Day Trip to Monaco and Monte Carlo
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There’s the French Riviera. And then there’s Monaco.
How can you pass up the opportunity for a day trip to Monaco?? You can’t! Despite the fact that Monaco is tres cher (very expensive) and clearly for the well-heeled crowd, you can visit Monaco on a budget. And I wasn’t going to miss out on a day trip visit.
Monaco is also where I learned what “azure seas” really look like. Truly, I’ve never seen “azure” waters before I visited this principality. Take a good long look and soak the experience into your soul. You’ll find yourself thinking back to it time and again upon your return– and wishing you were there instead of at your desk at work.
Seven Tips for Visiting Monaco:
1. First, Monaco is built onto and into a mountain. You arrive what feels like “in” the mountain, requiring an elevator ride from the train platform up to the station level. In some ways you feel like you’re in a subway station, but you’re not.
2. Walking Around Monaco: Again because of the mountains, Monaco has a lot of steep ascents and descents. But fear not, there is almost always a staircase to help get you from one street down (or up) to another. There are also lots of elevators around Monaco, so if you think you have a very steep climb, make sure there isn’t an easier way to help you get where you need to go. I found a great YouTube video about the elevator system in Monaco by Josh Stanley.
3. Be Health Smart: Monaco is the only place I’ve ever been that has directional signage to defibrillators. That should tell you something right there. Please remember your physical limitations and consider that before starting that long climb. Again, there’s almost always a staircase or elevator to assist you.
4. Monaco’s public transportation: There is a fine bus system in place for Monaco, and rides are 2.00 Euros. However, there is a 24-hour pass available for purchase at the cost of 5.50 Euros (at time of this writing). There’s really no need to buy point-to-point tickets for a day trip to Monaco. The 24 hour pass pays for itself quite quickly (3 rides), especially if you choose to ride buses rather than walk from place to place. I purchased one and used it about five times during the day and I’m a big walker. For 5.50 Euro, just get the pass!
5. Dress Code for Casinos. Some people love casinos and some don’t. But since Monaco is… well, Monaco, I felt that I should at least enter one of the casinos to see what it’s like. I was super nervous about what I was wearing, but through some quick research, I learned that the dress code depends not only on which casino you visit, but the time of day that you visit.
Daytime casino visits have a more relaxed dress code than than nighttime casino visits. Since I was on a day trip to Monaco, I felt no guilt about entering in my short sleeve shirt and casual pants. BUT that would change if I was going in the casino at night. It becomes more James Bond like the darker it gets outside.
Also, the Casino de Monte Carlo is, in general, glitzier than the other casinos in the principality. So if you really want to hit that particular casino, I recommend smart casual in the daytime and even dressier in the afternoon and evening. Look up dress codes for all the Monte Carlo casinos here.
6. Visiting the Casinos: You will ABSOLUTELY need your passport to enter the casinos, either in Monte Carlo, Menton, or anywhere else. So if you’re planning on going, or think you might even want to stop in, be sure to have your passport with you.
7. What to See and Do in Monaco: I used the Visit Monaco website to get the general lay of the land and develop my personal list of must-see items. I had every intention of visiting the Jacques Cousteau museum, but the incredible parks and lush landscaping everywhere got the better of me. I ended up ambling around most of the time, transfixed by this patch of paradise on the Mediterranean. Be sure to build in “amble time” on your day trip to Monaco.
And as you can see, there’s a picture on every corner here.
Resources Used
It’s always easiest to list the resources I used to plan a trip in one place for easy access. I do a ton of research for my trips, so the list is not complete. But you get the main sites I visited:
- VisitMonaco.com
- Booking.com
- Rome2Rio.com – how to get to anywhere from anywhere
- SNCF Groupe – France train network
- Eurail Passes for online purchase
- Tripadvisor.com – I use tripadvisor.com to verify the reviews I see in Booking.com. Just a nice double check, and it can work in the other direction as well. Use booking.com to verify what you are reading on Tripadvisor
- Hidden elevators in Monaco – Josh Stanley’s YouTube video. Thank you for allowing me to link, Josh.
Choosing to visit the French Riviera in the off season allows you to engage more personally with the local culture and community. The picturesque views are still there, but without the usual crowds and distractions. To fully appreciate its beauty, consider making plans to visit the French Riviera (and Monaco) in the off season.
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