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Top Reasons to Go | Getting Oriented | What’s Where | Planner
Updated by Nancy Heslin
This compact fairy-tale Mediterranean destination is one of the most sought-after addresses in the world, even though a million dollars won’t buy you much here these days. Between the high-rise towers and ultramodern shopping pavilions, you have to look hard to find the Belle Époque grace of yesteryear. But if you head inside the town’s great 1864 landmark Hôtel de Paris or attend the opera at Salle Garnier, you may still be able to conjure up Monaco’s elegant past.
Reigning monarch Prince Albert II traces his ancestry back to the Grimaldi dynasty, when Franceso Grimaldi was expelled from Genoa and in 1297 seized the fortified medieval town known today as Le Rocher (the Rock). Except for a short break under Napoléon, the Grimaldis have been here ever since, which makes them the oldest reigning family in Europe. In the 1850s a Grimaldi named Charles III saw that the Rock needed revenue, but not wanting to impose additional taxes on his subjects, he contracted with a company to open a gambling facility. The first spin of the roulette wheel in Monaco was on December 14, 1856. With the 1868 introduction of the railroad, the threadbare principality became an elegant watering hole for European society. Profits were so great that Charles eventually abolished all direct taxes; in exchange for this tax-free living, Monégasque citizens have never been allowed inside the casino, as all revenues must be generated from foreigners.
Prince Rainier III, who reigned 1949–2005, worked hard to regain Monaco’s glitz and glamour post–World War II occupation and is credited for developing tourism and the financial sector. He married 26-year-old Hollywood legend Grace Kelly in 1956, helping to introduce America to Monaco’s royal family. They had three children, Caroline, Albert (the current reigning price), and Stephanie, who was a passenger in her mother’s Rover when it plummeted 120 feet off a cliff in nearby La Turbie. Some 100 million people watched Grace Kelly’s funeral on September 18, 1982.
Today, the Principality is divided into four main quarters, although in July 2015 Albert announced a €2 billion concession deal that over the next 10 years will create a new 6-hectare neighborhood by expanding into the sea. The newest area is the underrated Fontvieille, but the harbor district, La Condamine, connects the “new” Monte Carlo with the “old” Monaco-Ville (or Le Rocher), a medieval town on the Rock, topped by the palace, the cathedral, and the world-class Musée Océanographique.
As you might expect, even the most modest hotels cost more here than in nearby Nice or Menton and dining is expensive. For the frugal, Monaco is the ultimate day trip by train. The Princess Grace Rose Garden in Fontvieille and the Monte-Carlo Japanese Garden are free to stroll around from sunrise to sunset. Pick up some fresh edibles at La Condamine daily market at the Place d’Armes to savor at the public Larvotto beach or look for the daily Happy Hour at Stars ‘n’ Bars in the port. Make a point of popping in the vintage shop, Le Dressing on Rue Princesse Florestine, for secondhand designer items. At the very least you can afford a coffee at the very friendly Starbucks (where you’ll also find free Wi-Fi) and can make use of the free public toilets everywhere.
Monaco’s sensational position on a broad, steep peninsula that bulges into the Mediterranean continues to draw the rich and famous; its harbor sparkles with mega-yachts, and its posh properties are angled toward the nearly perpetual sun. As you might expect, all this glitz doesn’t come cheap. Eating is expensive, and even the most modest hotels cost more here than in nearby Nice or Menton. For the frugal, Monaco makes a great day trip by train or bus.
Top Reasons to Go
High stakes and high style: Even if you aren’t a gambler, the gold leaf and over-the-top rococo in the casino are definitely worth a long look.
Princess for a day: Follow in Grace Kelly’s footsteps with a visit to the Palais Princier, the official residence of the royal family, including heir apparent Prince Jacques.
Walk in the park: Yes, Virginia, you can afford to visit Monte Carlo—that is, if you head to its magnificent Jardin Exotique de Monaco.
The Undersea World: One of the world’s best oceanography museums, the Musée Océanographique is an architectural masterpiece in its own right.
Hit the beach: The chic-est spot on the entire French Riviera, Monaco’s waterfront is well known for its private clubs and people-watching.
Getting Oriented
Monaco covers just 473 acres and would fit comfortably inside New York’s Central Park. (That said, it also reaches a height of 528 feet, so bring some walking shoes.) Despite its compact nature, everybody drives here, whether from the Palais Princier perched on the Rock down to the port or up to Casino Gardens at the eastern tip.
What’s Where
Monaco. The principality’s sensational position on a broad peninsula that bulges into the Mediterranean seduces the rich and famous, as well as those who just want to see how the 1% live. A place where one out of every three people is a millionaire, the microstate bristles with gleaming glass-and-concrete towers several stories high and a sparkling yacht club.
Planner
When to Go
The area is at its hottest in July and August, and the beaches are at their best in June or September. To avoid the shiploads of travelers during high season, visit in the fall or winter. The temperatures may not be as sizzling, but you’ll still get color from reflecting diamonds.
Festivals
Printemps des Arts.
Monte Carlo’s monthlong spring arts festival, Printemps des Arts, brings together the world’s top ballet, operatic, symphonic, and chamber-music performers at venues across Monaco (Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Musée Océanographique, Grimaldi Forum, and the Auditorium Rainier III) as well as in Cap d’Ail and Beaulieu. | 377/98–06–28–28 | www.printempsdesarts.com.
Top Marques Monaco.
What can you say about a four-day exhibition where you could buy anything from an AgustaWestland helicopter to a Rolex Submariner to a $55,000 bed? So much more than just an exclusive car show, Top Marques takes place in the third week of April at Grimaldi Forum. It launched its inaugural spinoff edition—Top Marques Watches & Jewellery— in September 2016 at the prestigious Hotel Hermitage. | 10 av. Princesse Grace | 377/97–70–12–77 | www.topmarquesmonaco.com | €50 per day.
Getting Here and Around
From Nice’s train station, Monaco is serviced by regular trains along the Cannes–Ventimiglia line; from Nice the journey costs €3.90 one-way and takes 20 minutes. A taxi from Nice will cost around €90, depending on the season and the time of day, or save time with Monancair’s 7-minute transfer, starting from around €140 one-way (includes shuttle service).
Monaco is a relatively easy place to navigate on foot, but if you’re looking for an insider’s view, native Jean-Marc Ferrié at Monaco Rando (www.monaco-rando.com) gives guided walking tours in English, from the secrets of the Rock and the Grand Prix Circuit to the four-hour Via Alpina with stunning overviews of the Principality. Prices run €8–€40 per person.
Bus Travel
Compagnie des Autobus de Monaco operates a bus line that threads the avenues of Monaco. Purchase your ticket on board for €2; or save 50 cents a ticket by buying in advance from an agent, a machine, or online. The company also operates both a solar electric boat from Quai des États-Unis to the casino— it runs daily 8–8 and costs €2—and Les Vélos Electriques de Monaco, where you can sign up for unlimited use of one of 57 electric bikes for a nominal subscription fee of €15.
If you’re headed here from Nice, the Conseil Général Alpes-Martimes runs the 100X express bus (€4) from Vauban Station in Nice to Place des Armes in Monaco. It’s only available on weekdays, however. Lignes d’Azur’s bus 100 costs €1.50 and departs from the Port in Nice but can be very crowded in high season.
Bus Information
Compagnie des Autobus de Monaco. | 377/97–70–22–22 | www.cam.mc.
Restaurants
With eight Michelin stars, there is no shortage of lavish dining in the Principality, so wear something presentable and don’t forget your wallet.
Hotels
Hotel prices skyrocket during the Monaco Grand Prix, so reserve as far ahead as possible. That goes for festivals like the Printemps des Arts as well. No matter the time, however, hotels cost more here than in nearby Nice or Menton. For the frugal, Monaco is the ultimate day trip by train.
Visitor Information
Monaco Tourist Office. | 2 bd. des Moulins, | Monte Carlo | 377/92–16–61–16 | www.visitmonaco.com.