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Auto Racing
Grand Prix de Monaco.
When the filmmakers depart, the auto racing begins: the Grand Prix de Monaco takes place the last Sunday of the Cannes Film Festival in May. To watch live, it’s €10,000 per person to stand on a balcony overlooking the course. If that’s more than you want to spend but you still want to watch action on the same track, tickets run €25–€65 for the Historic Grand Prix of Monaco, which takes place two weeks earlier every other year. On alternate years, you can see the Formula E, the electric car racing series inaugurated in the 2014–2015 season. | 377/93–25–47–01 | www.monaco-grand-prix.com.
Beaches
La Note Bleue.
Probably the best of the private beaches is La Note Bleue, which has something for everyone with activities for kids, evening jazz concerts, a restaurant serving Mediterranean-Asian food, a lounge with Wi-Fi, and—most essential—loungers to rent (€20 per day). It’s also a jellyfish-free zone, with nets that keep their tentacles at bay. Amenities: drinks; toilets; showers. Best for: swimming; sunrise. | Plage du Larvotto, Av. Princesse Grace | 377/93–50–05–02 | www.lanotebleue.mc | Closed Dec.–Feb.
Larvotto Beach.
The pebbly Larvotto Beach just off Avenue Princess Grace, said to be the world’s most costly street to live on, is the only free public beach in Monaco, and it has the added bonus of being protected by jellyfish nets. Access by Bus No. 4 or 6, you can rent loungers or just bring your own umbrella. There’s a mini-club for kids; dogs are not permitted but that doesn’t stop some owners. SkiVol operates from the Larvotto public beach during the summer season with a great range of water sports including wake boarding, doughnuts, and fly-fishing. Amenities: water sports; lifeguards; toilets; showers. Best for: swimming. | Av. Princesse Grace.
Plage Mala.
This lovely stretch of sandy, shaded land is easily one of the most stylish of the Riviera beaches, and despite its proximity to Monaco—half an hour by foot—Plage Mala’s public area never gets crowded. Another upside is that the coves under the impressive cliffs produce the best area for snorkeling along the coast. But there are also numerous bare tops. Nearby are private beach restaurants where you can rent loungers. The 3.5-kilometer (2.2-mile) Mala footpath that stretches to Plage Marquet in Fontvieille in Monaco is relatively easy to walk, with the most challenging leg being the access to Mala beach itself with more than 100 steps. Walking to Monte Carlo generally takes less than an hour; however, avoid the path during stormy conditions. Amenities: lifeguard; showers. Best for: snorkeling; swimming; walking. | Av. Raymond Gramaglia, | Cap d’Ail.