Travel Guide to Monte Carlo, Monaco

Monaco is the capital of the Principality of Monaco, which is located on French Riviera not far from the Italian border at the bottom of the Alps. From the south this small country is washed by the Mediterranean Sea. The Principality of Monaco contains of the merged towns – Monaco (the old city), Monte-Carlo (the shopping centre with the theatres, cinema houses, casinos and other entertainment facilities), La Condamine (the business centre and the port) and Fontvieille (the industrious centre). The principality is governed by the Grimaldi family, the oldest of the European princely families.

It's convenient to get to Monaco by train from Mentone or Nice. The rail travels along the coast would give you unforgettable impressions of the beautiful sea and beaches. If you want to go to Monaco by car, keep in mind that parking in this country incredibly expensive. Not big size of the city gives an opportunity to visit all the sight on foot. It will take you half a day to have a look on the main places of interest, if only you don't spend a lot of time in casino or start waiting till one of the members of the Royal family passes by.

The Prince's Palace. Coming to Monaco is nothing if you don't visit the Prince's Palace. In summer, when the princely family is out, the palace is opened for visitors. The raised flag over the palace is a sign of the prince's presence. The most of the details date the 16th century, and some them are even of the 13th century. Outside the palace is very beautiful. Though there are always a lot of tourists and sometimes their number is just frightening. Thousands of paparazzi spend all the day with the only reason – to make a photo of a member of the princely family. From the Prince's Palace though the park one can get to the Oceanographic Museum. In the park you can enjoy the beauty of the marvelous flowerbeds. There is also a fantastic panoramic view on the city and the sea. But don't hope to enjoy peace and privacy in this oasis. Every minute you'll see groups of tourists passing by.

Casino in Monte-Carlo. Another obligatory point of visiting in Monaco is, of course, the marvelous casino in Monte-Carlo, built in 1878. By the way, this building is the prototype of the famous Paris Opera. In front of the casino takes place the enormous square, decorated with flowers. It is a splendid place for making photos. Before coming in, you may watch for a while at the arrival of posh limousines. From early evening start to appear lines of fabulous cars, that get rich sirs and madams to try their luck. The rich come inside and the doors are densely closed. Only a few of them appear in the same hall with tourists, who play cards at the small tables. In the area for the rich everything is absolutely different. The celebrities and millionaires shake each other's hands and are followed to the private salons. Simple people can get there by two ways: they can either pay for enter, or to be dressed exactly according the dress-code. Though visiting the casino is worth visiting not only because of the luxurious building and well-known players, but also because of the wonderful gardens.

Having rest in Monaco. In Monaco, in the old part of the city, in casino or in front of Prince's Palace you'll always be surrounded by crowds of tourists. But if there any place, where one can have a really quiet time? If you go to the very east of the city, you'll have an opportunity to enjoy the silence on a small beach. Unfortunately, the sun there quickly hides behind the skyscrapers. The way passes by the Japanese Garden. Luckily, this small piece of Japan is not so popular with tourists. In the north-west of the city you'll find 'Jardin Exotique'. The exotic garden was created in 1933. You'd hardly enjoy being on your own, but you'll surely like the exotic cactuses and other tropical plants. This garden is really worth visiting just because of the fantastic view on the city and the sea.

Everybody should come to Monaco at least once. If not for looking at Prince's Palace, then just for visiting the casino and the unforgettable auto-show. The breath-taking performance is organized in the end of May, when Grand Prix of Monaco is presented to the participants of Formula 1. Though you won't see the race itself, you'll feel the atmosphere of racing around. It's better to visit the sights of Monaco at daytime. And it'll be quite a reasonable idea to spend nights in the towns of France, where the hotels are almost twice as cheap. The only minus is the incredible number of tourists. There is hardly any place at Cote d'Azur, where you'll see so many tourists as in Monaco. If in Nice, Cannes or Saint Tropetz they have a large territory to disperse, in Monaco they concentrate on the small piece of ground.

Read more about Monte Carlo:
Restaurants and cuisine in Monte Carlo
'Must visit' places in Monte Carlo
Nightlife and attractions in Monte Carlo
Preparing for Monte Carlo: Advices
Monte Carlo photogallery