Musée Matisse where the talents of this artist can be enjoyed to the full. Here we see not only his paintings but also his sculptures, ceramics and stained glass. This afternoon we will drive to the Chateau Grimaldi in Antibes to see the many works by Picasso which were donated to the town.

DAY 7

We drive to Menton where we see the great garden of Lawrence Johnston, designer of Hidcote. Later we visit the Salle des Mariages painted by Cocteau and the Musée Cocteau

DAY 8

This morning we drive to Cagnes-sur-Mer to see the house where Renoir settled. Afterwards, we continue to the airport for the return flight.