Best things to do in Monaco & Tips for visiting

How to visit Monaco in one day or more? What are the best things to do in Monaco? And what are the best places to eat and stay in Monaco? Discover all you need to know before visiting Monaco: let’s go!

1. The TOP 10 things to visit and do in Monaco ?
2. Visiting the Prince’s Palace of Monaco ?
3. Unusual things to do in Monaco ?
4. Hotels where to stay in Monaco ?
5. Nice dresses where to eat in Monaco ?
6. What to see around Monaco? ?
7. How to visit Monaco from Nice? ?
8. The Monaco Grand Prix ?
9. The Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival ?

1. TOP 10 best things to do and visit in Monaco

Monaco’s most significant places to visit are on the Rock of Monaco (points 1 to 6 on the list below):

1. Discovering the Rock of Monaco and the old town
2. Visiting the Prince’s Palace of Monaco
3. Seeing the changing of the guard (every day at 11:55 am on Place du Palais)
4. Visiting Saint Nicholas Cathedral
5. Strolling through the Saint-Martin Gardens
6. Visiting the Oceanographic Museum (buy skip-the-line tickets)
7. Discovering the Fontvieille, the emblematic area of Monaco: Port Hercule and the exotic garden of Monaco
8. Visiting the Condamine area and its market (every morning)
9. Visiting the Monte Carlo district with its casino and opera
   Go to Larvotto beach

Visiting Monaco by bus. If you visit Monaco in one day, you can take a bus tour to discover the city’s must-see places more quickly.

2. Visiting the Prince’s Palace of Monaco

Built in 1215, the Prince’s Palace was originally a border fortress. Today, the Prince’s Palace of Monaco is a private residence, part of which is accessible to visitors: the State Apartments and the Car Collection of H.S.H. Prince Monaco. It is one of the essential visits in Monaco.

• Visiting the Grand Apartments of the Prince’s Palace of Monaco. Currently, and until 2022 (official site), the apartments are not accessible to visitors. Entrance to the Grands Appartements costs 8 euros for adults and 4 euros for children aged 6 to 17.

• Collection of cars belonging to H.S.H. Prince Monaco. Open from 10 am to 6 pm Access to the exhibition costs 8 euros for adults and 4 euros for 6 to 17-year-olds.

Not to be missed! Still on the Rock of Monaco, don’t miss the changing of the guard every day at 11:55 am on the Place du Palais. You can then continue with a walk in the Saint-Martin Gardens. This public botanical garden faces the Mediterranean, hugs the cliff, and is very pleasant for a stroll.

3. Unusual things to do in Monaco

What to do in Monaco to have a great holiday during your visit to the Côte d’Azur (French Riviera)?

• Taking a cruise to discover the French Riviera from the sea. There are several departure options, and you can choose to depart from Monaco. It is a 2-hour boat trip, where you will discover the beaches of Monaco, Roquebrune Cap Martin, or St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.

• Driving a Ferrari for 30 or 60 minutes. If you like sports cars, this is an experience you will appreciate. In addition, you will drive the magnificent panoramic roads, but also be able to visit the mythical Formula 1 circuit of Monaco!

• Driving a Lamborghini for 30 or 60 minutes. You can choose to be a driver or a passenger.

4. Hotels where to stay in Monaco

• Among the most famous and well-known 5-star hotels in Monaco, where the rates for a double room go up to 700 euros, you have Hotel de Paris Monte-Carlo and Hotel Hermitage Monte-Carlo. Both have a private beach. The services are exceptional.

• The Novotel Monte-Carlo is also very well located, a few steps from the train station and the Place du Casino. At less than 300 euros, the double rooms are quite spacious (25m2) and give access to the seasonal outdoor swimming pool, a gym, a hammam, and a sauna!

• With more affordable rates, there is the Hotel de France which is very well located for visiting Monaco, less than 10 minute walk from the palace and the port of Monaco and Port Hercule.

5. Tasty places where to eat when visiting Monaco

Two good places to eat in the old town of Monaco:

• La Montgolfière, located at 16 Rue Basse, offers typical Monegasque dishes! If you visit the Prince’s Palace of Monaco, this is a perfect place to stop and eat.

• Le Petit Bar Monaco is a bistro located at 35 Rue Basse, not far from the Prince’s Palace. It is a good address for lunch after visiting the Palace of Monaco, for example.

Two good places to eat in the Monte-Carlo area:

• Bottega Renzini Monte-Carlo is an excellent place to eat quality charcuterie and delicious gourmet sandwiches: fast, tasty, and convenient to continue your visit to Monaco afterward.

• The Salon Rose is a projection inside the Casino de Monte-Carlo with excellent value for money for Monaco and with a fantastic view of the Mediterranean.

If you go to Monaco to live an exceptional moment with an exceptional budget:

• Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse is the luxurious gourmet restaurant of the Hôtel de Paris. 3 Michelin stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

6. What to visit around Monaco?

There are plenty of fantastic places to visit around Monaco. The best-known and closest are Menton and Èze.

• Menton is almost on the border between France and Italy. On the road from Monaco to Menton, you can visit Pointe Du Cap Martin or the Coves of Cap Martin. But above all, you should not miss the old town of Menton and its colors!

• Èze is a charming village between Nice and Monaco on the Mediterranean’s shores. Here you can visit the beautiful botanical garden of Eze. This garden is known for its impressive collection of cacti and succulents. Furthermore, it is located on steep terrain 400 m above sea level, offering incredible views of the entire region. If you visit Monaco from Nice, make a stop here. And if you enjoy walking, take the Chemin de Nietzsche path, which connects the village of Èze to the top of its hill.

7. Visiting Monaco from Nice

By train. You can visit Monaco from Nice by train (find out more about visiting Nice: Best things to do and see in Nice). TER trains run every 30 minutes and will take you to Monaco in 27 minutes. Once there, you can take public transport or do everything on foot.

By car. It is quick to go to Monaco by car: allow about 30 minutes for a 20km journey.

On a boat. You can take a cruise from Nice (see more here: boat trip to Monaco from Nice). There is no stop in Monaco, but it is a real boat trip where you can enjoy the coastline’s natural splendor and the cultural heritage’s richness.

8. The Monaco Grand Prix

The Monaco Grand Prix is ​​one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious races! The first race for the Prix was held in 1929. The Monaco Grand Prix attracts enormous numbers of visitors annually at the end of May.

9. Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival

The Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival is organized annually in January/February at the Chapiteau de Fontvieille. You can find out more on the official festival website.

As with the Monaco Grand Prix, this event attracts many visitors to Monaco. If you are not interested in the event, visiting Monaco at another time of the year is better.

Monaco is the second smallest independent country in the world, after the Vatican: its area is 2 km2. Monaco attracts the greatest fortunes in the world and many travelers from all over the world.