If you want an introduction to Danielle and to start this trip report from the beginning, click here.
Day 2, Part 1: Villefranche, France
After such a long day of travel yesterday, you’d expect us to be jet lagged and fatigued. We were just the opposite. Although we had our alarms set for 8:00 AM, we were awake at 7:00 and were eager to explore the beautiful port of Villefranche. Here is the Daily Navigator, as well as a port map that we received:
The scenery is exactly what you would expect when you think of the French Riviera. We enjoyed breakfast on the patio at Cabanas as we watched the ship dock.
As you can see, the port is beautiful even from the ship. I loved the mountainous scenery next to the sea, and it reminded me of Malibu in a way.
Villefranche provides easy access to numerous sites and locations, including Nice, France, Monte Carlo, Eze, France, and more. DCL offers so many unique port adventures at this port, and we had so much difficulty deciding which excursion to choose that we decided to divide and conquer. My brother and dad went whitewater rafting through the French Alps while my mom, Madeline, Spencer, and I opted for the Monaco, Monte Carlo, and Eze excursion through DCL. We booked all of our excursions through DCL because there is almost always a DCL representative and photographer with the European excursions, and also because if it runs late, the ship will wait for your excursion and you will not get left behind! Layne opted to stay onboard in the kid’s club (she LOVES being on the ship so we let her pick and choose what excursions she wanted to participate in). Fortunately for you, you will get the opportunity to see this port from two perspectives! First, I will start with the port adventure that I was on.
Monte Carlo, Monaco, and Eze Excursion (V04):
Note that at this port, the ship is too large to dock immediately next to land and you will need to board a tender to reach the port. A tender is a smaller boat that brings you from the ship to the shore. This service is available at no extra cost, but is something that you will need to account for when planning your day. You should budget an extra 45 minutes when returning to the ship to ensure you make the all aboard time.
These are the tender instructions that we received:
After arriving on solid ground, we were happy to find a DCL photographer to greet us. Since we always purchase the unlimited photo package, we take advantage of every opportunity to have our family’s photo taken.
Next we were greeted by our tour guide and began our drive to Monaco. Monaco is one of the smallest countries in the world, with only 38,000 residents, and is only 2 square kilometers in size. Most people that work in Monaco live in either France or Italy and choose to commute due to the higher wages and lowers taxes for those that work in Monaco. Because the cost of living is so high, workers can enjoy wages about 20% more than wages that they would receive for equal work in their home countries. Residents of Monaco are extremely wealthy and over 30% of its residents are millionaires.
Since the 1200’s the Grimaldis have ruled Monaco. Monaco is a constitutional monarchy with Prince Albert II serving as the head of state. Although it is its own independent nation, Monaco has a close relationship with France, has adopted the Euro as its official currency, and is defended by the French military as well.
After a brief driving tour, our first stop was the Royal Palace and to view the changing of the guard, but not before a scenic walk through the botanical gardens and this classic Monaco view of yachts. (Tip: There is a bathroom available in the gardens and they charge a “donation” to use it.)
We then wandered into this incredible view, where we obviously had to stop for a photoshoot. I can’t even believe how fortunate we were with such incredible weather and to be in such a beautiful place.
Have you heard the song Yellow Submarine by the Beatles? This is not the yellow submarine, but it is the real submarine that belonged to Jacques Cousteau. You can tour his museum of Oceanography in Monte Carlo.
Now onto the palace… this is where our guide started to make us fear for our lives. She was so pushy that we thought that other tourists were going to attack us!!! First, as we stood in line for the elevator, we were instructed to stick our elbows out so other people couldn’t push past us. Then, she cut the entire line to tour the palace, justifying her behavior because “we are group twenty, and I have our tickets.” We were mortified as people glared at us. I do have to say though, she got us into the palace and we were able to tour it before the changing of the guard.
After a quick tour of the palace, we got to the outside just in time to see the changing of the guard. If this is something that you want to experience while in Monaco, I suggest that you arrive early as it got crowded very quickly. The ceremony was similar to the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier in Washington DC.
After the changing of the guard we were given some free time to get lunch. We wandered into a little crepe shop (yes, I know that sounds so cliché) where we were quickly served by extremely friendly staff. Unfortunately for us, nobody spoke a word of English, and we spent most of the meal struggling to communicate by stringing together what little French we knew and what little Spanish and Italian the waiter understood. Despite the language barrier, the food was amazing and was very affordable. We spent the remainder of our free time wandering the little alleys near the palace and enjoying the scenery. It was a beautiful day, and we were grateful for the weather that we were blessed with.
We had some extra time, so we popped into the Cathedrale Notre Dame Immaculee, which is where most of the Grimaldis are buried, Grace Kelly included. I love touring European cathedrals and never get tired of sitting in the presence of the enormity of these beautiful places of worship. Photos just can’t do this place justice – you’re going to have to see it for yourself someday!
Next we boarded our motorcoach and were Monte Carlo bound! Boy, was Monte Carlo everything we expected and more. Between the luxury vehicles, the luxury brands, and the doormen at hotels forbidding our entry, Monte Carlo was the perfect combination of elegance and over-indulgence.
My mom and I were DYING to see the casino – after all, it is a must see when visiting Monte Carlo. Note to parents, the lobby is family friendly and has this staged photo opportunity, but you must be 18 to enter the casino. It is also 18 euros simply to enter the main casino and gamble, and as always with casinos, photography is strictly forbidden.
We had an additional hour of free time, which we used to walk around and enjoy the luxury cars and the feeling of inadequacy as locals looked at us while we took pictures. Something that I am very passionate about is feeling no shame when looking like a tourist. Although I LOVE culture and try my hardest to learn the language and fully immerse myself in local culture, I firmly believe that you should never feel ashamed to enjoy your vacation. There was no way I was going to blend in with these Bentley owners, and I was entirely unashamed to photograph these beautiful sites!
Do you enjoy the Grand Prix? This turn here is the most dangerous turn on the race course! Be careful when walking and crossing the street nearby and take small children by the hand because sports cars of all sorts turn around this corner very quickly!
We then boarded the motorcoach to head to our third and final destination of the day: Eze! I had never even heard of this little medieval town before our tour, but I am so glad that we visited. The little village sits on a mountain and reminded me of the Greek Isles in a way. Every corner of the village had a gorgeous view of the mountains and Mediterranean Sea, and we even got to experience a Renaissance festival that was occurring! Our guide told us that there was going to be an annual fireworks festival later in the evening, which we unfortunately had to miss for the sake of making all aboard.
If you are visiting this port, of all the places we visited, I HIGHLY recommend adding Eze to your itinerary. It is so underrated and beautiful! We explored shops and a grocery store (another thing I try to do whenever I travel abroad – I just love the foreign labels and foods!). One thing that you should be aware of when visiting Eze is that the streets are extremely steep and there are a lot of stairs involved in experiencing this town. If you are traveling with small children, elderly relatives, or anyone with mobility restrictions, this would be a good place to skip.
On our way back to the ship, we stopped at this beautiful view overlooking Monaco, Villefranche, and Nice, France. We even drove past the promenade where the terrorist attack occurred last year. Our guide told us that in honor of the victims, the city of Nice agreed to not hold any events on the promenade for one calendar year.
We boarded the tender after a full day and were so excited to meet up with the boys and see how their day went.
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Danielle is a 23 year old Disney fanatic, ICU Nurse, and travel blogger from Nashville, TN. When she is not traveling, you can find her snuggling with her 2 English bulldogs and spending time with her family of 7. You can read more about her trips and adventures at www.daniellefarideh.com.
Instagram: @daniellefarideh
Facebook: www.facebook.com/daniellefarideh
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