Finest Gardens of the Cote D'Azur

23 to 26 April 2008 (3 nights, 4 days)
Departs from Heathrow Airport 

£569   Sea view supplement applies  

Scheduled flights to be confirmed but expected as follows:- Outbound to arrive mid afternoon local time Nice Airport.  Inbound to arrive early evening local time Heathrow Airport.  

Transfers from Ampfield House can be organised depending on how many people would like to begin the trip there. Cost would be about £25 per person for the return transfer and is not included in the price shown.

Introduction

Depart from Ampfield House or join at London Heathrow Airport for a British Airways flight to Nice, arriving mid-afternoon.  An executive coach will collect us from the airport and transfer us to Eze where we will visit the panoramic hilltop Jardin Plantes Exotiques and explore the medieval village.  We’ll continue to Menton and check in at the hotel.  The Royal Westminster is beautifully positioned with its own garden in front of the hotel and the sea front across the road from the garden, ideal for leisurely evening strolls.  An official welcome reception will take place before dinner. 

After breakfast on day 2, we’ll depart the hotel for Cap Ferrat where there will be tours of the private gardens, Les Cedres and Villa et Jardens Ephrussi de Rothschild.  A light lunch will be included.  Villa et Jardens Ephrussi de Rothschild is situated in a wonderful setting with fine sea views and superb planting and Les Cedres has a reputation as one of the finest private botanical gardens in the world with 25 acres of parkland and garden and over 2 acres of greenhouses.  On your return to Menton, you are free to dine out independently. 

On day 3, there will be a visit to Serre de la Madone and a guided tour of the gardens before returning to Menton with free time for lunch.  The historic garden of Serre de la Medone, was a Lawrence Johnston garden (Hidcote) and has undergone extensive restoration.  The garden forms a lovely setting around the house with terraces, a pool and steps. An afternoon visit will be to Val Rahmeh, a botanical garden in Menton that has the feeling of a private garden.  The garden was originally leased by Major Lawrence Johnston and later bought by Miss Maybud Campbell who added hundreds of species to the garden, which created a mixture of formal and exotic planting.   Again, you will have the opportunity to dine out in the evening. 

After checking out of the hotel on your final day of this tour, our executive coach will take us to  Giardini Botanici Hanbury (La Mortola) for a guided tour of this historic garden created by Sir Thomas Hanbury and Cecil Hanbury.  The University of Genova now owns the gardens and here you can find a rich collection of plants in one of the most impressive gardens of the Riviera.  Lunch can be taken in the small café at the bottom of the garden, overlooking the sea or you can purchase a picnic lunch before departing Menton. Our return flight from Nice will return us to Heathrow in the early evening and then on to Ampfield House via Sunningdale. 

Inclusions:

Services of Hillier Hosts and Professional Tour Guide throughout

Return flight from Heathrow to Nice including all taxes

Executive coaching as per the itinerary

Three nights in The Royal Westminster Hotel to include breakfast and taxes

Official welcome dinner on 1^st night

Lunch on the second day

Entrance to all gardens and tours

Not included:

Dinner on nights 2 and 3

Lunches other than on day 2

Travel Insurance (although available via Brookland Travel)

Transfers to Heathrow Airport. Estimated at £25 return from Ampfield House

For more details contact: