The best way to arrive at Monaco is on a friends luxury yacht, if you do not already have the required contacts you can try hanging around the marinas along the coast or a more reliable way to get there is by air from the UK to Nice ( Cote D'Azur ) airport then it is but a short road or rail journey. There are many low cost airlines flying into Nice I always favoured Go but that has now been swallowed by its bigger competitor and I have not made the journey since and can therefore offer no recommendations.You will find return flights from £16 to £300 depending on the airline,the time of year and the current demand.
Whether you choose to travel onwards by road or rail you will find that the views afforded of the Mediterranean coastline are stunning. I will not dwell on the places of interest along the way as I intend to cover those in detail at a later date.
The Principality of Monaco has been ruled by the Grimaldi family since 1297 with occasional interruptions due to invasion. The Prince retains a great deal of power within his country and his family's rule has shown marked care for the Monégasques and their prosperity. Prince Rainier III acceded to his throne in 1949 and in 1956 put his country on the front page of nearly every newspaper in the western world when he married the hollywood actress Grace Kelly. The three children of this union have so far been most noted for the various scandals they have been linked with. Princess Grace was tragically killed in a car crash in 1982.
Monaco at less than two square kilometers is a lot smaller than it once was. In the nineteenth century France forced Monaco to scede Menton and Roquebrune to them and in return paid four million francs in compensation but also guaranteed the future independence of the principality. One wonders what the people of these two towns think of this today. I am sure that they would jump at the chance to rejoin the low taxed and prosperous monégasgues.
Charles the third founded the Société des Bains de Mer et Cercle des Etrangers which runs the world famous casino, although the casinos still produce a healthy return they no longer have the importance they once had. Today the revenues from banking and business's attracted by the low tax regime are of far greater importance to the economy.
Monaco adopted the Euro as its currency although it is not a member of the EU. You will find coins and notes from most EU countries in circulation along side Monaco's own coins. Under yet another treaty forced upon this tiny country by its powerful neighbour France, Monaco is required to keep its purchase tax's broadly similar to those in France and the income tax position is not as attractive for french citizens as it is for most others. Therefore you will not find this a cheap place to shop but it most certainly is a fun place to do it.
Monte Carlo is the commercial heart of Monaco, it is here that you will find most of the luxury shops, hotels and casino's.It is small enough to be best seen on foot but in can be tiring so do not try to see too much in one go. Even if you are no gambler a visit to the casino is just about mandatory and well worthwhile how much it costs of course is up to you.It was built in 1861 on what was an uninhabited plateau and the town of monte Carlo has since grown around it. The casino was refurbished in the early twentieth century in the Belle Époque style and has remained much the same since. The SalleEurope is lit by eight enormous chandeliers each weighing 150kg. You will find most games on offer but some games may not be open during the day so if you want to play a less popular game visit at night when there is much more "action". You will also find a range of slot machines which seem sadly out of place in this grand temple to opulence.
Next to the the Casino is the Café de Paris, built in 1868 it was completely refitted and reopened in 1988 the interior is spectacular with magnificent stained glass windows by Garnier. You should not miss this even if you just make use of the pharmacy and sneak a look into the café.
Next to the casino but on the opposite side to the Café de Paris you will find the Hotel de Paris an expensive luxury hotel that reminds me somewhat of Versailles visit the gift shops inside and you get to see the splendid interior and furnishings.
A stroll along the quayside will give you the chance to admire the super yachts that clutter this port, take a drink and relax at one of the many near by cafés and you may be lucky and receive an invitation on board one of these extreme statements of wealth.
Monaco Ville, if you have a car you will have to leave it in the vast underground car park hidden beneath the mountain, this is a sight to visit in it's own right, carved from the living rock it goes to a depth sufficient to attract the envy of a Bond villain. The town is then reached my what seem a never ending succession of lifts and elevators. You will eventually exit at the top of the mountain and find a charming town of narrow streets all home to many gift shops and places to eat. You will find that these are all surprisingly good value and the shops also seem to offer mementoes of a better standard than we have become used to. I suspect that there is some control to maintain the image of the place.
There is much to see here but you would be hard pressed to see it in one visit. The Royal Palace stands on the site of a Genoese fortress overlooking the Mediterranean and has been home to the Grimaldi's for eight hundred years. It has been much altered over the centauries but still retains a fortress appearance in parts. It is possible at times from June To October to tour the interior but I have never managed this. However it would be worthwhile to check the opening times and make the effort as it contains many great art works. There is one chamber named for the Duke of York who died there in 1767. He was taken ill on a journey from Marseilles to Genoa and brought to Monaco for treatment. Unfortunately this proved unsuccessful and the Grimaldi's had his body returned to England. It is likely that so much effort was made so as to make a friend of the worlds greatest naval power as some counterweight to France just a few hundred meters away. The Napoleon Memorabilia Museum and the Palace Archives are open every month except November.
Outside the palace each day at just before noon you can watch the changing of the guard though somewhat smaller than the same event at Buckingham Palace it is colourful despite the white uniforms and a good photo opportunity. Should you miss this there are smaller events throughout the day the times are normally posted in the square.
Make sure to visit the Oceanographic Museum and the Aquarium these are truly world class. Monaco owes this fine collection to the passion of Prince Albert I who was a pioneer in the field. The french oceanographer Jacques Cousteau was director from 1957 until 1988 being succeeded by Professor Doumenge.
Monaco Cathedral have a look if you have time but there are better churches elsewhere.
The Wax Museum, I have not visited this not being that found of this type of thing but I understand it is better than average. The same applies to the collection of Dolls which I understand is housed somewhere in Monte Carlo.
One of the Joys of Monaco Ville are the virtually traffic free lanes and alleyways but on a recent visit I was lucky enough to see a wedding procession of vintage motor cars many of which had been lent by the Prince from his collection.Part of this collection is open to the public and can be viewed at the Complexe des terrasses in Fontvielle.
There are wonderful gardens to visit all over Monaco the most outstanding is the one on the Rock it is best to visit this from the top and work your way down unless you are training for a Himalayan trek. The Japanese gardens are great and if you are a fish lover you could spend half the day here admiring the Koi.
The Naval Museum also at Fontvielle has a great collection of models of ships well worth visiting. Perhaps the boys should do this while the girls visit the dolls.
Monaco is a great place to visit at anytime of year and if your budget is restricted you can save a lot by staying across the boarder in France or even go another stop on the train into Italy. Unless you are going to see an event it is wise to check that you are not traveling to Monaco during any of the major events such as the rally or grand prix as they can make sightseeing impossible.
Nice is just half an hour away by road or train and in the other direction ten minutes will take you into Italy the train service is excellent in both directions and is cheap. The modern underground station at Monte Carlo is as clean as the whole country but I have never ever seen a member of staff. The country is almost crime free it is highly but discretely policed. The people are friendly and english is widely spoken. It can be very expensive but with care you can eat and drink for very little but accommodation is expensive and thought should be given to my earlier suggestion of staying outside and traveling in for the day.
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