As much as I love the bustle and fast pace of big cities -- one of our favourite things to do while travelling is to hunt down the smaller towns, where life is still a symphony of simple pleasures. One such place was the gorgeous medieval village Eze, which is situated high on a  magnificent cliff about half-an-hour from Nice. 

The charming village is peppered with jewellery boutiques and local handicrafts stores along narrow and steep streets with stunning views of Cote d'Azur. And the gorgeous treasure on the top of this journey was the stunning botanic garden called Jardin Exotique. Filled with cacti, manicured shrubs and beautiful sculptures, the garden is a serene spot to take in panoramic views of the Mediterranean sea as well as remnant of a fortress from the Iron Age. 

Now, while most of the little towns we've visited in Europe have been on the humbler side -- our next stop was small but MIGHTY in its worth. I'm talking about none other than Monaco, the second smallest country in the world but with very deep pockets.

This prestigious kingdom is a playground for the world's richest and boy does that show. The moment you step into Monaco, grandeur is the mood. Think luxury cars on every street and restaurants that give you a separate chair for your designer handbag. 

We spent our day people watching and exploring the shopping malls which were filled with locals who looked dressed like they were ready for the red carpet at midday. We spotted yachts with helicopters in them and young kids with designer handbags. We also took a short tourist train ride around the palace precinct and saw lavish local buildings including the scientific centre. The life in this country was so far from any reality we've seen, it felt like watching a live movie -- but a very entertaining one at that!