A day in Monaco

Just one day in Monaco? Luckily, since it’s the second smallest country in the world, it is possible to see most of this tiny place in a few hours, and mostly on foot! And even though this is one of the more expensive destinations, most things I did were completely free.

Look at the mega yachts in the Marina. Each one is bigger than the next, and it’s fun to stroll along looking at them all, and sit on a bench or at a waterfront cafe here.

Stroll through the gardens. There are many different gardens in Monaco, my favourite was the Jardin Exotique, with lots of cactus, colourful flowers and little birds, with beautiful views of the sea.

Ride the escalators into the rocks. Since Monaco is so small and is surrounded by mountains, you often need to ascend through them to get to the different levels of the city. It’s a fun experience to head ‘into’ the rocks!

People watch. You never know who you might spot! There’s lots of nice spots to sit and watch and enjoy the sun.

Take a helicopter ride. My favourite activity, and the only thing I spent money on. But it was worth it, the views of the coastline, the water, the mountains… amazing! And you get treated like a star, too! They offer a service between Monaco and Nice, or even special flights. There’s a few companies, I used Monacair.

Take a trip to Nice, or other towns on the French Riviera. It’s easy to go between the towns on the French Riviera, by train, car or bus, so you can combine these with a trip to Monaco.

That’s Monaco in a day, without spending like a rockstar…

Practical information

Getting there- you have to fly into Nice’s airport. It’s well served by most European airlines. From there, it’s half an hour by train from Nice’s central station.

Accommodation- it’s much more affordable to stay in Nice. There are a variety of hotels and apartments. The one I stayed at, Hotel Byakko was nice, I loved the roof terrace, but the area was very noisy at night.

When to visit- definitely try to avoid the peak summer months when it is packed. Off season is best since the weather will most likely be nice anyway. When the Grand Prix is in town it will also be a lot more expensive (May this year).