Monaco
Monte Carlo, Monaco
Monte Carlo, Monaco: The Rock, the Casino and the Grand Prix Circuit
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The Casino de Monte-Carlo, designed by Charles Garnier in 1863 (the same architect as the Paris Opéra), is the defining image of Monaco. The gaming rooms are open to visitors paying a small entrance fee; the rococo interior — painted ceilings, gilded columns, Belle Époque ornament — is the draw as much as the tables, which run from slots to baccarat. Smart casual dress is enforced in the main rooms; passport required for non-EU visitors. The Place du Casino in front of it, with its manicured gardens and rotating display of exotic cars, is free to walk through at any hour.
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The Old Town (Monaco-Ville), on the rocky headland above Port Hercule, contains the Prince's Palace, the Cathédrale de Monaco (where Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly are buried, in the floor of the cathedral's south ambulatory), and the Musée Océanographique. The Palais Princier is partially open to visitors in summer; the changing of the guard at 11:55 a.m. is brief, formal, and reliably observed. The cathedral is free and quiet; the Princess Grace tomb draws visitors but not crowds.
The Musée Océanographique, perched on the cliff face of the Monaco headland above the Mediterranean, was founded by Prince Albert I in 1910 and was directed for thirty-two years by Jacques Cousteau. The aquarium on the basement level is the most visited part; the shark lagoon and coral reef sections are well-maintained. The terrace above the building gives a panoramic view of the Riviera coastline from Cap d'Ail to Menton.
The Monaco Grand Prix circuit is a public road for eleven months of the year, and the barriers, chicanes, and pit-lane entry points are visible year-round. The tightest section — Fairmont Hairpin (formerly Loews) at the foot of the hill — is a ten-minute walk from the casino. Walking the route from Casino Square down to Portier corner, around the harbor section to the Tunnel, and back up through Mirabeau gives a genuine sense of how improbable the circuit layout is at racing speed.
Good to know
Overview
Ships call at Port Hercule, Monaco's deep-water harbor in the La Condamine district, between the Rock of Monaco and Monte Carlo. Ships up to 300 meters long can tie up along the port's semi-floating sea wall; ask your cruise line whether yours will berth there or anchor offshore and send passengers ashore by tender.
- From the harbor, the old town and the Prince's Palace are up on the Rock to one side, and the Casino is up the slope of Monte Carlo on the other.
- The Monaco-Monte-Carlo railway station is about 300 meters back from Port Hercule, built underground with its main entrance reached by elevator.
- Monaco uses the euro.
- Monaco is not France, though there is no border control on the land side; French is the official language, and Italian and Monégasque are also spoken.
Monaco on Your Own
Monaco is small enough to cover on foot, with free public elevators to help with the hills. A good independent day is the Rock in the morning, for the palace and the Oceanographic Museum, and Monte Carlo and the Casino in the afternoon.
- The Rock: Monaco-Ville is almost entirely pedestrian streets and passageways. The Prince's Palace, the cathedral, the Oceanographic Museum and the Saint-Martin Gardens are all up here.
- Changing of the guard: The palace guard changes every day at 11:55 in front of the main entrance; check before you go.
- Across the harbor: A small pedestrian ferry, the Bateau Bus, crosses Port Hercule during the day if you would rather not walk around it.
- Monte Carlo: The Place du Casino holds the Casino, the Hôtel de Paris and the Café de Paris, and the opera house is at the back of the Casino.
- Dress code: You can be fined for walking around in swimwear, shirtless or barefoot anywhere but the beach.
- Getting back on time: All-aboard is usually about 30 minutes before sailing, and your ship posts the exact time. A ship will not wait for passengers touring on their own, and if you are anchored, allow for the tender queue.
Getting Around
Walking is the simplest way around Monaco, helped by seven free public escalators and elevators on the steepest slopes. City buses cover the rest, and taxis work from stands rather than the street.
- Five bus routes serve 143 stops, and most stops show live waiting times. Tickets are sold on board and from machines at stops.
- Taxis will not stop if hailed in the street. The two main stands, open around the clock, are on Avenue de Monte-Carlo and at the railway station, and hotels can call one.
- Uber, Bolt and similar ride-sharing apps are not allowed to pick up in Monaco.
- Trains along the coast stop at Monaco-Monte-Carlo, with two to four an hour toward Nice and Menton.
- Regional bus 600 runs along the coast to Nice and Menton about every 15 minutes.
Where to Eat
Eating out in Monaco is expensive, and even simple meals often cost more than you expect, so read the menu before you sit down. The covered market at La Condamine, near the harbor, is the easiest place for a quick, local lunch.
- Barbajuan, a fritter stuffed with spinach and other fillings, is the Monégasque specialty.
- Socca, a chickpea pancake, and pissaladière, an onion and anchovy tart, are regional foods sold at the market.
- The square in front of the cathedral on the Rock has several restaurants.
Culture & Local Life
Monaco is home to about 38,000 people, and fewer than 10,000 of them are Monégasque citizens. It is a separate country with its own history and customs, so treat it as Monaco rather than a corner of France.
- French is the official language. Italian and Monégasque, a dialect closer to Ligurian than to French, are also spoken.
- Monégasque citizens are not allowed into the Casino's gaming rooms.
- The National Day is November 19, and the feast of Sainte Dévote, the patron saint, is January 27.
- The Monaco Grand Prix is held in late May or early June. Outside race weekends, the circuit is ordinary city streets that you can walk.
- Street crime is very low, with heavy video surveillance and a large police presence, though thefts have happened on trains to and from Monaco.
A Brief History
Monaco's story is one of a fortified rock and the family that took it. The Grimaldis seized the Rock in 1297, held on through centuries of larger neighbors, and in the 19th century built a new economy on tourism and gambling.
- Ancient Monoikos: Greeks from Marseille founded a colony here in the 6th century BC. Its name, and the name of Port Hercule, come from the local worship of Hercules.
- The Genoese fortress, 1215: On June 10, 1215, Genoese forces began building a fortress on the Rock, a date often given as the start of Monaco's modern history.
- The Grimaldis, 1297: Francesco Grimaldi seized the Rock in 1297. The family later added Menton and Roquebrune to its lands.
- Independence recognized: Honoré II won recognition of Monaco's sovereignty from Spain in 1633 and from France in 1641.
- Revolution: France annexed Monaco from 1793 to 1814, imprisoned the princely family and sold the palace's art collections.
- A smaller country: Menton and Roquebrune broke away in 1848, and in the treaty of 1861 Monaco gave them up to France, about 95 percent of its land, in return for four million francs and recognition of its independence.
- The Casino: The casino at Monte Carlo opened in 1863, run by the Société des Bains de Mer, and a railway link to France soon brought visitors.
- The 20th century: A constitution came in 1911 and the first Grand Prix in 1929. Italian and then German forces occupied Monaco during the Second World War, and it was liberated on September 3, 1944. Monaco joined the United Nations in 1993, and Prince Albert II succeeded his father, Rainier III, in 2005.
- To learn more ashore: The Prince's Palace in Monaco-Ville opens for audio-guided visits from spring to autumn, and the Museum of Stamps and Coins, on the Terrasses de Fontvieille, displays Monégasque money going back to 1640.
Traveling with Family
Monaco is safe and compact, which makes it an easy port with children, as long as you use the public elevators for the hills. The Rock alone fills a morning, with an aquarium, soldiers and gardens close together.
- Younger children: The Oceanographic Museum on the Rock, opened in 1910 by Prince Albert I, has a large aquarium, and the Saint-Martin Gardens run along the ridge beside it. The palace guard changes just before noon each day.
- School age: The Prince of Monaco's car collection at Fontvieille shows around 100 vehicles, from carriages to Formula One cars. Outside race season, you can walk parts of the Grand Prix circuit, including the harbor front.
- Teenagers: The Casino has let visitors, minors included, walk through with an audio guide in the morning, before gaming begins; check the visiting hours before you go. The Japanese Garden on Avenue Princesse Grace and Larvotto Beach are nearby.
- The harbor ferry: The Bateau Bus is a short boat ride across Port Hercule for foot passengers.
Accessibility
Monaco is built on steep slopes, but seven free public escalators and elevators link many of the levels, and most bus stops show live arrival times. The old town on the Rock is mostly pedestrian streets.
- Ask your cruise line whether your ship will berth at the sea wall or anchor and send passengers ashore by tender, and what that means for wheelchair users.
- The railway station's main entrance is reached by elevator from street level.
- Taxis must be taken from a stand or called, so have the number of a taxi service with you.
Shopping & Local Markets
Shopping in Monaco runs from the luxury boutiques around the Place du Casino to the everyday market at La Condamine. The Rue Princesse Caroline in La Condamine is a pedestrian shopping street.
- The Condamine Market has stalls selling regional food such as socca and barbajuan.
- The Museum of Stamps and Coins in Fontvieille sells current Monégasque stamps and coin sets.
- Souvenir shops line the streets of Monaco-Ville on the Rock.
- Monaco uses the euro, and prices are generally high.
Beaches
Larvotto, at the eastern end of Monte Carlo along Avenue Princesse Grace, is Monaco's public beach, across town from Port Hercule.
- Swimwear is for the beach only; walking through town in it can earn a fine.
- Get local advice before swimming, especially if you see jellyfish.
- The Grimaldi Forum convention center and the Japanese Garden are close to the beach.
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