Monaco

By Joyce Ira

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Inside Monaco Cathedral

Palais Princier

Monaco is located in the middle of the Alps and the Mediterranean Sea. It is the second smallest independent state in the world. Being divided into four districts, namely Monaco Ville Monte Carlo, Fontvieille and Condamine, Monaco is a good place to explore.

Around the city you will find great balance of past and modern attractions. There are many places to go and all you need with you is your map and bottle of water to energize you in your traveling. Below are the places you won’t dare miss to visit.

1. Monaco-Ville – known as “le rocher” or “the rock” in English. It is an old village with astounding scenic view. There are a number of good hotels, restaurants and century houses located in the area. Highlights will visiting Prince’s Palace, the Cathedral, Oceanographic Museum, City Hall and Saint Martin Gardens.

2. Palais Princier – known as the Prince’s Palace. It offers a fantastic view overlooking the Port and Monte Carlo. At 11:55am daily, the visitors will be able to watch the changing of the guard ceremony which is performed by the “Carabiniers”. They are the ones that guard the Prince and serves as escorts in special occasions.

3. Monaco Cathedral – The Romanesque- Byzantine church is dedicated to St. Nicolas and houses the remains of former Princes of Monaco and Princess Grace.

4. Oceanographic Museum & Aquarium – contains spectacular collections of marine fauna, numerous sea creatures, models of Prince Albert’s laboratory ships and crafts made from sea’s natural product. The museum is one of the world’s greatest museums so before going anywhere else, come and see this first.

5. Jardin Exotique – one of Monaco’s finest tourist attractions. You will find thousands of rare plants which are gathered around the world. Entrance is €8 for adults and children at €3.50.

6. La Condamine – find yourself marveling at Monaco’s fabulous yachts and cruise ships or shopping at Princess-Caroline mall.

7. Monaco Opera House – better known as Salle Garnier. You will be charmed by the auditorium’s awesome design and architecture. The whole place is decorated in red and gold while there are sculptures all around. This is worth a visit though the entrance might be a bit steep.

8. Marlborough Fine Arts Gallery – holds a grand collection of post from World War II that includes work or arts from Pablo Picasso, Dale Chihuly, David Hockney and Henry Matisse. Free admission.

9. Grimaldi Forum - Monaco convention center. The sun filled building on the sea has a remarkable glass entrance, two convention restaurants, an auditorium for ballet and opera, and two more auditoriums for meetings and other affairs. The Forum also offers two large exhibition halls that can be used for trade shows or other exhibitions. It is also a short walking distance from surrounding hotels.

There are many things you can do in Monaco aside from sightseeing. You can visit the malls and watch Formula 1 Grand Prix. If you want to splurge and try your luck, you can go to their casino and see if your bet will take home the grand prize. Dining is no problem as well, there are many fine restaurants around town and you will find them pleasing as well as their prices.


The nearest airport is in Nice, from there you can take a cab going to the centre which is 25 miles away.

There is no bus station in Monte Carlo. Instead, international buses stop at various points throughout the city. Regular buses, run by Rapide Cote D’Azur, connect Monte Carlo with Nice and other French destinations. Services run regularly to many major French towns and cities. Route 100 leaves every 15 minutes from the central bus station (Gare Routière) in Nice and costs €1. An express shuttle, route 110, links the Nice Côte d'Azur Airoport and the principality. A bus leaves every hour and a single ticket costs €14.90.




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