The French and Italian Riviera

After our time in Provence, we decided to drive through St. Tropez and Monte Carlo on our way to Portofino. I was so excited because I had never been to any coastal towns in France or Italy except for the family vacation that we took to Positano in southern Italy a few years back. However, since we had to get to Portofino by that evening, we didn't have as much time as I would have liked to explore each town, so we had to make the most of it.

First stop, St. Tropez

When we were in Paris and had dinner with my good friend Ryan, he told us about the Dior Pop-Up Restaurant in St. Tropez that he had passed when he was there the week before. So of course, we had to check it out! We loved it!! The food was very simple, (I had chicken, mom had risotto and dad had a turkey club) but it was very well done. What impressed me the most was the atmosphere. No detail went unnoticed when creating this gem and if you plan to visit St. Tropez this summer, you should definitely check it out.

Portofino at Last!

Portofino is one of those coastal villages that you have seen pictures of on instagram, pinterest and Facebook, even if you didn't realize that it was in fact Portofino. We stayed at a beautiful hotel in Santa Margherita Ligure which is a short drive from Portofino, however we spent a good amount of time at the Hotel Splendido Portofino as well. This is where I would recommend staying for your trip to the area. The views are absolutely breathtaking and the food is even better if that is possible. 

We learned that this region is known for its pesto, so after our nightly glass of champagne overlooking the ocean, we had some of the best pesto sauce over homemade pasta that we have ever had. In addition, we had the most incredible fish that was cooked in salt! I tried to take some photos of it, but I'm not quite sure that they even do the experience justice. 

I am already missing our view from Hotel Splendido and the beautiful town of Positano... hopefully next time I can spend some more time on the French and Italian Riviera!

XOXO,

Rachael Claire