Menton Lemon Festival

MENTON LEMON FESTIVAL

 

11 – 18 February 2026

Wednesday - Wednesday

8 Days

From £1,319

 

Treat yourself to some winter sunshine, as we head to Italy’s Cote d’Azur and experience Italian hospitality, while enjoying the tour highlight of the magnificent Menton Lemon Festival.

Created in Menton in 1934, the lemon Festival is a unique event in the world. Locals use citrus fruit to create huge exhibitions and statues in dazzling yellow and orange shades; some can reach heights of 10 meters and more. During your holiday we will also visit San Remo, and Albenga.

 

 

HOLIDAY HIGHLIGHTS

Menton Lemon festival   |   Alassio   |   San Remo   |    Albenga

 

DAY ONE – Travel to Germany

We depart from your selected pick-up point and travel south for your crossing from Dover to Calais and our overnight hotel, we'll settle in and enjoy a welcome drink served at the table at dinner.

 

DAY TWO – Arrival at Alassio

After breakfast we continue our journey through France and into Italy and our hotel Toscana Hotel, where we will stay for the next 5 nights.  Enjoy a welcome drink on arrival and settle in before dinner this evening.

 

DAY THREE – At leisure in Alassio

You'll have a day at leisure in Alassio to soak up the atmosphere, explore the old town and perhaps take a stroll along the famous Promenade des

Anglais. You can also explore the bustling streets or enjoy a drink in one of the many bars and cafes.

 

DAY FOUR – Menton Lemon Festival

After breakfast we take a drive along the spectacular coast that takes us to the gorgeous town of Menton just over the border on the French Riviera.

In the harbour, new luxurious yachts replace the fishing boats of old. The town is a glorious maze of pretty streets leading up to the Basilica. In between there are quaint shops, markets, chic shops and street cafes.

There will be time to view the amazing giant sculptures made of citrus fruit in the Jardins Bioves.

We then join in the fun at Fete du Citron – the Lemon Festival, each year the citizens of Menton try to outdo each other with lemon inspired creations that require more than 145 tonnes of citrus fruit.

We take our seats on the Promenade in the grandstand for the procession as float after float of colourful citrus fruit, music and dancing pass us by.

 

DAY FIVE – San Remo

This morning we travel to nearby San Remo, which was founded in Roman times and is known as 'The Pearl of the Riviera' with its clutch of ostentatious villas and lashings of Riviera-style grandeur. 

Assuming you are not rushing straight to the small beach in the town centre - or you are taking a moment away from the beach to explore San Remo town - start your visit with a stroll around Porto Vecchio, the old harbour (there is now also a larger more modern harbour in San Remo).This old harbour is quite small, and you can find a few restaurants along one edge of the harbour.

After exploring the harbour area wander along the seafront and the main boulevards in the town centre such as Corso degli Inglesi to see many of the grand villas and their surrounding gardens, many of them still beautifully maintained. The Tourist Office is in one of the most impressive of these houses, the Palazzo di Riviera.

Between the harbour and the tourist office you can also see the 17th century Santa Tecla Fort which dominates the centre of San Remo. Also in the western part of the town is the casino, the most well-known building in San Remo and built in the Art Nouveau style.

Behind the harbour and just off Corso Matteotti is the medieval centre of the town, which is largely pedestrianised and very pleasant to explore with lots of narrow streets to wander through, with tall medieval houses clustered close together along narrow streets providing an interesting contrast with the luxury of the grand villas.

You can explore the Giardini Nobel, a large and attractive garden just behind the new port area. The large gardens of Villa Ormond are on the other side of the road from here and are also very pleasant to explore.

After our wonderful day exploring, we’ll return to our hotel with time to relax before dinner this evening.

 

DAY SIX – Albenga

Today we visit a destination that combines history, nature, and gastronomy.

Albenga is a charming town in Liguria, Italy, that dates to Roman times. You can admire its ancient architecture, such as the Roman amphitheatre, the medieval Cathedral, and the impressive towers that dot the skyline.

Don't miss the chance to taste the local products, such as wine, oil, and vegetables, that make Albenga a culinary delight. You might choose to visit the Albenga Diocese Museum and Paleochristian Baptistery and be sure to see the historical centre of Albegna whilst you are here.

We return by coach to the hotel where dinner is served this evening.

 

DAY SEVEN – Travel to Germany

This morning after breakfast we bid farewell to our host and begin our return journey into Germany, retracing our steps back through France to our overnight hotel in Saarbrücken Süd, dinner in hotel this evening.

 

DAY EIGHT – Departure

We continue our homeward journey to Calais and our crossing to Dover.

 

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES

• Luxury coach travel

• Home pick up

• 2 overnights accommodation, dinner & breakfast

• Welcome glass of fresh fruit juice on arrival

• 5 nights accommodation, dinner & breakfast, main stay hotel

• Porterage on arrival & departure

• Welcome spumante or soft drink on arrival

• Entrance to Menton Lemon Festival

• Outbound & Inbound ferry crossing – Dover/Calais.

 

OVERNIGHT HOTEL - MERCURE HOTEL SAARBRUCKEN, SUD

The Superior Mercure Hotel in the south of Saarbrücken is located on the French border. It offers modernized rooms with new Mercure bedding and a seasonal outdoor swimming pool. All rooms at the Mercure Hotel Saarbrücken Süd include air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, and a desk. It is 3km to the city centre. Hotel has a lift.

We recommend taking an overnight back for the outward and return journey.

TOSCANA HOTEL, ALASSIO

The hotel is centrally located, 80 meters from the beautiful beach, a few steps from the famous "budello" - the characteristic historic center renowned for the typicality of its buildings and its elegant shops. All rooms are equipped with air conditioning / heating (individually controlled) and radiators, ceiling fans, mini fridge, LCD or LED color TV, telephone, bathroom with bathtub or shower, hairdryer, safe, satellite TV and SKY programs (Sport, Cinema and Cartoons), free wireless and traditional ADSL Internet access. Hotel has a lift.

 

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES

Luxury coach travel

Home pick up

2 overnights accommodation, dinner & breakfast

Welcome glass of fresh fruit juice on arrival

5 nights accommodation, dinner & breakfast, main stay hotel

Porterage on arrival & departure

Welcome spumante or soft drink on arrival

Entrance to Menton Lemon Festival

Outbound & Inbound ferry crossing – Dover/Calais.

 

OVERNIGHT HOTEL - MERCURE HOTEL SAARBRUCKEN, SUD

The Superior Mercure Hotel in the south of Saarbrücken is located on the French border. It offers modernized rooms with new Mercure bedding and a seasonal outdoor swimming pool. All rooms at the Mercure Hotel Saarbrücken Süd include air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, and a desk. It is 3km to the city centre. Hotel has a lift.

We recommend taking an overnight back for the outward and return journey.

 

TOSCANA HOTEL, ALASSIO

The hotel is centrally located, 80 meters from the beautiful beach, a few steps from the famous "budello" - the characteristic historic center renowned for the typicality of its buildings and its elegant shops. All rooms are equipped with air conditioning / heating (individually controlled) and radiators, ceiling fans, mini fridge, LCD or LED color TV, telephone, bathroom with bathtub or shower, hairdryer, safe, satellite TV and SKY programs (Sport, Cinema and Cartoons), free wireless and traditional ADSL Internet access. Hotel has a lift.

 

 HOTEL FACILITIES INCLUDE

General	Rooms	Accessibility
4 star	Tea/coffee making facilities	Lift
Bar	Television	Wheelchair accessible
Restaurant	Wifi
Lounge
Gym
Swimming pool

 

GROUP BOOKINGS

Looking to take a group, if you book 20 places or more on this tour the tour organiser will go Free of Charge.

 

DAYS	TOUR DATE	DEPARTS	TERMS	SUPPLEMENT
8	11 – 18 FEB 2026	WEDNESDAY	£1,319	£160 SINGLE
JONES HOLIDAYS INSURANCE			£88

 

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You are responsible for ensuring you are at the correct departure point, at the correct time and with the correct documents. Jones Holidays reserve the right to modify itineraries to conform with requests from competent authorities both within the UK and abroad.

Rooms are allocated on a first come first served basis and are limited. If no single supplement applies this is limited to the tour single room allocation and therefore additional cost may apply.  Prices displayed are per person unless otherwise stated. If door-to-door pick-up is included there may be additional charges for out of area. Itineraries and hotel inclusions may be subject to change. Seat numbers on the coach may be subject to change. Issues whilst on tour must be raised in the first instance with the driver. Covid-19 restrictions may apply. When making bookings you accept on behalf of yourself and your party the terms in our Trading Charter which can be found in our brochure, on our website at http://www.jonesholidays.co.uk/Jones-holidays-trading-charter, or a copy can be requested from our Sales office.  If your holiday is more than 56 days from departure, we offer a 7-day cooling off period where a full refund will be offered from the date of the initial confirmation invoice (with the exception of flight holidays).

Hotel Toscana