---
title: "Top 10 Things To Do in Monaco | Wimup"
description: "The 10 best things to do in Monaco, ranked: the Casino de Monte-Carlo, the Oceanographic Museum, the Prince's Palace and a walk round the Grand Prix circuit."
url: https://wimup.com/city/monaco
type: City guide
updated: 2026-11-04
publisher: Wimup (https://wimup.com)
---

# Top 10 Things To Do in Monaco

Monaco, Monaco · Europe · By Wimup Editorial, 15 min read

Monaco is a sovereign state of 38,857 people on 2.08 square kilometres, which makes it the second smallest country on Earth and the only capital you can cross on foot between lunch and dinner. Four quarters hold everything: the Rock, Monte-Carlo, La Condamine around Port Hercule, and reclaimed Fontvieille.

## Quick answer

The best things to do in Monaco are the Casino de Monte-Carlo, the Oceanographic Museum on the cliff edge, the Prince's Palace and the 11.55 changing of the guard, the Exotic Garden with its observatory cave, and a walk round the Grand Prix circuit while it is still a public road. Two days covers all four quarters at a walking pace. A third buys Èze, La Turbie or Menton.

## Quick facts

- **Best months:** Apr · May · Sep · Oct
- **Ideal length:** 2 days
- **Budget per day:** €200–400
- **Language:** French
- **Getting around:** On foot, with CAM buses and the public lifts
- **Tourism board:** [Official site](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## The 10 best things to do in Monaco

### 1. Casino de Monte-Carlo

Landmark · Place du Casino, 98000 Monaco

Charles Garnier had a hand in the building, which is why the atrium is marble the whole way up. The morning is a heritage slot: the gaming rooms open with the tables closed. From the afternoon the casino is working, admission is separate, and an ID check is not negotiable. Monegasque nationals cannot join you at the tables: the law bars them.

- **Time:** 1–2 hr
- **Cost:** Ticketed, morning and afternoon priced separately
- **Best at:** The morning heritage slot, before the tables open
- **Tip:** Bring the passport or national ID you entered France with; the terrace and Place du Casino cost nothing

Links: [Website](https://www.montecarlosbm.com/en/casino-monaco/casino-monte-carlo?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 2. Musée Océanographique de Monaco

Museum · Avenue Saint-Martin, Monaco-Ville, 98000 Monaco

Prince Albert I built it into the cliff below the palace and inaugurated it in 1910, and Jacques-Yves Cousteau ran it from 1957 to 1988. Both halves of that history are visible: an aquarium in the basement, and upstairs a collection from a prince's own expeditions. The facade drops straight to the sea.

- **Time:** 2 hr
- **Cost:** Ticketed, reduced for students and under-18s
- **Best at:** The first hour after opening, before the coach groups
- **Tip:** It closes on 25 December and across the Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend, both stated in advance on the museum's own site

Links: [Website](https://musee.oceano.org/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 3. The Prince's Palace and the changing of the guard

Landmark · Place du Palais, Monaco-Ville, 98000 Monaco

The Grimaldis have held this rock since 1297 and still live on it, so the State Apartments open to visitors only when the court is not using them. Inside are the Galerie d'Hercule frescoes and the throne room. Outside, the Carabiniers mount the changing of the guard at 11.55 every day, as they have since 1817.

- **Time:** 1 hr
- **Cost:** Ticketed for the State Apartments; the square is free
- **Best at:** 11.55, for the changing of the guard
- **Tip:** The State Apartments are reached by stairs only and are not wheelchair accessible, which the palace states plainly

Links: [Website](https://www.palais.mc/en/princely-palace/the-state-apartments-1-26.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 4. Jardin Exotique de Monaco and the Observatory Cave

Garden · 62 boulevard du Jardin Exotique, 98000 Monaco

A succulent garden planted down a cliff face, on paths and small bridges that switchback above the whole Principality. The view runs from the Italian Riviera to the Estérel. Underneath it is the Grotte de l'Observatoire, visited on guided tours that leave hourly. The prehistory museum shares the site.

- **Time:** 1.5 hr
- **Cost:** Ticketed, garden and cave together
- **Best at:** Late afternoon, when the cliff falls into shade
- **Tip:** The cave is a steep descent and a steeper return; the garden alone is fine on tired legs

Links: [Website](https://www.jardin-exotique.mc/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 5. Walk the Grand Prix circuit

Landmark · Circuit de Monaco, Boulevard Albert 1er, 98000 Monaco

For 51 weeks of the year the shortest track on the Formula 1 calendar is a set of public streets, and walking it is the best free thing to do in Monaco. The lap is 3.337 kilometres with 18 corners. Start at Sainte-Dévote, climb to Casino Square, drop to the hairpin, take the tunnel and follow the harbour. About an hour.

- **Time:** 1 hr
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** Early morning, before the traffic builds
- **Tip:** Walk it downhill from Casino Square to the port and let the public lifts carry you back up

Links: [Website](https://acm.mc/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 6. The Mareterra promenade

Waterfront · Anse du Portier, 98000 Monaco

Six hectares of Monaco did not exist before December 2024. Mareterra was built out into the sea between the Grimaldi Forum and the Grand Prix tunnel, and the seaward edge of it is a public promenade with commissioned artworks along the way. It runs from the new marina to the Forum, so it is the walk between the two.

- **Time:** 45 min
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** The last hour before sunset
- **Tip:** Pick it up at the Grimaldi Forum end and finish on Larvotto beach, which puts the sea on your right the whole way

Links: [Website](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/explore/the-neighbourhoods-of-monaco/larvotto?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 7. Cathédrale Notre-Dame-Immaculée

Landmark · 4 rue Colonel Bellando de Castro, Monaco-Ville, 98000 Monaco

Built from 1875 in a Romanesque-Byzantine style, and the burial place of the Princes of Monaco. Grace and Rainier III lie in the ambulatory behind the high altar, which is why most visitors come; the reason to stay is the Louis Bréa altarpiece of about 1500 and the white Carrara marble altar.

- **Time:** 20 min
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** Sunday at 10, when the Petits Chanteurs sing the Mass from September to June
- **Tip:** It is a working cathedral, so visits pause for services and shoulders should be covered

Links: [Website](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/explore/activities/museums-and-attractions-in-monaco/notre-dame-immaculee-cathedral-monaco?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 8. Collection de Voitures de S.A.S. le Prince de Monaco

Museum · 54 route de la Piscine, 98000 Monaco

Rainier III collected cars for decades and opened the collection to the public in 1993. It moved in 2022 into a purpose-built space on Port Hercule, which gave the cars room and daylight the old terraces never had. The range is the point: state cars, pre-war coachwork and Grand Prix machinery.

- **Time:** 1 hr
- **Cost:** Ticketed
- **Best at:** Any hour; the whole visit is indoors
- **Tip:** It is on the port now, not on the Fontvieille terraces, so pair it with Port Hercule rather than with the Fontvieille museums

Links: [Website](https://www.palais.mc/en/museum-and-visits/the-cars-collection-of-h-s-h-the-prince-of-monaco-1-27.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 9. Port Hercule and the Quai Albert 1er

Waterfront · Quai Albert 1er, La Condamine, 98000 Monaco

The Principality's only deepwater harbour, and the hinge of the whole map: the Rock rises on one side, Monte-Carlo on the other, and the Grand Prix runs three of its most photographed corners along these quays. What you see changes with the calendar, from ordinary tenders to a hundred superyachts in September.

- **Time:** 45 min
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** Early evening, when the quays light up
- **Tip:** CAM's solar Bateau Bus crosses the harbour in a couple of minutes and saves the walk all the way round it

Links: [Website](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/explore/the-neighbourhoods-of-monaco/monaco-ville?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 10. Jardin Japonais

Garden · Avenue Princesse Grace, 98000 Monaco

Seven thousand square metres laid out in 1994 at Rainier III's request, designed to the strict conventions of a Zen garden: a koi pond with lotus, islands and waterfalls, stone lanterns, a tea house and a raked garden. It sits between the Grimaldi Forum and the sea, and it is the quietest few minutes on the eastern seafront.

- **Time:** 30 min
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** Morning, before the seafront fills
- **Tip:** It falls between the Mareterra promenade and Larvotto beach, so it fits into that walk rather than needing a trip of its own

Links: [Website](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/enjoy/parks-and-gardens/the-japanese-garden?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## Best casinos and nightlife in Monaco

Two casinos and the rooms that are still going after they close.

1. **Casino de Monte-Carlo** (Table games, heritage visits · Monte-Carlo): The Belle Époque rooms, French roulette and a dress code that stiffens as you move inwards. Mornings are a heritage visit; play starts in the afternoon. [Website](https://www.montecarlosbm.com/en/casino-monaco/casino-monte-carlo?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **Casino Café de Paris** (360 slot machines, open 24 hours · Place du Casino): The informal counterweight across the square: slot machines rather than ceremony, two outdoor terraces, and the only gaming room in Monaco open around the clock. [Website](https://www.montecarlosbm.com/en/casino-monaco/casino-cafe-de-paris?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **Jimmy'z Monte-Carlo** (Club, international DJs · Larvotto): The club Monaco is measured against, running since the 1970s and still the room the season ends up in. Late, loud and dressed. [Website](https://www.montecarlosbm.com/en/bar-nightclub-monaco?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **Le Bar Américain** (Cocktails, live music · Hôtel de Paris): A 1920s bar off the lobby of the Hôtel de Paris, with live music most evenings. The civilised option between dinner and whatever follows it. [Website](https://www.montecarlosbm.com/en/bar-nightclub-monaco?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
5. **Buddha-Bar Monte-Carlo** (Lounge, Asian fusion · Place du Casino): Under the casino terraces, in what was the Salle Garnier's old atrium. A lounge first and a restaurant second, with a DJ from late evening. [Website](https://www.montecarlosbm.com/en/bar-nightclub-monaco?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
6. **Sass Café** (Italian dinner, then dancing · Avenue Princesse Grace): Dinner that turns into a dance floor without anyone changing tables. A Monaco institution for that reason rather than for the cooking.

## Best restaurants in Monaco

Six kitchens, from a three-star dining room on Place du Casino to the market counters at La Condamine.

1. **Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse à l'Hôtel de Paris** (Mediterranean, three Michelin stars · Place du Casino): It opened in 1987 and became the first hotel restaurant anywhere to hold three Michelin stars. Still three, and still built on Riviera produce. [Website](https://www.montecarlosbm.com/en/restaurant-monaco/le-louis-xv-alain-ducasse-hotel-de-paris?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **Les Ambassadeurs by Christophe Cussac** (French, two Michelin stars · Hôtel Métropole): Cussac trained with Robuchon and took two stars here within nine months of opening. Classical French technique, and an award-winning dining room. [Website](https://www.metropole.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **Blue Bay Marcel Ravin** (Caribbean and Mediterranean, two Michelin stars · 40 avenue Princesse Grace): Ravin cooks his Martinican childhood through Mediterranean produce, which is a genuinely unusual thing to find in Monaco. Two stars since 2022. [Website](https://www.montecarlosbm.com/en/restaurant-monaco/blue-bay-marcel-ravin?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **Le Grill** (Grill, one Michelin star · Hôtel de Paris): Eighth floor of the Hôtel de Paris, with a roof that opens and a view over the port to the Rock. Fish and meat over fire, and the least fussy of the starred rooms. [Website](https://www.montecarlosbm.com/en/restaurant-monaco/le-grill?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
5. **Elsa** (Organic Mediterranean, one Michelin star · Monte-Carlo Beach): The first fully organic restaurant to take a Michelin star. It sits at Monte-Carlo Beach, over the border, fifteen minutes from Larvotto. [Website](https://www.montecarlosbm.com/en/restaurant-monaco/elsa?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
6. **Marché de la Condamine** (Covered market, food counters · Place d'Armes): The cheap, good lunch in a country with almost none. Counters under the roof do socca, barbagiuan and fresh pasta, and it runs every morning below the Rock. [Website](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/explore/the-neighbourhoods-of-monaco/la-condamine?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## Best museums in Monaco

Six museums inside two square kilometres, most of them built around a reigning prince's own obsession.

1. **Musée Océanographique de Monaco** (Aquarium, marine science · Monaco-Ville): Albert I's institution of 1910, cut into the cliff, with the aquarium below and the expedition collections above. Cousteau directed it for 31 years. [Website](https://musee.oceano.org/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **Nouveau Musée National de Monaco, Villa Paloma** (Contemporary art, temporary shows · Boulevard du Jardin Exotique): Monaco's contemporary art museum runs on temporary exhibitions in a hillside villa. Its second site, Villa Sauber, is closed for renovation. [Website](https://www.nmnm.mc/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **Collection de Voitures de S.A.S. le Prince de Monaco** (Historic and Grand Prix cars · Port Hercule): Rainier III's cars, public since 1993 and rehoused in 2022 beside the nautical stadium. State limousines, pre-war coachwork and racing machinery. [Website](https://www.palais.mc/en/museum-and-visits/the-cars-collection-of-h-s-h-the-prince-of-monaco-1-27.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **Musée des Timbres et des Monnaies** (Philately and coinage · Terrasses de Fontvieille): Opened in 1996 around Rainier III's own collection, and it holds every proof and document behind Monegasque stamps since the first Charles III issue of 1885. [Website](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/explore/activities/museums-and-attractions-in-monaco/monaco-stamp-and-coin-museum?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
5. **Musée Naval** (Ship models · Terrasses de Fontvieille): More than 180 ship models across every era, on the same terrace as the stamp museum. Half an hour, and a good one in bad weather. [Website](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/explore/activities/museums-and-attractions-in-monaco?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
6. **Musée d'Anthropologie Préhistorique** (Regional prehistory · Jardin Exotique): Founded by Albert I in 1902 to hold what was dug up in the Principality, and installed at the Exotic Garden in 1959. Included with the garden. [Website](https://www.jardin-exotique.mc/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## Best gardens and viewpoints in Monaco

The Principality is vertical, so most of its gardens double as viewpoints.

1. **Jardin Exotique de Monaco** (Succulents, cliff terraces, cave · Les Moneghetti): Planted down a cliff on switchbacks and small bridges, with the Observatory Cave underneath and the widest view in the country from the top. [Website](https://www.jardin-exotique.mc/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **Jardin Japonais** (Zen garden, koi pond · Larvotto): Seven thousand square metres by Yasuo Beppu, laid out in 1994 to strict Zen convention. Free, and the calmest corner of the eastern seafront. [Website](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/enjoy/parks-and-gardens/the-japanese-garden?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **Roseraie Princesse Grace** (Around 450 rose varieties · Parc Paysager de Fontvieille): Inaugurated in 1984 in memory of Princess Grace and replanted since, with some 450 varieties from around the world. Level, shaded and free. [Website](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/enjoy/parks-and-gardens/princess-grace-rose-garden?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **Jardins Saint-Martin** (Cliff path, sea views · Monaco-Ville): A path along the seaward face of the Rock between the cathedral and the Oceanographic Museum, past the statue of Albert I. The quietest way to walk the old town. [Website](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/enjoy/parks-and-gardens?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
5. **Jardins des Boulingrins** (Formal garden, casino view · Monte-Carlo): The formal garden facing the Casino, and the view every photograph of Place du Casino is taken from. Two minutes from the station lifts. [Website](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/enjoy/parks-and-gardens?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
6. **Parc Paysager de Fontvieille** (Lake, sculpture, shade · Fontvieille): One of the Principality's green lungs, wrapped around a lake with sculpture through it, and the least visited park in the country. [Website](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/enjoy/parks-and-gardens/fontvieille-landscaped-park?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## Best waterfront and beaches in Monaco

One public beach, two ports and the newest six hectares in the country.

1. **Larvotto** (Public beach, seafront restaurants · Larvotto): Monaco's public beach, on the eastern edge, with the promenade and its restaurants behind. Free to use, and the only sand the country has. [Website](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/explore/the-neighbourhoods-of-monaco/larvotto?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **Mareterra promenade** (Coastal walk, public art · Anse du Portier): The seaward edge of the district inaugurated on 4 December 2024, running from the new marina to the Grimaldi Forum with commissioned works along it. [Website](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/explore/the-neighbourhoods-of-monaco/larvotto?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **Port Hercule** (Deepwater harbour, level quays · La Condamine): The main harbour and the centre of the map, with the Rock on one side and Monte-Carlo on the other. Three Grand Prix corners run along its quays. [Website](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/explore/the-neighbourhoods-of-monaco/la-condamine?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **Port de Fontvieille** (Marina, quieter quays · Fontvieille): The second port, built with the quarter around it on reclaimed land. Smaller boats, restaurants priced for residents, and a park behind. [Website](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/explore/the-neighbourhoods-of-monaco/fontvieille?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
5. **Stade Nautique Rainier III** (Seawater pool, ice rink in winter · Port Hercule): An open-air seawater pool on the quay through the summer, converted to a public ice rink for the winter season. The car collection is next door. [Website](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/explore/the-neighbourhoods-of-monaco/la-condamine?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## Best shopping in Monaco

One luxury quarter, two malls and the market that feeds the port.

1. **Carré d'Or** (Luxury boutiques · Around Place du Casino): The few hundred metres around Place du Casino where most of the world's luxury houses keep a Monaco address. Windows are free; nothing else is. [Website](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/enjoy/shopping-in-monaco/monte-carlo-a-showcase-for-refined-shopping?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **Métropole Shopping Monte-Carlo** (Mall under the Hôtel Métropole · Carré d'Or): Shops and restaurants under Carrara marble and Bohemian crystal chandeliers, in the basement of the Hôtel Métropole. The one indoor option in the Carré d'Or. [Website](https://metropoleshoppingmontecarlo.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **One Monte-Carlo** (24 boutiques, opened 2019 · Avenue Princesse Alice): The newest piece of the Carré d'Or, built as boutiques, offices and residences around a covered walk between Place du Casino and the gardens. [Website](https://www.montecarlosbm.com/en/shopping-monaco?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **Marché de la Condamine** (Covered food market · Place d'Armes): Produce and prepared food every morning on Place d'Armes, at the foot of the ramp up to the Rock. Where the Principality actually buys lunch. [Website](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/explore/the-neighbourhoods-of-monaco/la-condamine?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
5. **Centre Commercial de Fontvieille** (Everyday shops, supermarket · Fontvieille): The unglamorous one, and useful for it: a supermarket, a pharmacy and ordinary chains, five minutes from the stamp and naval museums. [Website](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/explore/the-neighbourhoods-of-monaco/fontvieille?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## Best day trips in Monaco

Six trips within an hour, most of them on the coastal bus or the TER.

1. **Èze village** (Medieval village, exotic garden · West, on the Moyenne Corniche): A village stacked on a cone of rock with a terraced cactus garden at the summit, 400 metres above the sea. Go early; the lanes are narrow. [Website](https://www.eze-tourisme.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **La Turbie and the Trophy of Augustus** (Roman trophy, 500 m up · Directly above Monaco): The only Roman trophy still standing in France, raised to Augustus's victory over the Alpine tribes. The village looks straight down on the Principality. [Website](https://www.menton-riviera-merveilles.co.uk/menton-and-its-coastline/our-must-see-attractions/the-trophy-of-augustus/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **Menton** (Old town, citrus groves · East, 10 minutes by train): The last French town before Italy, painted in citrus colours, with a medieval old town and the best gardens on this coast. [Website](https://www.menton-riviera-merveilles.co.uk/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **Villefranche-sur-Mer** (Deep bay, Rue Obscure · West, on the TER line): One of the deepest natural harbours on the Mediterranean, with an ochre old town and the covered Rue Obscure running under the houses. [Website](https://www.villefranche-sur-mer.fr/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
5. **Nice** (Old town, Promenade des Anglais · West, about 25 minutes by train): The regional capital and the reason the airport is where it is. Vieux Nice, the Cours Saleya market, the Matisse and Chagall museums.
6. **Roquebrune-Cap-Martin** (Castle keep, coastal path · East, adjoining Monaco): The village keeps a tenth-century castle, and the cape below carries a coastal path past Le Corbusier's Cabanon. Walkable from Monaco. [Website](https://www.menton-riviera-merveilles.co.uk/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## Festivals & annual events in Monaco (2026)

- **Rallye Monte-Carlo** (Jan): The opening round of the World Rally Championship, run since 1911 and started and finished on Quai Albert 1er.
- **Festival International du Cirque de Monte-Carlo** (Jan): Created by Rainier III in 1974 to give circus performers a competition of their own. Still the most serious prize.
- **Fête de Sainte Dévote** (Jan): The patron saint's feast in late January. A boat is set alight on the quay before her church by the princely family.
- **Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters** (Apr): The clay-court Masters 1000, played at the Monte-Carlo Country Club just over the border, with the sea behind the court.
- **Grand Prix de Monaco Historique** (Apr): Held every two years on the full street circuit, for the Grand Prix cars of earlier eras.
- **Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco** (Jun): The race the streets were closed for since 1929. From 2026 it runs in early June, and grandstands sell out months ahead.
- **Monaco Yacht Show** (Sep): Four days at the end of September when Port Hercule fills with superyachts moored stern-to. The quays are ticketed.
- **Fête Nationale monégasque** (Nov): The Sovereign Prince's Day, 19 November: a Te Deum, a parade in Place du Palais, honours and fireworks over the port.

## Must-try dishes in Monaco

- **Barbagiuan**: The national dish: a pastry turnover of chard, rice, leek and onion, fried or baked. Eaten on 19 November.
- **Stocafi**: Dried cod rehydrated and stewed in tomato with garlic, olives, rosemary and white wine. The Sunday dish.
- **Brandamincium**: Salt cod pounded with garlic, oil and cream and served with cardoons in a white sauce. The winter one.
- **Fougasse monégasque**: A sweet flat loaf scented with orange flower and anise, scattered with nuts and sugared aniseed.
- **Socca**: A thin pancake of chickpea flour and olive oil, baked hot and eaten with pepper and nothing else.
- **Pissaladière**: Bread dough under slow-cooked onions, anchovy and small black olives. The local version adds tomato.
- **Beignets de fleurs de courgette**: Courgette flowers in a light batter, fried and salted, sold by the piece in summer. A market snack.
- **Tourte de blettes**: A double-crust chard pie with parmesan, parsley, egg and rice. A sweet version turns it into a dessert.

## Monaco transport & airports

- **Nice Côte d'Azur Airport** (NCE): The nearest airport, about 30 kilometres west along the coast. Airport express coaches run into Monaco from both terminals; the alternative is a train from Nice along the coast. [Website](https://www.nice.aeroport.fr/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- **Monaco-Monte-Carlo station** (TER): The station is underground, cut into the rock, and step-free from platform to exit. TER services put Nice about 25 minutes west and Menton about 10 minutes east. [Website](https://www.ter.sncf.com/sud-provence-alpes-cote-d-azur?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- **CAM buses and the public lifts** (Bus): Six urban bus lines cover Monaco-Ville, Monte-Carlo, the station and Larvotto. The other half of the network is vertical: public lifts that carry you between levels for nothing. [Website](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/plan-your-stay/access-and-transport/getting-around/getting-around-by-bus?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- **Taxis and the Bateau Bus** (Taxi): Taxis work from ranks at the station, the casino and the port rather than being flagged down. The solar Bateau Bus shuttles between the two sides of Port Hercule in minutes. [Website](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/plan-your-stay/access-and-transport/getting-around/getting-around-by-bus?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## Monaco at a glance

- **Country:** Monaco (sovereign principality)
- **Region:** French Riviera, Mediterranean coast
- **Population:** 38,857 (IMSEE, 31 December 2025)
- **Founded:** Genoese fortress on the Rock, 1215; Grimaldi rule dates from 1297
- **Nickname:** The Rock
- **Language:** French (official); Monégasque is taught in schools
- **Currency:** Euro (€)
- **Time zone:** CET (UTC+1), CEST in summer
- **Calling code:** +377
- **Airports:** Nice Côte d'Azur (NCE), 30 km west; Monaco heliport in Fontvieille
- **Power:** Type C and E, 230 V
- **Emergency:** 112; 17 police, 18 fire and ambulance

## Interesting facts

- Monaco is the second smallest sovereign state on Earth after the Vatican, and Mareterra added six hectares in December 2024.
- Monegasque nationals may not gamble in the Principality. A 1987 law bars them, and state employees, from its gaming houses.
- The Oceanographic Museum was inaugurated by Prince Albert I in 1910, and Jacques-Yves Cousteau was its director from 1957 to 1988.
- The Circuit de Monaco is 3.337 kilometres with 18 corners, the shortest on the calendar, and its hairpin is the slowest in the sport.
- The Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince has guarded the palace since 1817. Each watch begins at 11.55 in Place du Palais.

## Watch

[Monaco Travel Guide](https://wimup.com/watch/monaco.md), 6:32

## Monaco travel FAQ

### How many days do you need in Monaco?

Two. One for the Rock (the palace and the changing of the guard, the cathedral, the Oceanographic Museum and the Saint-Martin gardens) and one for Monte-Carlo, the Grand Prix circuit on foot, the port and the seafront out to Mareterra and Larvotto. A third day buys Èze, La Turbie or Menton.

### Do you need a passport or a visa for Monaco?

Monaco is not in the European Union and is not a Schengen signatory, but there is no border control with France and a Schengen visa admits you. Carry the passport or national ID you entered France with anyway: the casino gaming rooms check it at the door.

### Can you visit the Casino de Monte-Carlo without gambling?

Yes. The morning is a heritage visit with the gaming rooms open and the tables closed. From the afternoon the casino is working and admission to the gaming rooms is a separate ticket. Both are ticketed and both check ID, and Monegasque nationals are barred from the gaming rooms by law.

### What is the best way to get around Monaco?

On foot, helped by the public lifts and escalators that remove the climbs. Two square kilometres means 10 to 20 minutes between almost any two places in this guide. The CAM bus network covers the rest with six urban lines reaching Monaco-Ville, Monte-Carlo, the station, Fontvieille and Larvotto.

### How do you get from Nice airport to Monaco?

By coach or by train. Airport express coaches run into the Principality from both terminals. The train is the other route: reach a Nice station by tram or shuttle, then take the TER along the coast to Monaco-Monte-Carlo, which is step-free from platform to exit. Helicopter transfers to the Fontvieille heliport are the third option.

## Nearby guides

- [Avignon](https://wimup.com/city/avignon.md): France · 10 picks
- [Pisa](https://wimup.com/city/pisa.md): Italy · 10 picks
- [Zermatt](https://wimup.com/city/zermatt.md): Switzerland · 10 picks
- [All of Europe →](https://wimup.com/europe): 160 cities

Part of the [Monaco guide](https://wimup.com/country/monaco.md) · [Europe](https://wimup.com/europe.md)

## Sources

- [Monaco tourism board](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Casino de Monte-Carlo (official site)](https://www.montecarlosbm.com/en/casino-monaco/casino-monte-carlo?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Musée Océanographique de Monaco (official site)](https://musee.oceano.org/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [The Prince's Palace and the changing of the guard (official site)](https://www.palais.mc/en/princely-palace/the-state-apartments-1-26.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Jardin Exotique de Monaco and the Observatory Cave (official site)](https://www.jardin-exotique.mc/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Walk the Grand Prix circuit (official site)](https://acm.mc/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [The Mareterra promenade (official site)](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/explore/the-neighbourhoods-of-monaco/larvotto?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Cathédrale Notre-Dame-Immaculée (official site)](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/explore/activities/museums-and-attractions-in-monaco/notre-dame-immaculee-cathedral-monaco?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Collection de Voitures de S.A.S. le Prince de Monaco (official site)](https://www.palais.mc/en/museum-and-visits/the-cars-collection-of-h-s-h-the-prince-of-monaco-1-27.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Port Hercule and the Quai Albert 1er (official site)](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/explore/the-neighbourhoods-of-monaco/monaco-ville?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Jardin Japonais (official site)](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/enjoy/parks-and-gardens/the-japanese-garden?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Casino Café de Paris (official site)](https://www.montecarlosbm.com/en/casino-monaco/casino-cafe-de-paris?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Jimmy'z Monte-Carlo (official site)](https://www.montecarlosbm.com/en/bar-nightclub-monaco?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse à l'Hôtel de Paris (official site)](https://www.montecarlosbm.com/en/restaurant-monaco/le-louis-xv-alain-ducasse-hotel-de-paris?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Les Ambassadeurs by Christophe Cussac (official site)](https://www.metropole.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Blue Bay Marcel Ravin (official site)](https://www.montecarlosbm.com/en/restaurant-monaco/blue-bay-marcel-ravin?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Le Grill (official site)](https://www.montecarlosbm.com/en/restaurant-monaco/le-grill?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Elsa (official site)](https://www.montecarlosbm.com/en/restaurant-monaco/elsa?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Marché de la Condamine (official site)](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/explore/the-neighbourhoods-of-monaco/la-condamine?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Nouveau Musée National de Monaco, Villa Paloma (official site)](https://www.nmnm.mc/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Musée des Timbres et des Monnaies (official site)](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/explore/activities/museums-and-attractions-in-monaco/monaco-stamp-and-coin-museum?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Musée Naval (official site)](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/explore/activities/museums-and-attractions-in-monaco?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Roseraie Princesse Grace (official site)](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/enjoy/parks-and-gardens/princess-grace-rose-garden?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Jardins Saint-Martin (official site)](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/enjoy/parks-and-gardens?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Parc Paysager de Fontvieille (official site)](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/enjoy/parks-and-gardens/fontvieille-landscaped-park?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Port de Fontvieille (official site)](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/explore/the-neighbourhoods-of-monaco/fontvieille?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Carré d'Or (official site)](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/enjoy/shopping-in-monaco/monte-carlo-a-showcase-for-refined-shopping?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Métropole Shopping Monte-Carlo (official site)](https://metropoleshoppingmontecarlo.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [One Monte-Carlo (official site)](https://www.montecarlosbm.com/en/shopping-monaco?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Èze village (official site)](https://www.eze-tourisme.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [La Turbie and the Trophy of Augustus (official site)](https://www.menton-riviera-merveilles.co.uk/menton-and-its-coastline/our-must-see-attractions/the-trophy-of-augustus/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Menton (official site)](https://www.menton-riviera-merveilles.co.uk/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Villefranche-sur-Mer (official site)](https://www.villefranche-sur-mer.fr/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Nice Côte d'Azur Airport (official site)](https://www.nice.aeroport.fr/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Monaco-Monte-Carlo station (official site)](https://www.ter.sncf.com/sud-provence-alpes-cote-d-azur?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [CAM buses and the public lifts (official site)](https://www.visitmonaco.com/en/plan-your-stay/access-and-transport/getting-around/getting-around-by-bus?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- Rankings are Wimup editorial picks. Prices, durations and budgets are editorial estimates, not live quotes; check the official site before you go.