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Tellaro, Italy
Colourful fishing village on the Gulf of Poets.
Eat: Osteria La Caletta
Stay: Hotel Il Nido
Do: Village lanes, Fiascherino Beach, Gulf of Poets boat trip
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Porto Venere, Italy
Harbour town with a castle and ferries to Palmaria Island.
Eat: Ristorante La Chiglia
Stay: Grand Hotel Portovenere
Do: Doria Castle, San Pietro Church, Palmaria ferry
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Finalborgo, Italy
Walled medieval village just inland from the Riviera beaches.
Eat: Ai Cuattru Canti, Da Gilo
Stay: Hotel Ora Resort Liguria
Do: Old streets, Fortezza di Castelfranco, hiking and biking
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Cervo, Italy
Hilltop Ligurian village with a baroque church and a good beach.
Eat: Le Nereidi, San Giorgio
Do: San Giovanni Battista, Bagni Al Saraceno
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Menton, France
Lemon town on the French border with a Cocteau museum and calm beaches.
Eat: Mirazur
Stay: Hotel Napoleon
Do: Jean Cocteau Museum, old town, Plage des Sablettes
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Èze, France
Medieval village on a clifftop with sea views.
Eat: Château Eza, Le Nid d'Aigle
Do: Exotic Garden, medieval streets, Nietzsche Path
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Cassis, France
Harbour village and base for boat trips into the Calanques.
Eat: La Défonce, Chez Gilbert
Stay: Hotel de la Plage
Do: Calanques boat tour, paddleboarding, old port, market
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Aix-en-Provence, France
Elegant Provençal town of fountains, markets and Cézanne.
Eat: Les Deux Garçons, Le Formal
Do: Cours Mirabeau, Atelier Cézanne, Place Richelme market, Musée Granet
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Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, France
Camargue seaside village with white horses and flamingos.
Eat: La Casa Romana, L'Estelle en Camargue
Stay: Le Maset
Do: Church rooftop, Camargue park, Plage de Beauduc, Pont de Gau