A rail journey hailed one of the most scenic in the world links two gorgeous European cities with endless views of the Mediterranean.
The winding railway takes you from glitzy Cannes, in France, to the Italian border town of Ventimiglia, ticking off a rapid-fire French Riviera bucket list in the process.
Don’t let the short journey time fool you – in just one hour and a half you pass by all the big hitters of Monaco, Nice and Antibes to decide where you fancy stopping at on your return (spoiler – all of them).
What makes it unique is that it’s a commuter train, so the pastel hues of the French Riviera and the glistening blue waters of the Med don’t come with the inflated price tag.
Instead, you get to gaze out the panoramic windows for around £30, with front-row seats over the Mediterranean and Ligurian sea sitting among locals travelling for work or pleasure.
The 43 mile journey is punctuated by 18 stops like Nice and Monaco, but you also get a whistlestop tour of laid-back towns like Villefranche-Sur-Mer and Menton.
Before leaving Cannes, make sure to stroll around the Roman settlement of Le Suquet, wander through traditional French outdoor market Marché Forville, or even visit the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, where the famous film festival is held every year.
When you reach Ventimiglia, kick back on its beautiful beaches, visit the Roman ruins of Albintimilium, and taste delicious Ligurian cuisine, like stuffed focaccia or tangy seafood salads.
The average train time between Cannes and Ventimiglia is one hour 43 minutes, but there is a shorter route which takes one hour and 25 minutes.
The earliest departure starts at around 06:10am running right through with about 34 departures a day until 23:39pm.
France’s national rail service SNCF runs the regional TER train (Transport Express Régional).
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
