Being on the Côte d’Azur I simply could not resist spending an afternoon in Monaco. With less than an hour drive from Nice and many beautiful villages along the way I finally made it to Monaco with some friends.
Monaco is a sovereign city state in the South of France with the Capital being Monaco and several regions including Monaco City or Ville or the more famous region, Monte Carlo.
We arrived in Monaco Ville or the Larvotto area around lunch time so parked the car in a parking in the centre, next to the Japanese Gardens and walked along the beach side towards the centre.
Sculpture along the coast of Monaco
There is something really distinctive about Monaco, I am not quite sure how to describe it, whether it’s the buildings set on the cliffs, I am not sure.
Skyline of Monaco
We walked along the beach and eventually decided to have lunch at a restaurant called La Note Bleu on the beach. The food was good, the view of the beach was nice and service was nice. This was amongst several other beach clubs that also appeared to have nice restaurants if you are looking for a place to eat.
Shrimp tempura at La Note Bleu in Monaco Ville
After a lunch we decided to head to Monte Carlo. The most iconic view or image of Monte Carlo is that of the casino so that is where we decided to start.
The Monte Carlo Casino in Monte Carlo, Monaco
Surrounding the Monte Carlo Casino are luxury hotels. The Casino itself also houses the Monaco Ballet and the Grand Theatre. There is additionally a fountain from where I took the picture and behind it is a collection of luxury shops.
Can you tell I simply do not want to leave the South of France?
We entered the Casino and purchased an entrance ticket. I am not a gambler but I was in Monte Carlo and wanted to try experience it as much as possible so I tried the Machines which simply required pushing a button and watched as my friends tried at Black Jack. There were more tables including English Roulette, European Roulette, Trente et Quarante and Ultimate Texas Hold’ Em Poker. Apart from the main room there was also the possibility to go on the terrace as it is summer now and the weather allows for it.
Entering the Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco
Time in the Casino really flew by and before we knew it we had spent two hours inside. After leaving the Casino we headed back towards the car and stopped by the Japanese Gardens on the way.
The Japanese Gardens in Monaco
The Gardens opened in 1994 and were designed by Yasuo Beppo. It is a little oasis of 0.7 hectares located next to the Grimaldi Forum convention center.
They are open on a daily basis from 9 am until around 6pm and worth a walk around if you are in the area. There are different landscapes in the garden including a waterfall.
The Japanese Gardens in Monaco
With the sun already setting we took the car and went to Port Hercule which is personally my favourite side of Monaco. In the distance the Prince’s Palace of Monaco was visible.
Prince’s Palace of Monaco
The Prince’s palace is the official residence of the prince and the previous time that I had been to Monaco I had been up to see it. It is located on a hill and it is worth seeing, in addition you get a spectacular view over the port and is the perfect place for pictures.
The palace was built in 1191 but was the victim of several bombings which means it was refurbished several times until it eventually became home to the Grimaldi family in about 1297. It was originally built as a fortress but throughout time sections or wings were added and it was constantly being refurbished or built until eventually becoming a palace. In comparison to many other royal families, the Grimaldi family has only this palace in which they have resided for many centuries, making it historically important and a reflection of Monaco and its history.
The sun setting in Monaco, The French Riviera
We then decided to have some drinks to end the day and settled at one of the bars in the port, there is a road filled with all kinds of bars and the view over the city makes it worthwhile.
Monaco and its lights by night
If you are heading to Monaco from Nice it is worth stopping at Saint Jean Cap-Ferrat. It is a beautiful little commune with a great beach. My friends and I stopped along the way and went to the Royal Riviera where we had some refreshments and then stayed at the beach for several hours before going to Monaco. As it is only the beginning of summer the water was still cold but so necessary as it was really warm!
Saint Jean Cap-Ferrat, The French Riviera
There is also sand at this beach which is quite rare since in Nice it is all pebbles; I must say I prefer sand. This town which is also located next to Ville France (another one worth visiting as they are all quite unique) is very calm and a luxury destination for those in need of a warm climate and some peace.
When visiting these areas, I highly recommend renting a car as you can take your time to stop whenever you want to enjoy the views and at all the towns along the coast. Public transportation in the area does exist, there are buses from Nice to Monaco for example however it would take more time although not significantly more. This is the destination to visit in July or September for tranquillity as it becomes very busy in August with all the tourists.
