Things to do in Monaco

You can easily get to Monaco from Nice by bus or train. We opted for the fastest route from the main train station, as our hotel was only a 10 minute walk away. The fare was approximately 4Euros each way and took 25 minutes.

Don’t be surprised if it feels a little odd when you arrive at Monaco station – there is not much around there. We decided to turn right and climb downwards – it took a while but the views were just fantastic along the way. We ended up in the beautiful Old Town where you can meander your way through all the side streets.

Old Town

Head up the steep slope to the Prince’s Palace of Monaco, which is the official residence of the Prince of Monaco. Absolutely beautiful views from the top!

Every day at 11.55am on the square in front of the Palace is the traditional ritual of the Changing of the Guard – worth it if you are around there at that time.

From the Old Town we waked through some gardens (where a random white Aston Martin was parked) to the harbour and found a Mercedes Benz along the way:

We then caught the Bateau Bus for 2Euros which whisked us to Monte Carlo in less than five minutes. Just look out for the small red boat:

New Town

Monte Carlo was as expected – very rich and prestigious. We walked around the harbour (saw some very expensive yachts!), through the Grand Prix tunnel and into Monte Carlo.

There are two main casinos – the beautiful and prestigious Casino Monte Carlo and the Sun Casino at the Fairmont. We ducked into the Sun Casino at 2pm when it opened and restricted ourselves to 20 Euros of Routlette chips. Less than half an hour later, we left with 90 Euros, which made our day!

Before the climb up to the casino, there are some beautiful Japanese gardens, which are pretty stunning.

One thing to bear in mind when visiting Monaco is that Monte Carlo has extremely limited bars and restaurants – essentially it really does not want to attract tourists so grab a bite in the Old Town.

Due to restricted time, we did not venture as far as Grimaldi Forum but I was told that there are more shops and restaurants near there and a beach.

The way back to the station from Monte Carlo was much easier – around 15/20 minute walk. Lovely day trip!