Monte Carlo, Monaco: Grand Prix Circuit, Belle Époque Casinos, and the Riviera

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.

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.