21 days in French Riviera - Cote d'Azur, Switzerland & Lake Como Itinerary

On the Mediterranean Sea coast, the French Riviera-Côte d'Azur has the glitz and glamour rivaled by few places on earth. It is a modern resort area with luxury shopping, seaside cafés for people watching, and several marinas for yachts and super-yachts along its coast. Although the Riviera is famous for the glamour of St. Tropez, Monaco, and the Cannes Film Festival, there are many other lesser known attractions and places to visit, such as the perched villages of Gourdon and Eze, the perfumeries in Grasse, the potters of Vallauris, and the glassblowers of Biot.The Riviera has been the inspiration for many works by artists, such as Picasso and Renoir, which are on display in local museums. Sea-front hotels and holiday resorts are the most expensive options, with smaller, modest, more affordable accommodations available as you move away from major cities or further inland. Cafés, bars, and restaurants are diverse enough to respect your vacation budget and tastes, with the vast majority of eateries serving food local to the area--Provençal cuisine with Italian influences, and Cassis and Bandol regional wines.The small independent state of Monaco is surrounded on three sides by France, and the fourth by the Mediterranean. It has been ruled by the Grimaldi family since the 13th century and is a major center for tourism on the Mediterranean. The glamor of Monaco has been replaced by Monte Carlo for its opulence, designer and luxury shopping, and its casino.The busiest travel season is in July and August, when crowds and prices both skyrocket. But, with 300 days of sunshine per year, 115 km (71 mi) of warm blue coastline and beaches, 18 golf courses, 14 ski resorts, and 3,000 restaurants, you're sure to have a wonderful time and find plenty of things to do whenever you plan to stay.

Immerse yourself in a snow-capped mountain wonderland in Switzerland's serene Alpine setting. See the world-renowned Matterhorn, Switzerland's second-highest mountain at 4,478 m (14,962 ft) tall, or zoom down the mountains on toboggan, ski, or snowboard. In the warmer seasons hike around the rolling green hillsides covered with pine trees and picturesque aqua blue lakes. Luxurious cities dotted with cozy wooden chalets and colorful flowerbeds balance quaintness with first-class cultural offerings. Indulge in the country's opulence of milk chocolate, cheese fondue, and keg-carrying St. Bernard dogs.

A favorite vacation spot for more than a century, Lake Como was once an exclusive retreat for local aristocrats and wealthy people. It is not only one of Europe's most beautiful lakes, but also one of the deepest at more than 400 m (1,300 ft). Surrounded by elegant villas, the lake has become a popular holiday destination for tourists because of its range of attractions, from landscapes, wildlife, and spas, to activities like sailing, windsurfing, and kite-surfing. The area has been an inspiration for artists since Roman times. English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote, "This lake exceeds anything I ever beheld in beauty…It is long and narrow and has the appearance of a mighty river winding among the mountains and the forests."