visit monaco
DESTINATION RESOURCE GUIDE
AT THE HEART
OF THE LEGEND
The diversity of museums and places to visit reflects how important art, history and culture are in Monaco. Visiting them is to step into the legend. And as the Principality has always had very deep links with nature, Monaco also offers an outstanding variety of parks and gardens. Walk this way...
THINGS TO SEE
PRINCE’S PALACE
STATE APARTMENTS
For seven centuries, the Grimaldi family has reigned over the Principality. A tour of the State Rooms allows you to discover their pomp and splendour and go on a journey through the centuries, from the Renaissance to the Napoleonic era. Built on the site of a Genoese fortress of 1215, the Princely Palace holds a thousand treasures such as its Court of Honour, its imposing double staircase leading to the Galerie d’Hercule and the State Rooms. Every day at 11.55 a.m., on the Place du Palais, the Changing of the Guard of the Prince’s Carabiniers offers a timeless and unique ritual to spectators.
MONACO OCEANOGRAPHIC MUSEUM
Inspired by his passion for the sea, Prince Albert I (1848-1922) designed a museum overlooking the Mediterranean that is not only a place of memory and history, but also a venue for discovery and exhibitions.
FRANCIS BACON FOUNDATION
The Francis Bacon MB Art Foundation in Monaco is a not-for-profit institution that carries out studies and research on the subject of Francis Bacon. The Foundation is open to researchers, art historians and the general public all year round.
Monaco’s new national museum showcases the Principality’s heritage and displays contemporary art in temporary exhibitions in both Villa Paloma and Villa Sauber. This approach reflects the uniqueness of the Principality, whose history has always been marked by interaction between artistic, cultural and scientific disciplines and support for artists, thinkers and researchers.
NEW NATIONAL MUSEUM OF MONACO, VILLA PALOMA & VILLA SAUBER
H.S.H. THE PRINCE’S COLLECTION OF CARS
At the end of the 1950s, Prince Rainier III, a true automobile fan, started to collect vintage cars. As the years went by his collection expanded, soon outgrowing the garage at the Prince’s Palace. In 1933, Prince Rainier III decided to show his collection of about a hundred cars to the public.
STAMP AND COIN MUSEUM
The museum plunges us into the philatelic and numismatic history of the Principality from the first coins minted in 1641 and the first stamps printed in 1885.
The Naval Museum is a veritable maritime encyclopedia. It features an outstanding collection of almost 250 model boats and marine artefacts, including a host of vintage models on loan from the magnificent personal collection of Prince Rainier III of Monaco. The Naval Museum was founded in 1993 and stands out as an international museum devoted to all navies - from those of Antique times through to today.
naval museum
ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN
Overlooking the Port de Fontvieille on the southern flank of the Rock, this garden, sheltered from the east wind, an almost wild place in the middle of a modern world, is
the favoured abode of specimens of tropical fauna: hippopotamus, exotic birds, monkeys, reptiles...
LOUIS II STADIUM
This bold construction elegantly dominates the Fontvieille neighbourhood. The quality of the facilities and equipment make it a wonderful venue for major international competitions.
A bird’s eye view of Monaco and the Italian and French Riviera coasts, a succession of unusual succulent plants which you come across as you follow the paths clinging to the cliff, a cave where stalactites, stalagmites, draperies and concretions have been taking shape for millennia and a museum which goes back to the origins of mankind... A visit to the Jardin Exotique offers an incomparable change of scene.
EXOTIC GARDEN, OBSERVATORY CAVE, MUSEUM OF PREHISTORIC ANTHROPOLOGY
MONTE-CARLO
CASINO GARDENS
In front of the Casino, perfectly manicured lawns are dotted with sumptuous flowerbeds and water features. On the other side of the building, terraces drenched in sunlight hang over the Mediterranean.
JAPANESE GARDEN
Designed according to the strict rules of the Nippon art of gardening, 7,000 m2 of parkland are structured into a harmonious alliance of stone, water and vegetation.
Located in the centre of the Principality and dotted with olive trees, the park features several play areas and sports grounds for children and teenagers, as well as a clay mini-golf course and a petting farm that accommodates rabbits, goats and sheep. Activities are regularly organised throughout the year in this favourite destination for a family outing.
PRINCESS ANTOINETTE PARK
GARDENS OF SAINT-MARTIN & SAINTE-BARB
Charming paths wend their way through gardens on either side of the Monaco Oceanographic Museum. Landscaped in the 1830s, they are home to Mediterranean plants.
PARK OF HERITAGE TREES
Established as part of the initiative “Monaco Against Deforestation,” the Parcours des Arbres Patrimoniaux (Park of Heritage Trees) displays the finest specimens in the Principality, chosen for their dimensions, age and rarity.
Plants from every corner of the world blossom on four hectares of delightful gardens featuring a small lake. Meanwhile, eight thousand rose bushes representing three hundred and fifty different varieties, fragrantly fill the Princess Grace rose garden.
FONTVIEILLE LANDSCAPED PARK AND THE PRINCESS GRACE ROSE GARDEN
ON THE TRAIL OF PRINCESS GRACE
Twenty-five photos bearing texts in five languages are dotted throughout the Principality in a tribute to actions carried out by Princess Grace.
SCULPTURE TRAIL
Over 130 works by major contemporary artists - such as «The Fist» by César and «Adam and Eve» by Botero – are to be admired on a walk through the parks and gardens of the Principality, particularly in Fontvieille and Monaco town centre.
Monaco is brimming with architectural treasures - from Monte-Carlo with the Casino, the Hôtel de Paris, the Hôtel Hermitage, Saint Charles’ Church and Villa Sauber, to the Rock featuring the Princes Palace, the Cathedral,
the Monaco Oceanographic Museum, the Law Courts, the Chapelle de la Miséricorde and Fort Antoine, via La Condamine, home to the Church of Sainte-Dévote.
ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE
CHAMPIONS’ PROMENADE
The world’s greatest footballers have left their footprints along a sporting «Walk of Fame» that edges the seafront. Pelé, Cantona, Ibrahimovic, Baresi and Matthäus recently extended this amazing and unique collection.
Escapades
Monaco is the starting point for a whole range of excursions along the coast and into the hinterland, embracing both the Italian and French Rivieras.
THRILLS &
EMOTIONS
Its climate and location on the shores of the Mediterranean make Monaco a favourite destination, including for a holiday of sheer relaxation and fun.
LEISURE ACTIVITIES
SHOPPING
Monaco is heaven on earth for anyone who loves shopping. The latest and the best in fashion, jewellery, watches and leather goods are to be found in shopping malls, high streets and local markets in Monte-Carlo and La Condamine. Famous luxury brands nestle around the Casino in the Cercle d’Or neighbourhood and in the Park Palace shopping gallery and Promenade Monte-Carlo Shopping.
NIGHTLIFE
The cosy ambiance of a hotel, a trendy bar, a charming café... In Monaco you will always find the perfect place to enjoy amazing cocktails, savour a freshly brewed beer or sample a vintage wine. With a movie theatre located in the centre of Monte-Carlo plus an outdoor cinema, and the Sporting Monte-Carlo programming world-class shows and concerts, Monaco holds the promise of entertaining evenings. And for those who wish to dance on into the night, Monaco is a premium destination for the planet’s sophisticated clubbers. The Principality attracts the best international DJs, who spin their turntables in legendary venues.
EVENTS IN THE PRINCIPALITY
On top of a cultural programme brimming with operas, dance (notably the Monte-Carlo Ballet Company), theatre, philharmonic concerts, galas and exhibitions, life in the Principality is peppered with major cultural events. Some examples: the Spring Art Festival, the Monaco Dance Forum, the Monte-Carlo Jazz Festival, the International Circus Festival, the Festival of Television, Monaco Art en Ciel “Sky Art” (international pyro-musical fireworks competition). Monaco also stages international sporting competitions such as the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, the F1 Grand Prix, Jumping International of Monte-Carlo, the Monte-Carlo Rally and the Herculis meeting.
SPORTS
The importance of sport within the Principality is reflected in its wide and innovative range of sports facilities. Proximity to the sea and the mountains means that a host of outdoor activities is also on the menu.
CASINOS
Gaming fans have been flocking to Monte-Carlo for almost one and a half centuries. Seated around a table or face to face with a slot machine, revel in intoxicating fun!
WELLBEING & BEAUTY
Rest, relax, unwind and recharge your batteries ... where better than in Monaco? The Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo, the spas in the big hotels, the beauty parlours and hair salons scattered throughout the Principality, are all dedicated to one and the same goal while you’re here: your wellbeing.