MONACO CITY, MONACO
Monaco is a sovereign city-state where money rules all. Most notably known for Monte-Carlo Casino, this country has the most expensive prime residential market in the world! Whether you are looking at the yachts floating in Port Hercules or the cars cruising down Rue Grimaldi, this will be imperative to you. Just a day-trip from Nice, it is a great place to window shop, soak up the sun, people-watch, and experience something, well, different!
Attractions:
Monte-Carlo Casino: Welcome to the most famous casino in Europe! Entrance to the first room filled with slot machines is free, but access to all of the casino rooms costs €17. To enter, proper attire is required, meaning no shorts, tennis shoes, or flip flops are allowed. The casino is open daily from 2:00pm-6:00am.
Musée Océanographique de Monaco: This marine sciences museum is home to the Mediterranean Science Commission. It is open daily from 10:00am-5:00pm; entrance costs €16.
Prince’s Palace of Monaco: Built in 1191, this is the official residence of the Sovereign Prince of Monaco. It is open daily from 10:00am-6:00pm; entrance costs €8.
Other things to check out include: Saint Nicholas Cathedral, Jardin Exotique de Monaco, and Opéra de Monte-Carlo!
Accommodation:
There are not any hostels in Monaco, but there is a relatively inexpensive hotel (comparatively) called Hôtel Le Forum. On foot, it is 5 minutes from Monaco-Monte-Carlo Station and 15 minutes from Place D’Armes.
Transportation:
Monaco’s main train station is Monaco-Monte-Carlo Station; all trains below leave from here. The main bus station is Place D’Armes; all buses below leave from here.
Nice, France is 25 minutes by train from Monaco and costs €3.50. The bus ride (#100) is 30 minutes and costs €1.50.
Marseille, France is 3.5 hours by train from Monaco (indirect) and costs €42. The bus ride is 4.5 hours (indirect) and costs €18.
Milan, Italy is 5 hours by train from Monaco (indirect) and costs €47. The bus ride is 5.5 hours (indirect) and costs €40.
Paris, France is 9 hours by train from Monaco (indirect) and costs €103. The bus ride is 14 hours (indirect) and costs €72.
The closest airport to Monaco is Côte d’Azur Airport (NCE) in Nice. It is 19 miles (30km) southwest of Monaco and accessible via bus. The ride is 45 minutes and costs €22 (round-trip tickets cost €33); buses run every 30 minutes from 8:45am-9:15pm.
