OT travel question

[peterm]

Planning a special trip this summer, must go to monaco for 2 days then I was thinking Lake Como for a few more any other suggestions for a special anniversary

[AGT]

Beautiful places. Bear in mind that Southern Europe is very ,very busy mid July to end of August. Outside that six week period; wonderful.

Other places worthy of consideration from a Monaco base are the Italian island of Capri or the French island of Corsica. Both would be very busy in August. Capri is stylish, romantic, expensive and unforgettable. Corsica has the best beaches in Europe, mountains, French food, no "package" tourists and fantastic, scenic, challenging and slightly scary roads - check the WRC Tour de Corse and hire yourself a roly-poly Peugeot/Renault convertible. Corsica is a sub one hour flight from Nice Cote d'Azur airport and about three hours by hydrofoil.

Whatever you do have a great time.

Regards
Andrew

[JamesL]

Peter

No idea of your budget but....it's a very hot summer schlep from Monaco to Como, I did it last year. Autoroute through gerona and around Milan. I debated more scenic routes but plumped for the highway - very hot and dull in a Pagoda. Everyone gets stuck in traffic around Milan.

Late July, I stayed in Grasse as I hate crowds and beaches, so why anyone would stay near the beach with those zillions of people is a mystery to me when the hills behind the Cote are so beautiful and relatively empty. I can recommend a stunning place to stay/eat but far from cheap (Bastide St Antoine). So expensive, they are sure to give the ladies a menu without prices on.

Zipping to Monaco was a 45 min trip down the hill.

Again... how desperate are you for Como? - I found a great little hotel in a quiet corner of Lake Lugano (Swiss side) and had another 45 minute trip to the west shore of Como. Took the ferry to Bellagio etc  thereafter. And tbh, did not like Bellagio at all. Living off past glories, if you ask me. Stunning part of the world though.

My pic on the Frappr site was taken in front of the casino in Monte Carlo. Taken from here.  http://james.mysnaps.org.uk/c647628.html

If I'd had more time, I'd have stayed further east in Italy and hit Alba/Barbaresco. Beautiful, unspoilt and off the tourist trail. And some damn fine reds, too!