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I cruised Europe's glamour cities on the Riviera, this surprised me

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a day ago

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I cruised Europe's glamour cities on the Riviera, this surprised me

Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. A row of timber fishing boats bobs gently in the harbour, schools of small sardines darting between their hulls. Siblings toss pinches of bread in from the dock, squealing in delight as the fish snap up their offerings with theatrical splashes. It's a wholesome Mediterranean scene, but here in Cannes, something about it feels a little off. It clicks in an instant; this tiny snippet of local life is almost jarring among the sea of colossal superyachts. Affluence and excessiveness are more the norm at this French Riviera harbour than a duo of excited fish-feeding children. 'Yachtsman's Harbors' is the theme of our seven-day Windstar Cruise through the French and Italian Rivieras from Barcelona to Rome, sailing aboard Wind Surf and stopping in at harboured destinations of varying populations and riches. Cannes sits somewhere near the top of the scale, with the Promenade de la Croisette's Belle Epoque buildings home to the kind of luxury global fashion brands that so casually hang from the elbows of superyacht-goers. In the warmth of the spring sunshine, I stroll from one end of the promenade to the other, window shopping and people watching along the way. My own purse remains unopened until I venture a few streets back to Rue d'Antibes. Here, quirky gift stores and local labels sit among the usual high street suspects, and a wine enjoyed in the sun at an al fresco table costs a more respectable €7 per glass. Rue d'Antibes is known as Cannes' shopping street. A morning cappuccino at Cafe de Paris sets me back the same amount. But it's the price I'm willing to pay for unrivalled views of Monaco's poster child, Place du Casino. Architecturally, it's spectacular, and it's considered the beating heart of the principality's action. A slow procession of Rolls-Royces, Aston Martins and Bugattis rumbles around the bend, passing Hôtel De Paris and the growing crowd of camera-wielding tourists outside Casino de Monte-Carlo. It's a spectacle of wealth that, perhaps, only the vessels docked in the harbour can rival. Just a few hundred metres from Wind Surf's berth is a high-speed Lamborghini yacht, impossible to miss with its sprawling, ultra-modern deck, and rumoured to retail at a cool $7 million. Luxury yachts at Monte Carlo, Monaco. Like Cannes, Monaco isn't all luxury and big budgets. After wandering Place du Casino, I follow the Formula One street track down through the famous hairpin of Mirabeau corner, past the new Mareterra district – built out into the Mediterranean Sea on reclaimed land – and through the tunnel. I wind up in Quartier du Port, where local breweries, brasseries, and boutiques are a glimpse into everyday Monégasque life. Steaming ricotta and chard-filled barbagiuan pastries and chickpea flour socca in the open hall of Marché de la Condamine sate my growing appetite, fuelling me for an afternoon perusing classic Fiats and early F1 cars at the Private Cars Collection of HSH Prince of Monaco. Portofino in the quiet of early morning. Picture: Monique Ceccato A morning spent on the tree-lined trails of Parco Nazionale di Portofino is a welcome antidote to the dense urbanity of the principality of Monaco. It's day five of the Yachtsman's Harbors of the Rivieras cruise, and we're docked just off the shores of the idyllic coastal town for the day. There's barely a soul to be seen when we set off on our shore excursion at 8am, just a handful of earlybirds sipping their espressos at one of the few open cafes, and some avid sailors prepping their yachts for the afternoon's regatta. Without the midmorning swarms of tourists, the true beauty of the ex-fishing village is revealed. But nothing outshines the beauty of Portofino and surrounds from above, a view only those willing to climb the steep trails towards Paraggi beach are privy to. It's a clear day, and the blue of the sky matches that of the ocean, the Apennine Mountains acting as a buffer between the two in the distance. The picturesque port of Portofino. Our final destination is the bustling commune of Santa Margherita Ligure, a three-and-a-half-hour walk from our starting point in Portofino. We pass olive groves and scrubby bushlands en route, stopping only for the occasional informative chat with our tour leader Giulia and a speedy espresso at a hidden hillside mill-turned-cafe. But, it's a glass of wine we all reach for at the end of the adventure, served with a healthy side of aperitivo hour snacks and glowing pride at having conquered the hike as a team. Portoferraio harbour on the island of Elba. Picture: Monique Ceccato Strolling the cobbled streets of Portoferraio on Elba island the following day – our last port of call before disembarkation in Rome's Civitavecchia – is a gentle warmdown for the legs. We're docked just a few minutes from the town centre, studded with sun-drenched cafes and stores selling locally made products. The harbour here is, in the truest sense, a 'yachtsman's port', with substantially more classic sailboats and cruisers moored along its arching seawall than any of the more built-up towns and cities we've been to. The absence of big-boat energy has a ripple effect throughout the town, with not a high-end storefront or fine dining restaurant to be seen. It's authentic coastal Italy at its finest. I've been tipped off about one of Portoferraio's culinary specialties, schiaccia briaca, a wine-infused, dried fruit and walnut-topped flatbread 'legacy' from the pirates that pillaged the town in the 13th and 16th centuries. Some pasticcerias still sell the ancient unyeasted pastry, and I find mine at Pasticceria Dolce Vita. The cafe oozes Italy, with locals milling around the counter holding their espressos and spritzes in hand, wild, gesticulating conversation going on between them. I soak up the atmosphere before packaging up my schiaccia briaca and strolling back to Wind Surf. Monique Ceccato aboard Wind Surf in Monaco. On the back deck in the warm afternoon sun, I tuck into the dense, bready delicacy. It's sweet and Christmas cake-like, the perfect match for the day's final espresso. We're minutes from departure, and guests are filing upstairs, crowding the railings for their last glimpses of Elba before we're en route to Civitavecchia. As we pull away from port, Wind Surf's sails unfurl for one last time. It's a poignant moment, the canvas waving back at Portoferraio in the breeze and bidding our Riviera journey farewell. The author was a guest of Windstar Cruises. Windstar's seven-day Yachtsman's Harbors of the Rivieras cruise starts from $4640 per person for a double occupancy cabin. It runs almost year-round. Originally published as I cruised Europe's glamour cities on the Riviera, this surprised me

‘All smiles': Prince Andrew wins fight against King Charles

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a day ago

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‘All smiles': Prince Andrew wins fight against King Charles

Don't miss out on the headlines from Royals. Followed categories will be added to My News. Prince Andrew can finally breathe a long-awaited sigh of relief. After years of digging his heels in and refusing to leave his sprawling royal residence, the disgraced Duke of York is celebrating 'having won the Royal Lodge row,' the Express reports. According to the outlet, Andrew has been 'all smiles' since finding out that his brother, King Charles, has given up trying to evict him — a stark contrast to his downcast outings earlier this year. Britain's Prince Andrew. 'Charles tried his best to get his non-working royal sibling to move to a smaller premises elsewhere to free up the royal home,' the outlet notes. As for how Andrew, 65, managed to emerge victorious in the fight over the royal digs, the duke presented Charles with 'a lease document that states he is legally entitled to stay there,' the outlet adds. The feuding brothers have been locked in a bitter, yearslong spat over the property, located on the grounds of Windsor Castle, since 2019. The Post has reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment. Andrew was poised to leave the Royal Lodge after Charles refused to continue financially carrying his brother's weight. However, it sensationally emerged in November that the shunned royal had found a mystery financial backer at the eleventh hour — allowing him to remain at the royal digs. As a result, Charles responded by removing priceless items from the plush property over maintenance and security concerns. Andrew has been living off a hefty allowance from the king's personal wealth for more than six years — ever since he was linked to disgraced late financier Jeffrey Epstein. His weighty list of expenses includes $4 million (AU$5.9 million) worth of personal security per year, as well as a regular cash allowance — both of which Charles stopped providing in October 2024. As a result, Andrew was ordered out of the 31-room property into the smaller Frogmore Cottage — but he refused. Andrew has remained out of the spotlight in recent years. Picture: AFP. The latter property has been sitting empty since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle handed over the keys in 2023. It was previously reported that Charles had tried his all to downsize his scandal-scarred brother so that the Royal Lodge would free up for the Prince and Princess of Wales, as well as their three children. However, the future king and queen later decided that the property didn't quite offer what they were looking for, much to Andrew's relief, as it meant there were no rivals for the home. Prince William and Kate Middleton, for their part, have recently kick-started their search for their next family abode — meaning they are finally ready to bid adieu to Adelaide Cottage. Andrew has resided at the lavish home since 2004. He currently lives there with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson. Since finding an anonymous financial backer late last year, Andrew has faced recurring calls from the UK government to reveal the source of his mystery funding. Exactly where the duke found the cash that enabled him to remain at the property is still unclear, as his only known steady income source is a Royal Navy pension. This story originally appeared on New York Post and is republished here with permission. Originally published as 'All smiles': Prince Andrew wins fight against King Charles

Herald Sun

a day ago

Herald Sun

I cruised Europe's glamour cities on the Riviera, this surprised me

Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. A row of timber fishing boats bobs gently in the harbour, schools of small sardines darting between their hulls. Siblings toss pinches of bread in from the dock, squealing in delight as the fish snap up their offerings with theatrical splashes. It's a wholesome Mediterranean scene, but here in Cannes, something about it feels a little off. It clicks in an instant; this tiny snippet of local life is almost jarring among the sea of colossal superyachts. Affluence and excessiveness are more the norm at this French Riviera harbour than a duo of excited fish-feeding children. 'Yachtsman's Harbors' is the theme of our seven-day Windstar Cruise through the French and Italian Rivieras from Barcelona to Rome, sailing aboard Wind Surf and stopping in at harboured destinations of varying populations and riches. Cannes sits somewhere near the top of the scale, with the Promenade de la Croisette's Belle Epoque buildings home to the kind of luxury global fashion brands that so casually hang from the elbows of superyacht-goers. In the warmth of the spring sunshine, I stroll from one end of the promenade to the other, window shopping and people watching along the way. My own purse remains unopened until I venture a few streets back to Rue d'Antibes. Here, quirky gift stores and local labels sit among the usual high street suspects, and a wine enjoyed in the sun at an al fresco table costs a more respectable €7 per glass. Rue d'Antibes is known as Cannes' shopping street. A morning cappuccino at Cafe de Paris sets me back the same amount. But it's the price I'm willing to pay for unrivalled views of Monaco's poster child, Place du Casino. Architecturally, it's spectacular, and it's considered the beating heart of the principality's action. A slow procession of Rolls-Royces, Aston Martins and Bugattis rumbles around the bend, passing Hôtel De Paris and the growing crowd of camera-wielding tourists outside Casino de Monte-Carlo. It's a spectacle of wealth that, perhaps, only the vessels docked in the harbour can rival. Just a few hundred metres from Wind Surf's berth is a high-speed Lamborghini yacht, impossible to miss with its sprawling, ultra-modern deck, and rumoured to retail at a cool $7 million. Luxury yachts at Monte Carlo, Monaco. Like Cannes, Monaco isn't all luxury and big budgets. After wandering Place du Casino, I follow the Formula One street track down through the famous hairpin of Mirabeau corner, past the new Mareterra district – built out into the Mediterranean Sea on reclaimed land – and through the tunnel. I wind up in Quartier du Port, where local breweries, brasseries, and boutiques are a glimpse into everyday Monégasque life. Steaming ricotta and chard-filled barbagiuan pastries and chickpea flour socca in the open hall of Marché de la Condamine sate my growing appetite, fuelling me for an afternoon perusing classic Fiats and early F1 cars at the Private Cars Collection of HSH Prince of Monaco. Portofino in the quiet of early morning. Picture: Monique Ceccato A morning spent on the tree-lined trails of Parco Nazionale di Portofino is a welcome antidote to the dense urbanity of the principality of Monaco. It's day five of the Yachtsman's Harbors of the Rivieras cruise, and we're docked just off the shores of the idyllic coastal town for the day. There's barely a soul to be seen when we set off on our shore excursion at 8am, just a handful of earlybirds sipping their espressos at one of the few open cafes, and some avid sailors prepping their yachts for the afternoon's regatta. Without the midmorning swarms of tourists, the true beauty of the ex-fishing village is revealed. But nothing outshines the beauty of Portofino and surrounds from above, a view only those willing to climb the steep trails towards Paraggi beach are privy to. It's a clear day, and the blue of the sky matches that of the ocean, the Apennine Mountains acting as a buffer between the two in the distance. The picturesque port of Portofino. Our final destination is the bustling commune of Santa Margherita Ligure, a three-and-a-half-hour walk from our starting point in Portofino. We pass olive groves and scrubby bushlands en route, stopping only for the occasional informative chat with our tour leader Giulia and a speedy espresso at a hidden hillside mill-turned-cafe. But, it's a glass of wine we all reach for at the end of the adventure, served with a healthy side of aperitivo hour snacks and glowing pride at having conquered the hike as a team. Portoferraio harbour on the island of Elba. Picture: Monique Ceccato Strolling the cobbled streets of Portoferraio on Elba island the following day – our last port of call before disembarkation in Rome's Civitavecchia – is a gentle warmdown for the legs. We're docked just a few minutes from the town centre, studded with sun-drenched cafes and stores selling locally made products. The harbour here is, in the truest sense, a 'yachtsman's port', with substantially more classic sailboats and cruisers moored along its arching seawall than any of the more built-up towns and cities we've been to. The absence of big-boat energy has a ripple effect throughout the town, with not a high-end storefront or fine dining restaurant to be seen. It's authentic coastal Italy at its finest. I've been tipped off about one of Portoferraio's culinary specialties, schiaccia briaca, a wine-infused, dried fruit and walnut-topped flatbread 'legacy' from the pirates that pillaged the town in the 13th and 16th centuries. Some pasticcerias still sell the ancient unyeasted pastry, and I find mine at Pasticceria Dolce Vita. The cafe oozes Italy, with locals milling around the counter holding their espressos and spritzes in hand, wild, gesticulating conversation going on between them. I soak up the atmosphere before packaging up my schiaccia briaca and strolling back to Wind Surf. Monique Ceccato aboard Wind Surf in Monaco. On the back deck in the warm afternoon sun, I tuck into the dense, bready delicacy. It's sweet and Christmas cake-like, the perfect match for the day's final espresso. We're minutes from departure, and guests are filing upstairs, crowding the railings for their last glimpses of Elba before we're en route to Civitavecchia. As we pull away from port, Wind Surf's sails unfurl for one last time. It's a poignant moment, the canvas waving back at Portoferraio in the breeze and bidding our Riviera journey farewell. The author was a guest of Windstar Cruises. Windstar's seven-day Yachtsman's Harbors of the Rivieras cruise starts from $4640 per person for a double occupancy cabin. It runs almost year-round. Originally published as I cruised Europe's glamour cities on the Riviera, this surprised me

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I cruised Europe's glamour cities on the Riviera, this surprised me

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I cruised Europe's glamour cities on the Riviera, this surprised me

‘All smiles': Prince Andrew wins fight against King Charles

I cruised Europe's glamour cities on the Riviera, this surprised me

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