Luxury hotels in Monte Carlo

Monte Carlo guide

Monte Carlo: the Casino and the Prince's Palace

Belle époque grandeur, the Rock's old town, the Oceanographic Museum and the Grand Prix.

The Casino de Monte-Carlo, designed by Charles Garnier and opened in the nineteenth century, and the Place du Casino around it are Monaco's most cited sights; the gaming rooms can be visited by day and require smart dress in the evening. The Monaco Grand Prix in May turns the streets into a racing circuit.

On the Rock, the old town holds the Prince's Palace, with the changing of the guard at noon, the cathedral where Grace Kelly is buried, and the Oceanographic Museum on its cliff. Nice airport is about thirty minutes away.

The Monaco Grand Prix

The Monaco Grand Prix, held each year in late May or early June on the streets of the principality, is the most cited event in Monte Carlo and the most glamorous race on the Formula 1 calendar. Cars pass the Casino, the tunnel and the harbour lined with yachts.

Grandstand seats, terraces in apartments and yachts above the circuit and hospitality packages sell out months ahead, and hotels require minimum stays. The historic Grand Prix, held every two years, and Formula E also race on the circuit.

Èze and the villages of the Riviera

Èze, a medieval village perched on a rocky peak about 400 metres above the Mediterranean, is the most cited excursion from Monte Carlo, a fifteen-minute drive away. Its exotic garden at the top has one of the finest views on the Riviera.

The Fragonard and Galimard perfume houses offer visits, and the Nietzsche Path winds down to the sea. Driving the Grande Corniche to La Turbie, with its Roman trophy, and on to Saint-Paul-de-Vence completes a day in the hills.