The dwarf European principality is famous not only for casinos and Formula 1 races. There is something to see here: in Monaco, despite its area of only two square kilometers, there was a place for many interesting places and attractions.
The location of the principality on the very shore of the Mediterranean Sea allows you to combine sightseeing holidays with the beach and choose the holiday season for your trip. But it is wiser to stay in neighboring France: the prices in Monaco are truly princely, and the conventionality of the border of a dwarf state with an older sister will make it possible not to feel like a poor relative.
TOP 15 attractions of Monaco
Cote d'Azur
Strictly speaking, the Cote d'Azur is a tourist attraction not only of Monaco, but also of France and Italy. The amazingly beautiful coast gets its name from the color of the Mediterranean Sea, which merges on the horizon with the same blue sky. The best time to relax on the local beaches is late spring and early summer. In the midst of July and in August, the temperature can rise to + 30 ° C and higher. The sea water warms up to + 25 ° С.
The Cote d'Azur has always been a favorite vacation spot for bohemians. Renoir and Matisse, Modigliani and Chagall strolled here. Art exhibitions are often held in the cities of the coast, and the annual jazz festival brings together the most famous world-famous musicians on the coast.
Oceanographic Museum
The most popular museum was founded in 1889 by Prince Albert I. The world-famous exposition was headed by Jacques Yves Cousteau for four decades.
The collection of the Monaco Museum contains not only stuffed animals and skeletons of sea animals collected in Cousteau's expeditions, but also models of ships, ancient ship weapons, navigational instruments and other exhibits related to maritime affairs.
In the aquarium, visitors can get acquainted with the marine life of the Mediterranean ecosystem.
To get there: bus. 1 and 2 to the Place de la Visitation stop.
Ticket price: from 11 to 16 euros, depending on the season.
Princely palace
The official residence of the Prince of Monaco has a long history. It was founded in the 12th century as a Genoese fortress. The defensive features in architecture came in handy, because the Grimaldi family for many centuries was in tense relations with impressive in size and influential neighboring countries.
At the end of the twentieth century, the princely family celebrated 700 years of reign in the palace of Monaco. Ordinary tourists can also visit the palace - it works as a museum every day from April 1 to October 31.
Ticket price: 8 euros. When buying a complex ticket to visit the palace and the oceanarium, the price is 19 euros.
Casino Monte Carlo
The goal of creating the most famous casino in the world, which became the prototype of many establishments of this kind, starred in films and described in books, was to save the princely house of Grimaldi from bankruptcy.
This is the most famous building in Monaco, and by buying a ticket, you can not only watch the game or even take part in it, but also get the opportunity to admire the magnificent interiors, take pictures of all the Lombarginis and Ferrari in the parking lot and admire the Opera House - the most beautiful casino hall, where Diaghilev's ballet often performed.
Casino visit rules:
- The facility opens daily at 14.00. After 8 pm, men can only be in the game rooms in suits and ties.
- Visitors can only play if they have reached the age of 21. Take your passport with you!
- A tour of the building - 10 euros, a visit to gambling halls - from 20 euros.
In general, an attempt to pull the tail of fortune is not a cheap undertaking. So, if you decide to play roulette, prepare at least 200 euros to pay the entrance minimum.
Grimaldi Forum
The Congress Center Grimaldi Forum in Monaco annually hosts many events, conferences and forums, but for the layman it can be interesting with performances of the Monte Carlo Ballet, the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Principality and the draws of the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Cup.
Zoological garden of Monaco
The Monaco Zoo is a four-level park with many paths for easy observation of animals. All the inhabitants of the park were once circus animals and in the new conditions they got the opportunity to live in comfort and care.
At the Monaco Mini Zoo you will find parrots and lemurs, pygmy hippos and raccoons. There is an excellent playground for children in the park.
Ticket prices: 5 and 2, 5 euros for adults and children, respectively.
St. Nicholas Cathedral
An ideal example of neo-Romanesque architecture, the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas was built in Monaco at the end of the 19th century on the site of an old church. It serves as the tomb of the princes of the Grimaldi dynasty and the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Monaco.
Of particular interest for tourists can be the interior of the temple, decorated with the works of the painter Louis Brea. The archbishop's chair is skillfully carved from Carranian marble, and the magnificent organ can be heard during services. They take place on religious holidays.
St. Martin's Gardens
An excellent example of landscape design can be found at the entrance to the Oceanographic Museum on the southeast cliff of Monaco. Here you can look at the waters of the Ligurian Gulf, framed by an amazing collection of exotic plants. The park is decorated with a collection of bronze sculptures and a monument to Prince Albert I, who is famous for his scientific ocean research. If you're lucky, you may come across the current members of the princely family on the paths of the park.
Museum of stamps and coins
Rare copies of postage stamps, familiarity with which will help to present the whole history of not only the post office of Monaco, but also the principality itself - the basis of the collection of the small Museum of Stamps and Coins. The oldest specimen of the collection is coins dating from the middle of the 17th century, and the most valuable exhibit from the world of philately is the stamp "Charles III", issued by the princely post in 1885.
Ticket price: 3 euros.
Exhibition of vintage cars
Prince Rainier III of Monaco, despite belonging to a noble family, proved all his life that nothing human was alien to him. He married Hollywood actress Grace Kelly; being an avid philatelist, personally oversaw the creation and publication of postage stamps and, finally, adored cars. Is it any wonder that Monaco's vintage car museum is one of the most impressive in the world!
You will find military vehicles and carriages, sports cars and classic limousines at the exhibition. The pride of the princely collection is the 1928 Lincoln and 1935 Packard, and the famous representatives of the Maserati, Jaguar and Rolls Royce families will not leave indifferent visitors of any gender and age.
To get there: bus. N1 and 2 to the Place d'Armes stop.
Ticket price: 6 euros.
Museum of Anthropology
The richest collection of exhibits in the Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology of Monaco was collected on the territory of the dwarf state and in its environs. The exposition tells about various milestones in the history of mankind.
Several rooms are open in the Museum of Anthropology, and the most popular fragments of the collection belong to the Stone Age and the Middle Ages.
Ticket price: 7 euros.
Larvotto beach
Looking for a glamorous beach holiday? Welcome to one of the most expensive beaches in the world. Larvotto is a place where you can sunbathe topless, but the lack of jewelry here can be regarded as bad form. The prices for drinks and rentals of beach property are off scale here, but the waiters in the restaurants on the beach are more than helpful. The jellyfish net stretched in the water along the coast makes Larvotto a favorite summer destination for wealthy mothers with children. The rest is an ordinary beach with clear water, fine sand, umbrellas and sun loungers.
Museum of old Monaco
The exposition was opened at the initiative of the princely house and its purpose was determined: the preservation of the Monegasque heritage and the maintenance of civil and religious traditions.
The Museum of Old Monaco contains collections of authentic antiques, ceramics, paintings and traditional costumes from bygone eras. The interior is represented by the preserved furniture of the past and the century before last. The exposition very naturally conveys the everyday life of ordinary residents of the principality in the past couple of centuries, and in the halls of the museum you can get a true idea of who the Monegasques are.
Free admission.
Fort Antoine
The defensive fort in Monaco was built in the 18th century and served military purposes. It has all the architectural features of a fortress designed to withstand an enemy siege: a watchtower, strong thick stone walls, narrow loopholes.
During the Second World War, Fort Antoine was seriously damaged by bombing, but after the end of hostilities it was restored. Today, the fort's amphitheater serves as an open-air concert venue. Music concerts are held here. The territory of the fort attracts photographers and lovers of beautiful views with magnificent seascapes.
Church of St. Devota
In Monaco, there is a legend according to which in the 4th century AD, a ship with the body of Saint Devote, who was martyred for her faith, was thrown into a small bay by Goman. A chapel was erected in the 11th century at the place where the boat crashed. Every year on January 26, after sunset, a wooden boat is burned in the bay, and on January 27, on the feast day of St. Devote, the chapel is decorated with flowers. The saint is revered in Monaco as the patroness of the principality.
