Hanbury Gardens at La Mortola, photo by hiddeneurope

By Nicky Gardner and Susanne Kries in Berlin—We know Cheapos want the best deals and aren’t necessarily keen about attractions that levy a hefty admission fee. But there are times when a modest admission fee is money well spent. And nowhere more so than in some of Europe’s finest gardens and parks, where visitors can often linger for an entire day, roaming at will and enjoying a mix of history, a beautiful landscape, and some much needed seclusion. You don’t need to know your willow from your wisteria to appreciate a garden. Read on.

Great European gardens

Our favorite European gardens certainly include Mount Stewart and Glenveagh in Ireland (free entry at Glenveagh), Kalmthout Arboretum in Belgium and the Tresco Abbey Gardens in the Isles of Scilly.

But our favorite gem, one of the very best gardens that Europe has to offer, lies on the Riviera coast of Liguria (just inside Italy and merely a stone’s throw from the French border).

The Hanbury Gardens at Cape Mortola (Liguria)

The Hanbury Gardens at La Mortola are a Riviera highlight, but one too often missed in favor of the glitz and the gloss of the famous capes across the French border. Thomas Hanbury was a Quaker entrepreneur who arrived on the Riviera coast in 1867. He could have had his pick of any of the great capes, but he chose Capo Mortola for his grand botanical experiment, amassing taxa from across the world and acclimatising them on the wild headland that juts out into the Mediterranean.

Palazzo Orengo in Italy's Hanbury Gardens, photo by hiddeneurope

This is not a place for studied formality, but a rambling maze of paths and stairways, rocky alcoves and wooded glades offset by stunning views of a Palladian villa (the Palazzo Orengo) and the azure Mediterranean beyond. Guidebooks will tell you to allow a good three to four hours to explore the gardens, but that is nowhere near enough to really appreciate all that the Giardini Botanici Hanbury have to offer.  We recommend arriving in the morning (gates open to the public at 9:30 AM) and stay until dusk (6 PM or even later during the extended summer opening which runs till mid-September). Admission is €7.50.

The Roman road at the Hanbury Gardens

The gardens incorporate a fabulous sunken Roman road, complete with a plaque recording the names of those who walked the route, a roll call that includes emperors, popes and kings – from Niccolo Machiavelli to Napoleon Bonaparte. For these travelers, on the Via Julia Augusta, Capo Mortola was merely a staging post along the road. For Thomas Hanbury, the taming of this stretch of the Mediterranean was his life’s great work. It deserves a whole day, as it is one of the truly fine unspoiled landscapes of the Ligurian coast.

About the authors: Susanne Kries and Nicky Gardner are regular contributors to EuroCheapo and together edit hidden europe magazine. The current issue, hidden europe 27, contains a feature article on the Hanbury Gardens.

Popularity: 6% [?]

The Nice Visitors Bureau just announced the debut of their new visitor’s pass, labeled the Nice “Riviera Pass”. Is it a good deal? It depends on your trip plans. Here’s a quick overview:

The pass: The Nice “Riviera Pass” is a tourist pass that grants holders free entry into a number of the area’s attractions, as well as numerous discounts throughout the region.

What you get: Free admission to nine major sights in Nice, Antibes, Biot, Cagnes-sur-mer, and Monaco. Sights include the National Museum of Marc Chagall (Musée Chagall) and Marineland (for the 72-hour pass), the Musée Renoir, and the Musée national Fernand Leger.

Extras: The pass also includes a 60-page guidebook, unlimited transportation on the Nice “Le Grand Tour” double-decker buses (which stop at most of Nice’s main attractions and includes multi-language commentary), free daily guided tours of major sights like the Nice opera house and Castle Hill (Monday through Friday in French only, Saturdays in French and English), and discounts at dozens of restaurants, shops, and area attractions.

What it costs: The Nice Riviera Pass is offered for 24-hours (€24), 48-hours (€36), or 72-hours (€54). The pass is equipped with a “smart chip” that starts keeping time from the moment you validate it. Free entry into museums and other sights is valid for the duration of the pass, while other discounts (for restaurants, shopping, and leisure activities) are valid for one month.

How to buy it: You will soon be able to an purchase the card online. For now, buy it in person at the Nice Visitor’s Bureau, of which the main offices is at 5, Promenade des Anglais. Check out their website for more information.

The verdict: As we’d suggest with any city pass, price out your trip itinerary and compare it to the cost of the pass. (Conveniently, the card’s website shows you standard ticket prices for these attractions, making it easy to tally up.) If you’re already planning to head to the sights covered by the card, the pass will let you skip lines and bounce around town on a cute bus. It will also take you to places in Nice that you might otherwise ignore.

If, however, your plans in Nice mostly involve a beach towel, an umbrella, and a cool drink, you might “pass” on this tourist card.

Popularity: 12% [?]