Do you want to see Monaco? Are you wondering if you should include Monaco on the itinerary of your next trip to the French Riviera? I can assure you that you can spend a great day at the Principality and that the visit will be worth taking. I will tell you what we did on the day we visited this lovely Principality.
We had a peaceful first night at Villa Prétorina in Cannes, (see my previous post Saint-Tropez, Port Grimaud and Grimaud) apart from a few bites of mosquitoes that entered the room last night and survived the electrical mosquito repellent. We left the windows open when we went out for dinner, and they took the opportunity to enter the room. After that, windows were always kept closed.
We were travelling independently in France with a car as we are confident travellers and speak a bit of the language. However, if you prefer to be part of a tour and to have everything organised for you, I advise you to book a complete tour with Tourradar.
Tourradar has different kinds of tours that will fit your time and budget. If you book it via my links you can get a discount by using this code: RoseG50.
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Breakfast was served in the garden in a designated covered area, served and prepared by our host Isabella. It was nice to start the day in a peaceful, beautiful garden with delicious fresh bread and coffee.
After breakfast, we left for Monaco. It took us an hour to get to Monaco from Cannes via the A8. When we arrived, we parked at “Parking Saint-Charles” on Avenue Saint-Charles. This is close to our first visit of the day to the Monte Carlo Casino and Opera.
Below is a map of the places we visited on that day:
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MONACO’S HISTORY
Monaco, officially called the Principality of Monaco is a sovereign city-state in the French Riviera. It is the second smallest sovereign state in the world, the first being Vatican City. It is also recognised as the wealthiest and most expensive place in the world.
Monaco’s history is one of strategic significance, resilience, and royal legacy, making it one of Europe’s most fascinating microstates.
Early History
Monaco’s origins trace back to ancient times, when the area was inhabited by the Ligurians, a seafaring tribe. Around the 6th century BC, it became a Phoenician and later a Greek trading post. The name “Monaco” is derived from the Greek word Monoikos, meaning “single house,” linked to the temple of Hercules Monoikos, once located in the area.
The Grimaldi Dynasty
Monaco’s defining moment came in 1297 when François Grimaldi, disguised as a monk, seized control of Monaco’s fortress from the Genoese rulers. The Grimaldis have governed Monaco almost uninterrupted since then, making their dynasty one of the oldest in the world.
French Influence and Independence
During the 17th and 18th centuries, Monaco became a protectorate of France, enjoying protection and diplomatic ties. However, the French Revolution briefly disrupted Monaco’s sovereignty when it was annexed by France in 1793. Monaco regained independence in 1814 after Napoleon’s defeat, though it came under the protectorate of the Kingdom of Sardinia.
In 1861, the Treaty of Franco-Monégasque established Monaco’s independence again.
The Casino and Economic Transformation
In the mid-19th century, Monaco faced financial challenges until Prince Charles III introduced a bold strategy: the establishment of the Monte Carlo Casino in 1863. The casino attracted the European elite, transforming Monaco into a glamorous destination. The revenue generated allowed Monaco to abolish income taxes, a policy that continues to attract wealthy residents to this day.
20th Century to Today
Prince Rainier III, who ruled from 1949 to 2005, modernised Monaco while preserving its charm. His marriage to Hollywood star Grace Kelly in 1956 brought global fame to the principality. Under his leadership, Monaco expanded its territory through land reclamation projects and became a hub for luxury tourism, finance, and culture.
Today, Monaco remains a constitutional monarchy under Prince Albert II, balancing its rich history with a modern focus on sustainability and innovation. Its legacy as a sovereign, glamorous, and resilient state endures.
VISITING MONACO
Our first visit of the day was to “Monte Carlo Casino and Opera”.
Monte Carlo Casino was completed in 1863. Between 1878 and 1879, the casino was transformed and expanded to the “Belle Époque” designs of architects Jules Dutrou and Charles Garnier, the same architect who designed the Paris opera house “Palais Garnier”.
The casino is owned by a public company in which the government and the princely family have a major interest.
The citizens of Monaco are not allowed to gamble or work at the casino as the casino was intended only for foreigners on the grounds of morals. This rule was made by Princess Caroline, the wife of Prince Florestan when the casino was created.
The casino is open for visits every day between 10 am and 1 pm. After 1 pm, the casino is open only for people who want to gamble. For a fee of 19 Euros, you can visit the Atrium, the Café de la Rotonde, the Boutique and the gaming rooms. If you don’t want to pay the fee, you are allowed to enter the Atrium, which is already an impressive room and gives a sample of what is inside.
We entered and visited the whole casino with an audio guide. The place is very impressive. It is so beautiful and glamorous and a monument to wealth. Think of crystal chandeliers, gilded furniture and beautiful paintings adorning every wall. The opulence of the place makes you think you are part of a film set and it is not real. It was well worth paying the fee to see this beautiful place.
The opera house that is annexed to the casino building was closed on the day we visited, and we were unable to enter, but we read that it is also very worth visiting.
After visiting the casino, we walked around the square and the garden in front of it and took in all the beautiful atmosphere of the nice buildings around and the luxury cars parked there.
From there we took our car and went to the “Prince’s Palace of Monaco”. It is only about 7 minutes by car, but it is on a hill. To save time (and a climb), it was better to leave the car park near the casino and park closer to the palace.
We parked the car at “Parking du Chemin des Pecheurs”, the closest one to the palace. From there, we strolled through “Jardin San Martin, a hillside park facing the sea. It is a very well-kept park with paths leading to the palace.
We arrived at “Place du Palais” and there was a medieval fair selling many products and food on the square. We explored the fair before entering the palace.
The palace is the official residence of the Prince of Monaco. It started as a fortress in 1191 and developed into a palace throughout the centuries. Because of that, it is a blend of various architectural styles. Today it is not only a tourist attraction and a museum but also a working palace and headquarters of the prince.
By the time we arrived at the palace, the Change of the Guards had already taken place, (it happens at 11:55 every day.). So, we only visited the state apartments in the palace. The visit includes: the Cour d’Honneur, the Hercules Gallery, the Mirror Gallery, the York Rooms, the Louis XV Salon, the Bedchamber and the Throne Room.
The visit includes numerous paintings, frescoes, tapestries and furniture items. There is also a museum housing the car collection of H. S. H., the Prince of Monaco. We didn’t go to the museum, but if you are a car enthusiast, it is something nice to do.
If you are a fan of Formula One you can’t miss this Formula One Circuit Guided Walking Tour. You will walk on the circuit track and be transported back to the days of Senna, Fangio and Schumacher. Book it HERE.
It is a beautiful palace; all rooms are lavishly decorated, especially the Throne Room. Some amazing frescoes were discovered in 2014 while refurbishing the façade of “La Régie” and marked the first of the frescoes discovered from a series of others in many other rooms. The restoration has been continuous since then and is still going on, due to be completed at the end of 2025.
After the palace visit, we strolled through the streets of the Old Town near the palace and stopped at the “Cathédrale of Monaco”, real name “Cathédrale de Notre-Dame-Immaculée”. It is Roman Catholic, built between 1875 and 1903. This is where many Grimaldi Royal members are buried, including Prince Rainier III and his wife Patricia Grace, Princess of Monaco.
We bought a sandwich in one of the shops in the old town and found a quiet place to sit down and enjoy the views during lunch.
After eating, we continued exploring the Old Town full of restaurants and souvenir shops until we reached the “Fisherman’s Garden”. It is another lovely garden with some interesting statues on it. Statues such as the “Manteau de la Conscience” by Anna Chromy.
Walking through the well-maintained garden we arrived at the “Frame”. This is a viewpoint where you have magnificent views of Monaco.
After many photos of the views, we decided it was time to go back to the car park and drive to Nice so we could still spend the afternoon there. So, that is what we did.
You can take a Monte Carlo Hop-On Hop-Off Bus tour and visit as many attractions in Monaco as you wish. Ideal if you only have a day in Monaco and does not have transport. Book it HERE.
Or you can take a private Tour of Monaco that will include the Casino, the Palace and Port Hercules with a guide. You will learn all the interesting facts and history about the places you visit. Book this HERE.
It took us about 30 minutes to get to Nice from Monaco. However, when we entered the town, we were held for so long in traffic that it took us about an hour to get to “Parking Saleya”, where we parked the car.
There was an accident on one of the main streets, making the traffic redirect to other routes. As the roads are very narrow and busy, it caused havoc on the transit. We finally arrived at the parking and went for a stroll at “Promenade des Anglais”. The plan was to walk around the promenade and perhaps to go up to the “Coline du Chateau” and explore the Old Town depending on time.
The promenade was very busy, and the further we went, it became busier and busier. At one point, the beach was closed, and a lot of people were gathering there. This was the preparation for the Ironman event that was going to take place the next day. It was too busy!
We didn’t expect we were going to face that and thought it was going to get even busier with time. The time we spent in traffic spoiled our will to explore Nice and we changed our minds. A visit to Nice would have to be on another day, so we went back to the car park and drove back to Cannes.
In another half-hour or so we were back at our guest house, relaxing in our room and waiting to get ready to go out for dinner in Cannes Old Town.
We booked a restaurant called “Aux Bons Enfants” for 8 pm. The restaurant is on Rue Meynadier in the Old Town. There are many restaurants on this street and area to choose from. I chose this one because of glowing reviews online and recommendations from other bloggers. We didn’t want a fancy, gastronomy restaurant, just a good bistro type of dinner in Cannes.
We were given a table outside, which was good because it was very hot to be inside. The menu was good and offered a nice range of choices. We had very tasty starters followed by our mains. My husband’s main was OK, but my main was a disaster. I ordered a dish of calamari, and I received a dish of boiled calamari topped with some kind of mayonnaise. The look was unappealing, and the taste was very bad.
I just had one mouthful and didn’t want it anymore. The waitress noticed I was not eating and asked if everything was OK. I said that the calamari dish was not very good, and I was not happy. She offered to change the dish, which I accepted. By the time the other dish arrived, my husband had finished his food, and I had to eat alone.
The second main was OK, but just average. I think this restaurant is overrated and is just another restaurant geared for the tourist clientele, not the locals. To add insult to injury, they do not accept credit cards, only cash. We knew about this detail before going and went prepared, but we were wondering why, on these days, a restaurant didn’t accept credit cards. Surely, it is not a clever business decision. Anyway, another disappointment with the choice of restaurant.
After dinner, we took the bus back to the villa for another night in Cannes. The following day we were going to spend visiting Cannes, and its attractions, and I will tell you all about it in my next post.
Below is a reel from The Travelling Surveyor Instagram account with more photos of Monaco. Check it out and follow me on Instagram.
I hope this post will give you some idea of what can be done in a day in Monaco and will help you plan your own visit there.
HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TRIP TO MONACO
Below you will find a list of what to visit, where to stay and where to eat in Monaco. I classified each place as follows:
BOLD – Visited, tried and recommended
NOT BOLD – Not visited or tried, but planning to visit or try and heard very good reviews
RED – Visited and tried but do not recommend, avoid or be cautious
*** – Excellent
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** – Good
* – OK
£££ – Expensive
££ – Fair and affordable
£ – Cheap
PLEASE NOTE: Every hotel, restaurants and attractions I mention on my blogs are not sponsored reviews and we always paid the full price when visiting. We give our own opinion of the place and detail our experience, good or bad.
THINGS TO DO IN MONACO
ATTRACTIONS IN MONACO
1 – Monte Carlo Casino – ***
2 – The Prince’s Palace – ***
3 – The Old Town – ***
WHERE TO STAY
ACCOMMODATION IN MONACO
1 – Hôtel Métropole Monte-Carlo – 5* – £££
2 – Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo – 5* – £££
3 – Fairmont Monte Carlo – 4* – £££
4 – Port Palace – 4* – £££
5 – Novotel Monte-Carlo – 3* – ££
6 – Ambassador – Monaco – 3* – ££
If you prefer to look for your own accommodation, search and book via the below widget:
I use affiliate links such as the links above for Booking.com, Get your Guide, Viator and others. It means that if you use any of my links to make a booking, I will get a small commission from the partners I’m affiliated with without any additional cost to you. Please, use the links provided when making a booking, this is a way of supporting blogs like this so we can continue writing informative and interesting posts. I’m very thankful for that.
BEST PLACES TO EAT IN MONACO
RESTAURANTS IN MONACO
1 – Blue Bay Marcel Ravin – £££
2 – La Table D’Antonio Salvatore – £££
3 – Chez Pierre – £££
4 – Les Perles de Monte-Carlo – ££
5 – Giacomo – ££
6 – Il Terrazzino – ££
If you tried any of my recommendations above, please send me a message and tell me about your experience good or bad, so I can update the list accordingly. Thanks!
If you enjoyed reading this post you might also like to read:
On this trip to France:
1 – Lyon – Day 1
2 – Lyon – Day 2
6 – Saint-Tropez/Port Grimaud/Grimaud
7 – Monaco
8 – Cannes – Coming soon
9 – Aix-en-Provence – Coming Soon
10 – Arles – Coming Soon
11 – Camargue – Coming Soon
12 – Avignon – Coming Soon
13 – Dijon – Coming Soon
14 – Fontainebleau – Coming Soon
15 – Paris – Day 1 – Coming Soon
16 – Paris – Day 2 – Coming Soon
17 – Paris – Day 3 – Coming Soon
USEFUL SITES
3 – Leisure and Business Tourism / The Economy / Policy & Practice / Portail du Gouvernement – Monaco
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