MONACO

Tourist Tips:

Monaco, an ancient principality steeped in a rich and colorful history, is considered by many to be Europe's most fascinating country. Though the Principality covers but one square mile, it stands as a proud monarchy with his Serene Highness Prince Rainier III as its head of state. Today people visit Monaco and its glittering district Monte-Carlo not simply to vacation, not just to test their standing with lady luck, nor merely to see and be seen, but to revel in the memorable life-enhancing experience that is Monaco.

The principality is divided into five areas:

Monaco-Ville on the Rock, the old fortified town, with the Prince's Palace, the ramparts, the gardens, the Cathedral and the Oceanographic Museum.
The Condamine, the harbour area.
Monte Carlo, created in 1866, in the reign of Prince Charles III who gave it its name, with its internationally famous Casino, its great hotels and leisure facilities, some created recently : Larvotto beach, the Monte Carlo Sporting Club, the Boulingrins Gardens.
Fontvieille, a great technical achievement with the filling-in with rock of 40 metres of water to produce a platform of 22 hectares supporting an urban, tourist and sports complex adjoining a yachting harbour and a pollution-free industrial zone.

Monaco-Ville

Oceanographic Museum & Aquarium:

Inaugurated in 1910 by its founder, Prince Albert I, this exceptional museum of marine sciences is a monumental architectural masterpiece with a grandiose façade rising majestically above the sea to a height of 279 feet. It took 11 years to build, using 100,000 tons of stone from La Turbie.

The impressive rooms of the Museum, open to the public on two floors, contain remarkable collections of marine fauna gathered by Prince Albert, numerous specimens of sea creatures (stuffed or in skeleton form, including the skeleton of a 66 foot whale), models of Prince Albert’s laboratory ships, and craftware made from the sea’s natural products. Part of the first floor is dedicated to the oceanographic works of Prince Albert 1,“Career of a Navigator”.

In the basement, the visitor can enjoy the spectacular delights of the world-famous aquarium with its extraordinary show of marine flora and fauna. With 4,000 species of fish and over 200 families of invertebrates, the aquarium is now an authority on the presentation of the Mediterranean and tropical marine ecosystem. Its latest creation, the “Shark Lagoon”, unveils in a giant tank the diversity and extraordinary colors of the coral reef and its inhabitants.

Exotic Garden:

One of Monaco’s finest tourist attractions, this “magic garden” containing several thousand “succulent” plant varieties, was opened in 1933 and is daringly landscaped on the rock-face. The plants flourish superbly thus testifying to Monaco’s microclimate and are admired by visitors from all over the world.

Prince's Palace:

The guardian of a centuries-old tradition, this uniquely located Palace was built on the site of a fortress built by the Genoese in 1215. A visit takes one on a journey through history from the time of the Guelfes and the Gibelins to the Napoleonic period. The outstanding features of the Palace that can be admired include:

The Italian-style Gallery running alongside the South facade; the State Apartments; and the sumptuous frescoes by XVI century Genoese artists, depicting mythological scenes.

The Louis fifteenth Salon, yellow and gold.
The Salon Bleu, a marvelous harmony of blue and gold.
The Mazarin Salon, paneled in polychrome wood with arabesque motifs.
The Throne Room, containing a large Renaissance fireplace, where historic festivals and ceremonies have been held since the sixteenth century.
The Palatine Chapel built in the seventeenth century.
The Sainte-Marie Tower, like the Clock Tower, was built during the Albert I‘s reign, using white stone from La Turbie. The Prince’s standard flies from the top of this tower when the Prince is in residence.
The Main courtyard, paved with 3 million white and colored pebbled forming immense geometrical patterns, and its noble seventeenth century double-revolution staircase in Carrara marble, is home to the famous summer concerts. This was once the central part of the fortress built in the eighteenth century.

La Condamine

The port is a good area to chill out and watch the boats and people in this (probably the most stunning port in Europe).

You could try a sea sightseeing tour, go to the Quai des Etats-Unis Port d'hercule, or visit the Church of Sainte-Devote, dedicated to the patron Saint of the Principality and to the Prince and his family, built in the eleventh century in the Vallon des Gaumates.

La Condamine is the best place to look for hotels (unless you fancy the top-dollar luxury of Monte Carlo), and this is also a good area for restaurants. The old town also has some pleasant eateries, with the added advantage of atmospheric alleys and sea views.

Monte-Carlo

Monaco Casino:

Charles Garnier, the architect of the opera house in Paris, built the Casino in 1878. The “atrium”, paved in marble, is surrounded by 28 Ionic columns in onyx. It leads into the auditorium of the opera, called the “Salle Garnier”, which is decorated in red and gold, with a profusion of bas-reliefs, frescoes and sculptures. Here, for more than a century, outstanding international performances of opera, ballet and concerts have been staged.

The “gaming rooms” comprise a succession of numerous rooms featuring stained glass windows, admirable decorations and sculptures, allegorical paintings and bronze lamps.

Local Sightseeing:

Roquebrune village : mediaeval castle, 6 km
La Turbie : Tower of Augustus, 8 km
Eze village : the Eagle`s Nest of the Côte d`Azur, 9 km
Menton : the Cocteau Museum, 10 km
Beaulieu : the Greek villa Kerylos, 11 km
Villefranche sur Mer : Jean Cocteau Chapel and Citadel, 11 km
Saint Jean Cap Ferrat : Ile de France Museum, 12 km
Saint Paul de Vence : the Maeght Foundation, 38 km
Antibes : Picasso Museum, 40 km
Vence : Matisse Chapel, 42 km
Biot : Fernand Léger Museum, 42 km.

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