Sightseeing in Monte Carlo - what to see. Complete travel guide

Monaco is the capital of the Principality of Monaco. It is located on the French Riviera near the Italian border at the foot of the French Maritime Alps. In the south the microstate is washed by the Mediterranean Sea. The Principality of Monaco consists of several merged cities - Monaco (the old city), Monte Carlo (a shopping center and a location of numerous theaters, cinemas, casinos and other entertainment venues), La Condamine (a business center and a port) and Fontvieille (an industrial area). The principality is managed by the Grimaldi family, the oldest European princely family.

It is very simple to reach Monaco by train from Menton and Nice. A train ride along the coast will provide you with fabulous views of the sea and beaches. If you plan to go to Monaco by car, do not forget that parking is outrageously expensive there. Because of its small size, the city and all of its sights can be conveniently visited on foot. It will take you approximately half a day to explore the city and its most important sights, unless you make an indefinite pause at a game table in a casino or decide to wait until a member of the princely family waves a hand to you.

Prince’s Palace.
The mandatory sightseeing program includes a visit to Monaco Prince's Palace . In summer, when the prince's family is away, the palace is open to tourists. When there’s a flag over the palace, this is a sign that the prince is currently in the palace. Most of the items, which are usually visited there, date to the XVI century, and some of them - even to the XIII century. The palace is gorgeous outside. However, an incredible number of tourists can scare anyone. Thousands of sensation hunters want only one thing - they hope to see one of the members of the princely family in one of the windows of the south-west wing of the palace. On one side the Prince's Palace is surrounded by a beautiful park that leads to the sea. Walk in this park, and you will reach Musée Océanographique (The Oceanographic Museum) . In this park you will find beautiful flower beds with amazing plants. The park offers a magnificent view of the sea and the city. However, don’t even plan to relax, even a little, in this beautiful corner of nature. Every minute crowds of tourists will pass you by. Typical bus excursion groups led by guides, who usually hold an umbrella or a sign in their hands, will not allow you to enjoy the beauty and harmony of the nature. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Casino in Monte Carlo.
Casino in Monte Carlo is another stop in the mandatory excursion program. The wonderful casino was built by Charles Garnier in 1878. By the way, this building is a prototype of the famous Paris Opera. There is a huge square with lots of flowers in front of the casino. This is the best place to make magnificent pictures of this wonderful building. Before you go inside the casino, stand near the entrance a bit and watch luxury limos arrive one by one. Starting from early evening, an infinite chain of posh cars drives slowly to the casino. The cars, led by personal drivers, bring very rich players to the casino. The rich enter the building, and the door is closed behind them tightly. Very few of these people appear in public halls, where thousands of ordinary tourists try their luck, sitting in front of slot machines or playing roulette at rather small tables. Here, everything looks different. Celebrities and millionaires are welcomed by a handshake and are brought to salons privés, where ordinary people are not allowed to enter. Mere mortals can get there only if two conditions are met. First, they pay for entering, and, second, they strictly follow the rules of the dress code. However, visiting this casino is a great idea not only because of the luxury building and famous players, but also because of its beautiful gardens.

Holidays in Monaco.
If you go to Monaco during the tourist season, you will be constantly surrounded by a crowd of tourists when you’re in the old town, in the casino, or in front of the Prince's Palace. Is there, however, at least a small place in the city where one can relax a bit? If you go to the very east of the city, you will be delighted with peace and tranquility of a small beach. Unfortunately, the sun sets too fast and is soon hidden behind huge apartment buildings. The road to the beach goes through a Japanese garden. Fortunately, this little piece of Japan does not enjoy the attention of numerous tourists like other parts of the city. The north-west of the city is the location of Jardin Exotique . The exotic garden was laid out in 1933. You will hardly find privacy there, but you will certainly see unusual cacti and other tropical plants. There is one more great reason to visit this exotic garden – located higher than the city and the sea, the garden provides truly magnificent views.

Everyone should visit Monaco at least once. Even if you’re not interested in the Prince's Palace , then at least go to see the casino and the incredible auto show in the street in front of it. The city will leave a truly unforgettable impression, if you arrive in late May when the Monaco Grand Prix Formula 1 takes place there. Probably, you will not see much of the actual racing, but you will certainly experience an incredible atmosphere of racing. Afternoon is the best time to walk in Monaco. It is also wiser to spend the night in the neighboring French towns, where hotels rates are almost a half cheaper. An incredible number of tourists are the only negative factor. You will simply not find a place in Côte d'Azur with so many crowds of tourists as in Monaco. If in Nice, Cannes and St Tropez tourists are spread evenly in a large area, in Monaco they are concentrated on a narrow strip of land.