Paris, Bordeaux, Barcelona, Andorra, the French Riviera… this trip really had it all! From beautiful beaches in France, to marvelous mountains in Andorra, to wonderful wineries in Spain, we covered a lot of ground in just 16 days. This was a fantastic trip whether you enjoy large, metropolitan cities (Paris and Barcelona), stunning scenery (Andorra and Bordeaux), or the glitz and glamour of the French Riviera.
This itinerary will require a car for at least the Andorra portion of the trip, as train service in and to Andorra is nonexistent. We picked up our rental car in Bordeaux, though you could also pick it up in Barcelona prior to going to Andorra.
Whatever you choose, you can’t skip Andorra! It was one of the best parts of the trip and we will gladly be going back one day. There isn’t a whole lot we would change about this trip, though the top thing we didn’t get to do that we wish we could have is a day trip to Normandy and/or Saint Malo. We unfortunately just didn’t have enough time in Paris, so if you want to extend in Paris by a day we’d highly recommend choosing a day trip to one of those locations!
Here are our top tips and things to know for this itinerary:
- Book your hotels well in advance (5-6 months!). Many of these destinations are extremely popular and hotel location is very important, so planning far ahead gives you the best opportunity to get a hotel in a good location for a good price.
- You can train everywhere except Andorra, though having a car in Provence/St. Tropez was super helpful as well!
- Make sure to give yourself at least 2 nights in each location or this will feel like a lot of travel!
- Each of these countries is within the EU and uses the Euro
Table of Contents
*Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you make a purchase/booking through a link at no extra cost to you. We hope this information helps you plan your next vacation.
Day 1 – Paris
We arrived in Paris early in the morning and caught a Taxi from the airport to the Hotel Derby Eiffel. We did like this hotel, though the rooms were on the tiny side and is situated on the Left Bank. This was our second time in Paris and we would recommend staying somewhere on the Right Bank of the Seine River. The Right Bank has most of the main sites of Paris and the view of the Eiffel Tower is actually better (in our opinion) from across the Seine.
Paris has so many great restaurants, but here are some ideas for your trip:
- Creperie Des Arts- great for Crepes!
- Cafe de Flore or Carette
- Cafe Marley- has a great view of the Louvre!
- Chapon Chocolaterie
- Terra Nera- Italian but real claim to fame is Gabriel’s restaurant in Emily in Paris
- Langosteria- rooftop bar on top of the Cheval Blanc Hotel
- Chez Janou- good for escargot and chocolate mousse
We began our exploration of Paris by walking just 5 minutes from our hotel to see Hotel Invalides, a complex of buildings famous in the Parisian skyline for it’s ornate gold dome. While we did not go inside, entry is 9 Euros and some of the highlights include seeing Napoleon’s tomb and a museum of French army history.
We then Ubered from Hotel Invalides to the Arc de Triomphe. We paid $16 per person to go to the top of the Arc de Triomphe, which we thought was worth it as it gave us a great view over the city and allowed us to learn a bit about the history of the structure.
From the Arc de Triomphe we walked down the Champ de Elysees toward the Grand and Petit Palais. We went inside the Petit Palais since entry was free. We highly recommend stopping inside! The floor and ceiling are stunning and the statues and paintings are beautiful. We walked through the garden and then bought a cappuccino at the cafe, which we also enjoyed in the garden.
We then made our way to Pont Alexander III, a very ornate bridge that spans the Seine River. The bridge has a perfect view of the Eiffel Tower, though we weren’t able to see the view from the bridge as it was being prepared for the 2024 Olympics.
From the Pont Alexander III we walked a few minutes to the Jardin du Tuileries. This is a big open garden with pretty trees lining the numerous walkways. The best part is a big fountain in the middle with chairs all around to relax, rest, and enjoy the scenery.
At this point we were hungry so we stopped by Cafe de la Regence for lunch. This was an excellent lunch spot, though if the menu doesn’t suit you there are many other cafes in the area as well. Many cafes close midday from 2:00pm or 3:00pm until 7:00pm, but thankfully this one stays open throughout the day which was perfect for our late lunch. We ordered escargot, French onion soup, and salads along with (always delicious) French wine.
After lunch we visited the outside of the Louvre and the iconic glass pyramid, then made our way across the Seine to the Notre Dame Cathedral. The walk from the Louvre to Notre Dame is one of the most scenic in Paris, as the route includes several beautiful bridges and cute markets with people selling flowers, homemade items, or other fun items.
When we visited Notre Dame it unfortunately was still being rebuilt after the devastating fire, so we weren’t able to go inside. The outside was still beautiful and definitely worth seeing! After admiring Notre Dame we were all pretty exhausted from the overnight travel and the many miles of walking, so we Ubered back to our hotel to rest for an hour before dinner.
For dinner we went to the famous Le Relais de L’Entrecote. They have 3 locations in different areas of Paris. They do not accept reservations so you have to go and physically stand in line to get in. It is very popular so the line gets long fast. They open at 6:45 pm, and by the time we arrived at 6:40 there was already a very long line. We waited 1 hour to be seated but thankfully once we were seated we were served immediately. Our waitress was wonderful and the food was delicious. This is a Paris staple that we highly recommend. Next time we would get in line at 6:15pm to make it in the first wave of those seated.
We would have liked to go inside the gorgeous Palais Garnier, the famous Paris Opera House, but unfortunately it has random days and times for closures and was closed all 3 days we were in Paris. Make sure you check their online calendar to see if you can enter!
You could also see Hotel de Ville if you have additional time in Paris. There are so many things to see in Paris and while a lot of it is walkable, things are very spread out so you cannot walk to everything. That is one of the reasons we think the Right Bank is better to stay on, as more of the major sites are walkable. The walking, Ubers, or Metro rides require time so you have to map your day to see where it makes the most sense to go based on what you want to see. Unfortunately, Paris is not a city that is easy to meander and see all the major sites.
After dinner we watched the Eiffel Tower sparkle at 10:00pm and headed to bed to rest up for the next busy day.
Day 2 – Champagne
Our second day in Paris was spent in the prominent Champagne wine region. While there are many tours that will take you to Champagne, we opted to plan the trip ourselves to give us a bit more flexibility.
We started our day early by Ubering to the Paris Est train station at 7:35 as the drive over is about 25 minutes from Hotel Derby Eiffel. Our train left the station at 8:36 to arrive in Epernay at 9:57 and cost about $33 per person. We recommend using SNCF, the official French train service for booking your trains in France.
Epernay was such a nice change of pace from Paris! This is a quaint country town that is quiet and very nice to walk around. We quickly stopped in the Cathedral and then got a light breakfast of quiche, crepes, and coffee at a local patisserie. We walked 10 minutes over to our first and favorite Champagne House, Mercier.
We booked an 11:00am tour of the Mercier Champagne House. The tour is 1 hour long and costs $30 per person. The tour begins with a train ride through their underground champagne cellars (really, really cool!), then we tried 3 different champagnes with very generous pours, so much that they were basically a full glass each. We took a picture in front of their gigantic wine barrel, admired their vines, and then bought a bottle of champagne and one of their Mercier champagne glasses to take home.
After our Mercier tasting we walked just 10 minutes to the next champagne house, the world famous Moet & Chandon. Moet & Chandon is known for having the largest champagne caves, in addition to high end champagne brands like Dom Perignon. We had a 1:00pm tour that lasted about 1.5 hours for $60 and included 2 champagne tastings that were also full glasses. We highly recommend booking this in advance as it is popular and is likely to sell out early!
After our Moet & Chandon tasting we Ubered 35 minutes to Reims for the afternoon. While there are trains between the 2 towns, they don’t run as frequently as one might expect and the timing did not work out with when our champagne tastings were.
In Reims we wandered to the Notre Dame Cathedral of Reims, which was absolutely stunning, and then decided we needed some lunch. It was unfortunately a struggle to find anything open for our late lunch as it was 3:30pm and almost all of the cafe closed at 2:30pm. We found a Kebab place that had yummy wraps and was just about the only place open.
Our plan was to visit Veuve Clicquot for a tasting. They do tours and also offer walk-in tastings. Because we had already done 2 tours we just planned to do walk-in tastings. Unfortunately by the time we were going to get there they were not going to be offering tastings anymore so we did not go over. It is hard to coordinate the time with that many champagne houses, which is one consideration when deciding whether to do a preplanned tour or book everything on your own like we did.
Instead, we explored the city of Reims and eventually found a cafe where we could get a glass of the Veuve Clicquot champagne as a substitute for visiting the champagne house.
We caught the 7:15 train back to Paris and arrived back in town at 8. We Ubered back to our hotel but, unfortunately this ended up taking 45 minutes due to heavy Saturday evening traffic.
We had reservations for dinner at II Sorrentino at 9pm. This restaurant has a spectacular view of the Eiffel Tower and a delicious menu. We decided on the 4 course Capri menu which allowed you to pick either a meat or fish, but the rest of the courses were a surprise which we thought was such a fun experience! We especially liked the fresh parmesan wheel fettuccini that day.
After dinner we walked over to see the Eiffel tower sparkle (on the hour once the sun sets) for our last night in Paris. We crossed the Pont d’Lena (the bridge right in front of the Eiffel Tower) and then went down the steps to be lower on the Seine River for one of the best views of the Eiffel tower. Another amazing view of the Eiffel tower is from the Pont de Bir-Hakeim Bridge.
Day 3 – Paris to Bordeaux
This was our last morning in Paris before catching the train to Bordeaux, so we began by going to Jardin du Luxembourg to explore a bit and enjoy the Parisian style. We spent about an hour in the park before heading on.
For lunch we Ubered to Francette, a boat restaurant that is docked on the Seine River right in front of the Eiffel Tower. This provides a really great view and a fun eating experience! The food was good as well, and the staff provides visitors with hats for sunny days.
After lunch we bought some gelato then headed back to the hotel to pick up our bags before Ubering to the train station for the 4:04 train to Bordeaux. We arrived in Bordeaux at 6:15pm and walked to our accommodations, the B&B L’Escapade Bordealise. This was a great place to stay, centrally located in Bordeaux with plenty of space in the apartment.
After checking in we explored a bit to get our bearings, then made our way to L’embarcadere for dinner. We made reservations as it can get very crowded. This was easily one of the best seafood restaurants we’ve ever been to. The oysters in particular were incredible, but everything here including the wine was just excellent.
After dinner we strolled through the city lights, and seeing everything lit up is always one of the best parts of European cities.
Day 4 – Bordeaux, La Cite du Vin
This day was a free day in Bordeaux to explore the city. We began the day by seeing Bordeaux Cathedral, a beautiful structure that dates back more than one thousand years. We then caught the tram to La Cite du Vin, aka the “City of Wine.” You can’t go to Bordeaux and not dive headfirst into the wine culture of the region!
La Cite du Vin was an interesting museum with many interactive exhibits, some of which are specifically designed to help visitors understand all of the different smells and tastes of wine. The tour of the museum ends with a visit to the 8th floor and a glass of wine while overlooking Bordeaux!
After La Cite du Vin we hopped back on the tram to see the mirror d’eau and Place de la Bourse, the iconic square of Bordeaux with the reflecting pool prominently featured. From the right angle you can see a perfect reflection of all the buildings in the square!
We then walked down along the Garonne River to see the Pont de Pierre – the beautiful stone bridge that crosses the river. After exploring on foot we walked back to Old Town through the Porte Cailhau for some lunch. We decided on sandwiches from Viandas, a meat shop featuring delicious ham sandwiches. We then opted for a savory crepe at Barapom. Both the sandwich and the crepe were quite large so we were able to split them easily.
For dessert we stopped by Le Toque Cuivree to try the famous Bordeaux rum pastry called a “canelles.” It was pretty good! We explored Bordeaux some more before deciding to take a break and get a glass of wine and people watch in a little town square.
We enjoyed the oysters so much the night before that we returned to L’embarcadere for an appetizer, and they were amazing once again! For dinner we went to Le Carreau. We highly recommend this restaurant for dinner. It has a very cute interior, but more importantly they have one of the best steak bordelaise we’ve ever had plus it came with mashed potatoes, salad, and french fries. We had an excellent Bordeaux from Graves here too (no surprise that the wine is delicious).
Day 5 – Biking Wine Tour of St Emilion
This day was dedicated to the main reason we went to Bordeaux – wine! We booked a biking winery tour of St Emilion through Viator. Our tour guide Andrew was fantastic. He was so helpful, funny, and gave lots of good recommendations. We couldn’t recommend this tour enough, it was a wonderful day!
The day begins with a 45 minute drive from Bordeaux to St. Emilion. In St Emilion we picked up our E-assist bikes and then began the biking tour through the vineyards to the first winery, Chateau Moncets. This is a very beautiful winery featuring goats and a golf challenge where you can pay 5 euros to hit a bottle target about 50 yards away. If you hit it you win one of their most expensive bottles of wine!
We ate a wonderful charcuterie lunch at Chateau Moncets before returning to our bikes and heading to our next winery, Yon Figeac. This winery also had wonderful views over the vines and delicious tastings as well. We then made our way back to St Emilion for a walking city tour and a wine tasting in a local wine shop.
St Emilion is not a particularly large town, but it is endearing. After the wine tasting we were given some free time to explore, and we immediately made our way up one of las tetras (steep cobblestone streets) for an amazing view over St Emilion and the surrounding region. While at the top of the city we stopped for gelato at Les Delices d’Ascumbas before making our way back down and exploring side streets.
After being dropped off in Bordeaux we stopped for a bite to eat at Antelone. Antelone is known for making fresh kebab wraps – and wow were they so delicious! There’s a reason this shop always has a very long line. We then went to Aux 4 Coins du Vin, a wine tasting bar. They have a very cool business model where you are given a card and then you go to different machines that will pour you glasses of different wines that are available to taste. It was really fun and the wine was delicious!
For dinner we had late reservations at Zepherine, a Michelin star restaurant in Bordeaux. We each opted for their $65 set menu, and while the food was good the portions were fairly small and the service was pretty slow. It was a fun experience but we regretted not going back to Le Carreau a second time for their amazing steak bordelaise.
Day 6 – Bordeaux – Barcelona
This was a travel day from Bordeaux to Barcelona. While there are trains, we decided to rent a car since we knew we’d need it later in the trip and returning a car in the same country you pick it up in is cheaper. We took the tram from the Bordeaux Cathedral to the airport which was only difficult due to the morning work rush and very crowded trams.
We rented the car through Sixt (super easy and pleasant experience) and then began the 6 hour drive to Barcelona. The drive is super easy, though there are several tolls that added up to about $45 in addition to the cost of gas.
In Barcelona we stayed at the Royal Ramblas Hotel right at the top of Las Ramblas. We were disappointed to find out that they did not have free hotel parking, as they said it was “always full” and then “under maintenance”. Thankfully there was another garage right around the corner from the hotel but we had to pay $33 a night to park there. Overall this was a nice hotel in a great location, but the lack of parking was a bit annoying when it was advertised on their website.
Here are some restaurants to try in Barcelona:
- Harry’s La Selva
- La Plata – for a Porron (traditional glass pitcher to share wine)
- Cerverseria Catalana- Tapas restaurant
- Cera 23- Great menu
- Panoramic Bar Montgat – Nice views over Barcelona
- Hotel Colon Rooftop – View of the Barcelona Cathedral
- Barcelona Edition- Another nice rooftop bar
- Las Vermudas and V de Vermut- Vermouth bar
- Pardiso – Speakeasy rated top 10 in the world
- Ocana- in Placa Reial
- Bodega Biarritz 1881 Tapas Bar
- Bar Menzezibal- Known for locals
After getting settled in the hotel we walked down Las Ramblas and stopped in the Mercado de la Boqueria. We bought a fresh fruit smoothie and a few other small snacks to enjoy.
We continued on Las Ramblas to Placa Reial, a beautiful plaza that was right up Matt’s alley. After walking the full outline of the square we finally chose a restaurant with an open table. We ordered some sangria and enjoyed the beautiful Barcelona evening – a great start to our time in the city!
After finishing our sangria we continued touring the Gothic Quarter and made our way to the Barcelona Cathedral, a magnificent building dating all the way back to the 13th Century.
For dinner we went to El Nacional, a unique food court style establishment with more permanent restaurants than a typical food court. We started at the tapas bar and ordered several great dishes, though we opted against the oysters since they were very expensive. We then went to the Italian restaurant where we shared a pizza and pasta. There were many more places to choose from, including a seafood restaurant, but at this point we were full and tired. El Nacional is a great option as it is sure to have something for everyone!
Day 7 – Barcelona
We started the morning by getting a really good breakfast at the hotel. The breakfast area also features a wonderful view over Las Ramblas.
Our first stop on the day was the Sagrada Familia for our timed entry at 10:45. It is very important that you book a timed entry well in advance as this is (understandably) a very popular attraction that will sell out. Tickets cost ~$26 per person. From the hotel the Sagrada Familia is a 20 minute taxi, and we ended up taking more taxis in Spain due to difficulties getting an Uber.
The Sagrada Familia was breathtaking! The design and stained glass windows were just incredible. We unfortunately were there in 2024 so we didn’t quite see the finished product, but by 2026 the 140 years of construction will finally be completed! We did find out that you can enter the underground Crypt for free to the public but only during the times they hold mass so check the times online and get there early before your entry time to check out the crypt as well.
After being mesmerized by the Sagrada Familia we made our way to the meeting point for our 1PM Tipsy Tapas Walking Food Tour. This food tour was one of the best we’ve ever been on! It was such a blast going to four different tapas bars and getting traditional Iberian food and drinks at each one.
The first stop of the tour was for Iberian ham and cheese croquettes at El Callejon along with a glass of Spanish wine of your choosing. We ordered the Verdejo, which is one of our favorite white wines.
Next we walked to Cuskal Etxea where we were able to choose two different open face sandwich tapas and a local Spanish beer. The third stop was at Taller de Tapas for patatas bravas (so so good!) and Catalan tomato bread, along with a delicious vermouth.
Our last stop was at Tapas Barcelona Restaurant for seafood and vegetarian paella along with cava to drink. This was such a great tour and our guide Tamara was fantastic. We highly recommend this walking food tour!
The final stop of the walking food tour left us just 10 minutes from the Barcelona Harbor, so we made our way over and then explored the shoreline a bit. We then walked over to Barceloneta Beach where we managed to snag a great table at one of the little restaurants that line the beach. We had a front row seat to people watch while sipping on some great sangria. While we enjoyed this experience, we would not recommend spending a day beaching at Barceloneta. It was certainly not the nicest beach and definitely still felt like it was in a city.
From Barceloneta we taxied back to the hotel to rest for a bit and then got ready to head out for dinner. We taxied to Parc de la Ciutadella first to see the famous Gaudi Fountain and the city’s red Arc de Triomf.
For dinner we went to El Casal after reading several great reviews online. Sure enough, it did not disappoint. The best part is it was a local place not frequented by tourists (we seemed to be the only foreigners in there). It had the most tender braised beef and the most delicious oysters we have ever had all at great prices. Everything we had there was delicious and the service was excellent. The staff were all so nice and attentive. This was our favorite restaurant we ate at in Barcelona.
Day 8 – Park Guell and Sitges
We began the day with a trip to Park Guell, designed and built by Antoni Gaudi in the early 1900s. The park was a fascinating hodge-podge of different architectural formations that will leave you in awe. The park is definitely worth a visit and you can easily spend 2 hours walking through it and seeing every last structure Gaudi designed.
After Park Guell we made our way to the train station to take the 30 minute train to Sitges, a charming sea town just outside of Barcelona. The train in Sitges is just a 10 minute walk from downtown, making it super convenient. Along the way we stopped in some of the adorable shops and Emily bought some cute beach clothes.
We essentially meandered towards Parroquia de Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla, this beautiful church overlooking the sea. After admiring the church and it’s incredible view, we continued along the coast to get lunch. There are a few restaurants to choose from, all with a great outdoor seating area. Sitges (and Barcelona in general) are unfortunately known for petty theft, so be careful not to let your guard down and put your phone on the table (good advice in general in Europe). We saw a few people “selling” trinkets walking through the tables, but they are really trying to distract you to steal from you.
Lunch took a bit longer than we were expecting which essentially meant we wouldn’t have time to relax on the beach, so instead we took a beach walk and continued to check out the little shops in town as well. Looking back, we would have left Barcelona earlier to give ourselves more time in this beach town.
In the early evening we trained back to Barcelona. The last thing we really wanted to see in Barcelona was Casa Batllo, a house designed by, of course, Gaudi. We mainly just wanted to see the outside of it, but tickets can also be bought to explore the inside here. In December, Casa Batllo puts on a Christmas light show from 6:30-9:30, so definitely check that out if you are in Barcelona in winter.
For dinner we went to El Cassal again because it was just so good the first time! We can’t say enough good things about it. We also were craving some croquettes, which sadly El Cassal does not have, so we stopped by Tapeo for Iberian ham croquettes and a glass of vermouth for Matt and Albarino for Emily.
We ended the night going by going to Paradiso, a speakeasy ranked the number 1 bar in the world in 2022. Because of that fame, there will be a very long wait. To get in you’ll need to visit the bar early, scan the barcode outside, add your name to the queue, and then you’ll get a text when they are ready to seat you. We waited over 2 hours on a Friday night, though we had joined the queue before dinner so the timing worked out well. While it was a cool speakeasy with a great vibe and fun drinks, we didn’t think it was worth waiting an insane amount of time for. Visit if you can, but don’t plan your whole trip around it.
The one thing we didn’t get to do in Barcelona was to go to Sagrat Cor, a beautiful church perched high on Mt. Tibidabo with a marvelous view of Barcelona. If you have time you should definitely visit in the evening for an unforgettable experience.
Day 9 – Penedes Wine Tour
There are a few wine regions that are reachable from Barcelona including two famous appellations – Priorat and Penedes. Penedes is known for Cava, a sparkling white wine similar to Prosecco, while Priorat is more known for red wine and is further away from Barcelona. We opted to book this wine tour of Penedes and it was a lovely day!
Our meeting time was 9AM at the Explore Catalunya (tour operator) office. From there we had a short walk to the waiting van, then an hour and fifteen minute drive to the first winery.
The first winery we arrived at was Mas Comtal set in a beautiful location with views of Montserrat in the background. We were able to try 3 different wines here and loved each of them. It was fun to learn about the cava making process from the expert wine makers. We ended up shipping a box of wine back to our home in the US because we liked it so much!
Our second stop was at Felix Massana Rafols, a cute family owned winery again with great views and even better wine. This winery was definitely a small production, but it was fascinating to see how they have utilized their space and having the attention of the owners during our visit was a fun experience.
After two wineries we were ready for lunch and we were certainly not disappointed. We were taken to Cal Cassoles, a local farmhouse style restaurant. The restaurant is surrounded by vineyards, so naturally it has a stunning view, and the food was incredible. We split the salad with shrimp, Emily got the fish of the day which was goldfish, and Matt got the octopus.
After lunch we visited our third and final winery, Pares Balta. While the winery was beautiful as well, it was much bigger than the previous wineries. We didn’t really love the wine either compared to the earlier wine. Ultimately, this wine tour was super fun and we can’t say enough that you should book this as well on your trip!
For dinner we had reservations at Babula Bar 1937, a tapas bar that was very highly rated. The restaurant had a pretty interior and the food was excellent, just a little pricey for the portion sizes. Be prepared to order a bunch of tapas!
Day 10 – Andorra la Vella
At this point Emily’s parents flew back to the US from Barcelona. If you fly out of Barcelona, make sure you know which terminal to go to as they are quite far from each other! Terminal 1 is for domestic flights, while terminal 2 is for international flights.
After dropping off Emily’s parents we drove on to Andorra la Vella. The drive was super easy and took just under 2.5 hours from Barcelona. When we arrived we checked in to Andorra Park Hotel, an extremely nice 5 star hotel perched slightly above Andorra la Vella. The hotel is also very affordable for a 5 star hotel, and we absolutely loved our stay there.
Andorra is definitely off the beaten path in Europe, but it’s one of the best places we have been. In summer there is plenty of breathtaking hiking, while winter it is a great (and affordable) ski option. Andorra is a beautiful mountain country that should be on your radar to visit!
After dropping our bags at the hotel we explored downtown Andorra la Vella. We strolled first towards the Church of Sant Esteve, a beautiful church that can’t be missed. We continued walking downhill towards the iconic Andorra la Vella sign bridge, where we stumbled upon Restaurante La Cabana for lunch. The food was really good and service was nice and prompt.
After lunch we continued across the Valira River and explored the main shopping zone. Andorra is known for shopping as they have no sales tax and pretty good prices, especially relative to France and Spain. We popped into some liquor stores and bought a big Aperol and some bottles of wine to take home for an excellent price.
After walking around for a while we headed back to our hotel to go to the hot tub for a bit before we went to dinner at our hotel’s restaurant. The food was very, very good and the experience in general was fantastic, though it was definitely expensive as you could expect at a 5 star hotel.
If you have more time in Andorra (we only had 2 nights), another area you can check out is Auvinya, a medieval Andorran town that people often rave about.
Day 11 – Hike Estanys De Juclar and Relax at Caldea
We started our first full day in Andorra with an amazing breakfast at our hotel. If it seems like we are raving about this hotel it’s because it was truly that spectacular!
Our main activity this day was the Estanys De Juclar hike. The trail is about 8 miles round trip and includes 2,000 feet of elevation gain before arriving at the Refugi de Juclar, a nice little mountain hut right on Juclar Lake. The parking lot for the hike is 30 minutes away from the hotel, and the hike took about 4 hours total.
The hike itself is really beautiful and not overly difficult, though the ascent is a steady uphill so being a fairly decent hiker is recommended! Juclar Lake is a pretty mountain lake formed by a manmade dam, and it was very pleasant to sit on the shores and enjoy the sun and fresh mountain air. After resting for a few minutes we returned the same way we came..
At the beginning of the trail is an adorable mountain lodge with a restaurant named L’Ovella Negra. It is in a perfect location with a stunning view of the rolling meadows and flowers, and we were hoping to get a drink there after our hike. Unfortunately it is closed Monday-Wednesday so we were not able to go, but if you do this hike we can’t imagine a better way to finish than a relaxing drink and bite to eat at this restaurant.
After the hike we drove back to Andorra la Vella and went to The Cellar Door where we were able to sample different wines. It was similar to the tasting in Bordeaux where it was a pay as you go, and it was fun to get exactly the amount of wine we wanted to try as there were different sizes available for each tasting.
We then headed to The Caldea – one of the largest spas in Europe with both indoor and outdoor offerings. The building is unmissable thanks to its tall glass pyramid, and this definitely is an experience you don’t want to miss while in Andorra. There are so many different spa areas featuring saunas, cold rooms, massages (at extra cost) an exfoliating scrub to try and more. The spa provides you with a towel, robe, and no slip slides to walk around in. We ended up spending 2 hours there and it was incredibly relaxing. Side note for the girls – it’s almost impossible to come here without getting your hair wet so plan accordingly!
Day 12 – St. Tropez
After breakfast at the Andorra Park Hotel we began the 6.5 hour drive from Andorra la Vella to St. Tropez. The beginning of the drive is very mountainous, with steep cliffs and windy roads as the drive cuts through the heart of the Pyrenees to the coast. Once we got to the highway there were a ton of trucks and semis, but for the next 3.5 hours the drive was very easy. The last hour of the drive along the French Riviera becomes quite windy and hilly again and the road to St. Tropez in this direction is fairly narrow and small, but definitely doable. The entire French Riviera is very hilly!
Once we arrived in St. Tropez we checked into Hotel Playa, a nice hotel in a perfect location. We parked at the Marina parking lot for the first night because it was very convenient for getting the luggage to the hotel, though it was very pricey at $50 a night. Our receptionist told us that there is free overnight parking on the street on Chemin des Tamaris, so we ended up parking there the rest of the trip after the first night.
We strolled through the adorable streets of St. Tropez before stopping for dinner at Le Pesquier, a beautiful restaurant in a quiet corner of St. Tropez. Depending on your seat the view from this restaurant is gorgeous, and the food was delicious. We sampled the mussels, seafood pasta, steak, and of course a local rose from Provence!
After dinner we followed the harbor out quite a ways from the main town, past the marina parking lot, and admired the giant yachts sitting peacefully at sunset. The wealth of St. Tropez was certainly on full display in that harbor!
Day 13 – St. Tropez and Byblos Beach
This day was our only full day in St. Tropez, and we began the morning by going to Cafe Senequier for breakfast. This is potentially the most famous restaurant in St. Tropez (maybe the entire French Riviera), located right along the harbor next to $100M+ yachts. While it was definitely pricey, it was a fantastic experience and everything was absolutely delicious. We ordered the breakfast special which provides a hot drink, fresh squeezed orange juice, fresh fruit cup, toast with jam, and a chocolate croissant. We also added the avocado toast which was amazing as well. Cafe Senequier is 100% worth the hype.
After breakfast we meandered through the streets and shopped at some of the adorable boutiques. Emily bought a pretty hand painted St. Tropez oyster as a souvenir to take home in one of these shops. We stopped by the Dior Cafe, which looks very beautiful, but making reservations or getting there really early is recommended because the line will get very, very long as it is quite popular.
We then drove to Pampelonne Beach for our sun bed reservation at Byblos Beach Club at 1PM. From that point we had the beds for the rest of the day, which included bed side service and full access to their restaurant. We reserved the second row as the beds in that row were $60, while the first row was $70 and rows 3 and back were $45. The second row was perfect, and they even brought us an umbrella so Matt could sit under the shade. As soon as we sat down and were settled in they came by for our drink orders, and we of course had to get a bottle of rose.
We definitely recommend bringing your own beach towel as it cost $12 per person to rent, so try to bring one if you can!
After sitting on the beach for a while we went up to the restaurant. The staff brought the rest of our bottle of rose from the sunbeds to our lunch table. For lunch we ordered the seafood pasta and Caesar salad, both of which were excellent. After eating we went back to our sunbeds for another hour and a half before deciding to head back for the rest of the evening. We both agreed it was the most lavish beach day we’ve ever had.
When in St. Tropez you have to go to one of the beach clubs. Trust us, you won’t regret it! We only visited Byblos Beach during our trip, but we absolutely loved it. Club 55, just down the beach from Byblos, is more famous but we walked past it and were honestly glad we did not book it. It is more expensive and just didn’t feel like as good of an experience.
Once we returned to St. Tropez we walked around the harbor again, then walked up the hill to the Citadel to get a really nice view over the town. Unfortunately, the gate was closed when we visited in the evening so make sure to go when it is actually open in order to get the good view!
If you are walking around and want a snack, one must try food in St. Tropez is the original cream filled brioche pastry from La Tarte Tropezienne on the Place Des Lices.
For dinner we went to Le Petit Pointu. We started with their spring rolls that were delicious. Emily got the truffle ravioli and it was so good. We ended with the creme brulee.
Day 14 – Provence and Nice
On our last morning in St. Tropez we got breakfast at Cafe Senequier one more time because it was just that good! After checking out of our hotel we drove into the Provence wine region to try some delicious rose wines.
Our first stop was Chateau Minuty, a winery we had heard great things about and really wanted to stop at. We were able to walk right in without a reservation and sample a few of their wines. The best part? It was free! In fact, all of the wineries in Provence do not require reservations for a tasting and the tastings are all free. We ended up stopping at 3 other wineries, essentially just driving by and pulling into the ones we thought looked nice. Each of them was open for walk-ins and had a free tasting. Truly an amazing experience!
For lunch we stopped at a sushi food truck that was parked outside one of the wineries. It quite literally was some of the best sushi we’ve ever had, so good we had to go for a second round!
After having our fill of wine and sushi we continued on our drive to the Nice airport to return the rental car, then Uber to the Nice Hotel de la Mer for our check in. The hotel was in an excellent location right in front of the Fontaine du Soleil at the Place Massena Square, and only about a 15 minute walk straight up to the Nice train station which was very convenient.
However, the hotel itself is definitely not the nicest hotel we’ve stayed in. They have a small French breakfast in the morning of coffee, juice, yogurt, bread and croissants with butter and jam (so no protein).
After getting all checked in and dropping our bags off we began to explore Nice. It was WAY bigger and busier than Saint Tropez which we weren’t quite expecting. We visited Place Rossetti in the center of Old Town, saw Nice Cathedral, and hiked up the stairs to Castle Hill for a great view over Nice.
We made our way to the giant “I love Nice” sign located on the Promenade des Anglais, then continued the walk towards Nice harbor. From the harbor we continued on to Le Plongeoir for our dinner reservations. This was one of the most unique restaurants we’ve ever been to, perilously perched on several rocks above the sea. The view and setting are incredible, though the food and drinks were slightly disappointing for the cost. Still a really cool experience though!
Here are some other restaurant ideas in Nice:
- Chez Acchiardo
- Chez Pipo for great socca
- Have drinks at Le Negresco Hotel
- Waka Bar
Day 15 – Monaco and Eze
This day we ventured out of Nice and our first stop was Monaco. We caught the train for the 45 minute ride over, though we both agreed that it would also be a really fun experience to come in on the ferry. We actually enjoyed Monaco more than we were expecting, though be prepared that it is extremely hilly!
The train lets you out near the top (literally up a hill) of Monaco, and we followed the crowds downhill to the Casino at Monte Carlo. The best place for a picture of the Monte Carlo Casino is at the Jardins de la Petite Afrique which you’ll pass along the way from the train. We only walked into the reception area where they had two sports cars on display. In order to go into the casino to gamble you must be dressed in professional attire as shorts and sneakers are not allowed. They charge $20 per person just to enter the casino, and you aren’t able to gamble until 2pm.
From Monte Carlo we continued the descent down to Port Hercules to admire the giant yachts, and after walking around the harbor we stopped at Bella Vita for lunch. We shared a pizza and salad and both were very delicious. The restaurant was absolutely packed!
After lunch we trekked uphill to the Palais Princier de Monaco, or the Prince’s Palace of Monaco. This was our favorite area of Monaco. It has a stunning view on both sides and lots of little souvenirs shops and restaurants. Once we saw it we wished we had gotten lunch up there. We bought some gifts to take home and walked down the little side streets. There is a changing of the guard ceremony every day at 11:55, so don’t miss that awesome experience!
After having our fill we began the ascent back up to the Monaco train station to board the train to Eze. When we arrived in Eze we realized the train lets you off at the bottom of the hill, while the town of Eze you want to visit is at the top of the hill. While there is a way to walk up, it’s an hour’s hike up a very steep hill, so after already traversing Monaco’s hills, we decided instead to Uber to Old Town Eze from the train station. We actually would have Ubered directly from Monaco, however Uber does not operate in the principality.
Eze was very cute but very small so you definitely only need a half day there. There is not much to do in Eze other than admire the views. We really wanted to get drinks at Chateau Eza Terrace Bar as it has the iconic Eze view, but unfortunately it was reserved for a wedding that evening so we were unable to enter. Instead we walked around the cute medieval paths up to the Jardin Botanique d’eze. This might be the best thing to do in Eze as the garden features gorgeous views over Eze and the sea for just $8 per person.
From Eze we Ubered straight back to our hotel in Nice as we were very tired from excessive walking. The Uber was very comparable to the cost of the train but saved a lot of time and, more importantly, our feet. We enjoyed Eze but if you’re on the fence we would say it is one town in the French Riviera you could skip as there is not a ton to do or see.
Once back in Nice we made our way to Le Clocher for a mussel appetizer before dinner. The pots of mussels are huge! They are known for their pots of mussels featuring many different types of sauces, and we tried 2 different ones and they were great! For dinner we searched for a meat shop and finally found L’atlier du Carinicore, which was perfect as we were craving a good steak. This place was absolutely delicious with many different cuts of steak to choose from. We paired our steaks with a side salad and fresh veggies which were perfect. The steak has a slight smokiness to it that was delicious.
After dinner we had to end the night with gelato from Fenochio. After ordering we walked over to the beach to eat our ice cream and listen to the ocean waves. Emily got the tiramisu gelato and it is one of the best gelatos she’s have ever had! Eating on the beach was an incredible experience as well.
Day 16 – Menton and Nice
On our last day of the trip we ventured outside of Nice again, this time taking the 35 minute train to Menton, otherwise known as the City of Lemons. Menton is an adorable city featuring bright yellow architecture right along the sea. On arrival we walked along the edge of the water and along the old harbor walls for a marvelous view back of the town. We then ventured through downtown and up the iconic stairway that Menton is known for. Along the way is the beautiful Basilica of Saint-Michael the Archangel where a wedding was taking place. From there we continued up more stairs before coming to the Old Castle Cemetery, a really unique cemetery that features an incredible view and is well worth visiting.
After getting our fill of the view, we made our way down the steps to find a restaurant for lunch. There are a ton of good looking restaurants to choose from, but we saw a good outside table at Restaurant L’Hexagone so we chose that. It was a great choice as the food was really good! We got the fresh fish of the day and a pistachio gnocchi, each of which was delicious and excellently priced. While sitting there the wedding party we saw earlier paraded through the area in a really fun celebration. It looked like so much fun and was really fun just to watch!
After lunch we checked out the cute shops in the area and bought some souvenirs. We ended up buying a really nice ceramic olive oil holder, and there are so many different things with lemons on them too!
Many of the shops allow you to try limoncello, so we popped into one and the sample was really good! The lemon products of Menton are must tries. We also stopped at a gelato stand for some apricot gelato, then walked back along the sea to the train station to return to Nice. Menton is a great day trip from Nice!
We hadn’t tried the famous chickpea flatbread, known as socca, yet so for our appetizer before dinner we walked over to Lou Pilha Leva for a sample. They make fresh socca and it was absolutely delicious. We shared one that was hot and fresh and plenty big for the both of us.
For dinner we returned to L’atelier du Carinicore again because we loved it so much the night before. We chatted with our server quite a bit and found out that he was the son of the owners, one of which is the main server and the other is the chef. They opened the restaurant because they are passionate about food, and steak specifically, which was very apparent in the quality. We can’t recommend this restaurant enough on your visit to Nice!
After dinner we ventured down Promenade des Anglais to Le Negresco Hotel for one last night cap on the trip. We ended up sitting in the bar, though the room is so charming and so classy that it barely felt like a bar. It also gave us the opportunity to chat with the bartenders which was really cool as well. The best part though, and hands down Matt’s favorite part, is that the outdoor patio plays lovely live music that makes this the perfect way to spend an evening in Nice.
That’s a wrap on our 16 day journey through France, Spain, and Andorra! We hope you can take some inspiration from our trip and use it to plan your next voyage. Happy travels!
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