Back in mid July 2005 we discovered a great bargain from SkyEurope – SKK 3897 (approx. € 102) for flights from Bratislava, Slovakia to Nice, France, including all fees and taxis. We couldn’t resist and booked immediately. And so did Christian’s parents.

Bratislava Airport (BTS) is just a 70 minute drive from our apartment, so we left Vienna at 5.15am in the morning. This time it took us a little bit longer, because of the heavy fog on the A4 Autobahn (freeway), but we didn’t have to panic, because our flight was scheduled for 8.30am.

The four of us arrived at 10:30am at the Nice airport, then took the bus #99 to the Nice central railway station (Gare SNCF). Our hotel, the "IBIS Nice Centre" is located just around the corner. The room rate was € 73 per night; breakfast buffet was € 6.50 per person and day. Rooms are very small but clean, staff is friendly and the breakfast buffet is well worth the money.

After lunch (soupe de poisson, moules marinières, …) we spent the whole remaining day in Nice at the waterfront. --- Click on "picture gallery" for more details.

Another gorgeous, warm and sunny day in the Côte d’Azur. Perfect for an excursion to Èze. So we walked around 20 minutes to the bus terminal and took the bus #82. After a 20 minute ride up steep and winding roads we arrived at our destination. Èze is a medieval village perched on a narrow rocky peak overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The ancient fortified village is still crowned with the ruins of its 12th-century fortified castle (torn down in 1706). The castle grounds host the well-known Jardin Exotique, and from the top (429m) you'll have a breathtaking view of the coast. --- Click on "picture gallery" for more details.

After stuffing ourselves at the breakfast buffet, we took the TGV (high speed train) to Cannes, where we took rides on two different "petit trains" and then spent a few hours strolling alongside the beach and shopping. Late afternoon Christian’s parents took the TGV back to Nice, whereas the remaining two of us did a stop-over in Antibes, which is located mid-way in between Cannes and Nice. --- Click on "picture gallery" for more details.

Finally a day where we could sleep in. Our plane was scheduled to depart at 3.05pm, so we had a late breakfast and then checked out of the hotel shortly before noon. Bus #99, which runs every half hour, brought us back to the airport, and at around 5pm we arrived back "home" in Bratislava. We stopped by the "Avion Shopping Park" to get groceries and then headed home for Vienna.

The four of us enjoyed our short break very much. We were very satisfied with SkyEurope - from complimentary parking, to check-in and the flight itself. The "IBIS Nice Centre" proved to be an excellent base for exploring the Côte d’Azur, as it is just around the corner from the central railway station. Public transport in and around Nice is excellent. Their schedules are convenient, buses and trains are comfortable and most of all very affordable.