2012 World Figure Skating Championships
Nice, France | March 25 -- April 1, 2012

Nice, star of the Côte d’Azur, is rich in opportunities for sightseeing and exploration. The picturesque surrounding countryside inspired many great masters of modern art (Chagall, Matisse, Picasso); many of their greatest works are in nearby museums. Explore Old Nice’s twisting, narrow lanes and small shops, enjoy its bustling vegetable and colorful flower markets. Nearby, visit a lovely private villa decorated by Cocteau and Picasso, and the magnificent Villa Ephrussi of the Rothchilds--the most beautiful of all French Riviera palaces set among nine gardens.. Walk through charming Eze, Antibes and St. Paul de Vence (Chagall’s favorite) and browse through their shops. Learn about local cuisine and sample local products on a market tour led by a food journalist. All of these treats are yours, wrapped around a week of figure skating events where champions compete for the gold! Our pre-Nice tour takes us to Toulouse, capital of southwest France’s Languedoc, an area with a long, intriguing history. See historic Albi, jewel-like Cordes-sur-Ciel, well-preserved medieval Carcassonne with its medieval walls still intact, the magnificent stained glass windows in Auch’s cathedral, and picturesque bastides (fortified) villages from the Middle Ages. After Nice, travel to Southern Spain—Andalucia--for a fascinating week of spectacular sights, superb food, emotional pageantry and processions during Easter Week. It’s a time of epic productions and parades filled with scenes that could have come from a Hollywood blockbuster. Following Spain, a 4-night extension to neighboring Portugal visits the lovely hill-town of Evora and Lisbon, Sintra and Cascais. All tours are available individually or as a package.