Hi! We’re award-winning travel writers (and former lawyers), published in outlets like USA Today, The Globe and Mail and Toronto Star. In 2012, we launched "Sand In My Suitcase," our luxury travel blog. We've explored all 7 continents (even Antarctica!) and share trip itineraries, cruise reviews and hotel finds so you can travel smarter and in style. Join thousands of travelers who follow our adventures — and get exclusive tips and fresh inspo delivered straight to your inbox!
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🌍🍾 Nice, Travel Contests and News!
Published 4 months ago • 4 min read
Hello again!
Last time, we left you in the French village of Villefranche-sur-Mer, but promised to share our time in Nice!
Where we stayed in Nice
⭐⭐⭐⭐ We checked into the charming Hotel Petit Palais in a quiet hilltop neighborhood. Our terrace overlooked Nice’s rooftops and the sparkling Med, and outside, a small pool beckoned in a jasmine-scented garden. (We never found time for a dip, though. Next time!) This 4-star Belle Epoque gem is a 20-minute stroll to the Old Town — and a good uphill workout back!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ We also eyed Hotel du Couvent, a cool new 5-star stay in a restored 17th-century convent — serene and beautifully minimalist.
Wine tasting in Provence
Chateau de Cremat — a hilltop castle-cum-winery near Nice with elegant gardens, sweeping Riviera views and a dash of Coco Chanel history (yes, that CC logo!)
Along with two other couples, we were chauffeured to three wineries in the rugged hills behind the city — plus the picture-perfect medieval village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence. Our guide Lara, a Brit turned French local (part sommelier, part stand-up comic!) knew everything from wine laws to French politics.
Our tastings focused on the Bellet appellation, one of the tiniest — and oldest — wine regions in France, dating back over 2,200 years. Just 15 winemakers craft wines here.
Fun tidbits we learned along the way
🏰 In the 1920s, the frothy rose-colored Chateau de Cremat — our first winery stop — was snapped up (and lavishly decorated) by the same wealthy American heiress who owned Nice’s famous Negresco Hotel at the time.
💋 When a young, unknown Coco Chanel admired the chateau’s interlocking “CC” logo, she asked to use it — and they said yes. Later, Chanel sued them to stop using “her” logo. The chateau only won the right to keep the old engravings. Since then, locals have called Chanel “the bitch of France.”
🍇 The Bellet wines are delightfully quirky — with native grape varieties like Braquet and Folle Noire you won’t taste anywhere else.
Saint-Paul-de-Vence
After sipping and laughing our way through the first two wineries, we stopped at this medieval village — officially the second “prettiest village in France” (according to Lara).
With its rich artistic heritage, this adorable hilltop village is brimming with art galleries, cobbled lanes, and Provençal character.
Packed with art galleries, it’s where Chagall, Picasso, Matisse and other masters once painted. Yes, it’s touristy, but irresistibly so!
If you go, wander its cobbled lanes, browse the galleries and do as everyone else does — linger over an alfresco lunch, with a glass of rosé and a stunning view.
An organic winery with a difference
Last stop? Domaine des Hautes Collines — a rustic family-run vineyard, where the wines are naturally fermented in the sun!
We met the owner Georges, a very down-to-earth person who farms land worth an eye-watering 175 million Euros! (He refuses to sell, though, and still tends his vines by hand.)
His brother, an artist in Argentina, paints the labels each year — making every bottle a collectible piece of art.
Wine meets art at Domaine des Hautes Collines
We returned to Nice happy, sun-warmed and a little giddy. Between the views, the stories and the wine, it was a perfect Provencal day. We highly recommend this wine tour!
Day trip exploring Antibes
Sights along the coastal path outside Antibes
Another day, we took a 20-minute train ride to Antibes — home to more super-yachts than Monaco!
From there, we grabbed an Uber to walk the 3-mile-long “Sentier de Littoral” coastal trail section toward Billionaires Bay — a sun-baked path winding over red rocks and pine-shaded cliffs.
The Plage Garoupe beaches (which ordinarily would have been beautiful for a swim after!) were under construction (end-of-season blues). But the walk and sea views more than made up for it.
We finished with a quick wander through Antibes’ old town, wrapped in ramparts and brimming with charm — narrow cobbled lanes, hidden courtyards and cozy little cafés.
Awesome Travel Contests
🚢 Win a 7-night cruise with Virgin Voyages!
Set sail in 2026 on a Virgin Voyages cruise in a Sea Terrace balcony cabin! All dining, entertainment, fitness classes, drinks, WiFi and tips are included.
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Enjoy sun, sand and sea for two, with roundtrip Air Canada Rouge economy tickets plus a 7-night stay at the stylish Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman — complete with a complimentary round of golf.
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Some picks are the usual stars (hello, Maui! — bouncing back beautifully after the 2023 Lahaina wildfire). Other picks are more unexpected (like a safari in Rwanda’s Akagera National Park).
A sea turtle in Maui, one of National Geographic’s top 2026 destinations
But those Nat Geo photos are pure wanderlust fuel. (Rio de Janeiro, Oaxaca and Japan are high on our 2026 radar!)
➡️ Psst! Vancouver (Canada) made the list too — thanks in part to hosting the FIFA World Cup next June and July). We called Vancouver home for almost 30 years, and still adore it! If you go, you MUST bicycle around Stanley Park. And while you’re at it, add a few days to visit beautiful Victoria (that’s where we live now).
🎃 Sleepy Hollow: The town that renamed itself for Halloween
BBC Travel recounts how a once-quiet New York village cleverly rebranded itself as Sleepy Hollow — leaning into Washington Irving’s spooky legend to become one of America’s most Halloween-obsessed towns.
Today, it’s all pumpkins, parades and headless horseman vibes every October!
By Janice and George | Luxury travel with a twist of adventure!
Hi! We’re award-winning travel writers (and former lawyers), published in outlets like USA Today, The Globe and Mail and Toronto Star. In 2012, we launched "Sand In My Suitcase," our luxury travel blog. We've explored all 7 continents (even Antarctica!) and share trip itineraries, cruise reviews and hotel finds so you can travel smarter and in style. Join thousands of travelers who follow our adventures — and get exclusive tips and fresh inspo delivered straight to your inbox!
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