Even though many of us long for the sun, it can get too hot here in Nice. Palais Lascaris is a perfect escape from the heat. This baroque-style aristocratic residence now houses a museum dedicated to the art and music of the 17th and 18th centuries. The palace, built for the Lascaris Vintimille family in the mid-17th century, features a monumental staircase, frescoes, and luxuriously decorated salons. Visitors can explore the reception apartments, which boast frescoes depicting mythological themes, stucco work from the late 17th century, and a permanent collection of paintings, sculptures, furniture, objets d'art, and tapestries. The palace also houses a remarkable collection of antique musical instruments, including a prestigious deposit from the Institut de France.

After strolling around in Nice, you might come to the point in which you'd like only to sit down and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. Place Rossetti is the perfect destination to do just that: find a place in the shade, buy an ice-cream and relax. It's a charming and vibrant pedestrian square in the heart of Nice's historic Old Town. The focal point of the square is the stunning baroque-style cathedral, Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate, which boasts a beautiful façade and impressive bell tower.

In the days of the tsars, the people who enjoyed themselves in the Riviera’s casinos until late on Saturday night, were not exactly short of money. They went here, to church though, on Sundays. After the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, things are much as they were in the old days, but thick wads of dollars now rain down on the Riviera — and the beautifully restored cathedral. Strict dress code applies.

Explore Sonoma County’s history, with a trip to the town of Sonoma. Sonoma is home to the last Spanish-Mexican mission built in California, the location of California’s oldest winery: Buena Vista Winery, and the state’s oldest, continually operating family winery: Gundlach Bundschu. Sonoma State Historic Park preserves the Sonoma Mission and the Sonoma Barracks, as well as the nearby historic home of General Vallejo. Shops, tasting rooms, restaurants, bakeries, and a historic theater line the streets around the Sonoma Plaza — an eight-acre town square, the largest in California.