Monaco – Monte Carlo Tourist information and photos
Monaco is known for the Cafe de Paris, the Formula 1 Grand Prix, the Circus, the Monte Carlo Casino, and as a fashionable seaside resort and tax haven. Highly recommended!
Monaco
Monaco is one of the smallest countries in the world and is a very fashionable seaside resort and tax haven. Always nice for a day trip and about a 1-hour drive from Valbonne if you take the highway.
A must-see is the old town, where you will find the Prince’s Palace and the Cathedral. The Musée Océanographique de Monaco is also located here.
Monte Carlo
And of course, you must visit Monte Carlo, known for the Casino and Café de Paris. Car enthusiasts can indulge themselves here, as the most beautiful cars are parked at the Casino. Several James Bond films have been shot in the casino. Monaco is, of course, also very well known for the annual circus and the Formula 1 Grand Prix . The harbor is also well worth a stroll – this is where the ships and superyachts of the rich and famous are moored.
Café de Paris
Café de Paris is located on Place du Casino, 98000 Monte-Carlo, and is an absolute must for a drink. You will feast your eyes on the rich and famous strolling by or driving past in the most expensive cars. At this most expensive—surely the most expensive—location in Europe, it is not cheap. With a view of the Casino, this is the place to be for lunch, a drink, or dinner. You can park just 200 meters from Café de Paris in the Parking Casino garage (street parking in the old center is virtually impossible).
The reviews on TripAdvisor aren’t very good; many people complain about the price, unfriendly service, and long wait times, but for us, it’s still always a nice outing to pop over here.
Shopping
You can easily spend your savings in Monaco. Not only are house prices exorbitantly high (a two-bedroom apartment for €8,500,000…), but shopping in Monaco is not cheap either. All the major designers such as Prada, Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Gucci, Christian Dior, Piaget, Chopard, Celine, Stardust, Fred, and Chanel have settled in Monte Carlo. The only advantage is that you shop tax-free and VAT-free in this tax haven.
You can buy anything you can imagine in the Principality of the Grimaldis: from traditional souvenirs in the old part of the city to the more normal items you find in the shopping centers.
Art in Monaco
There are also many art galleries to be found, such as Fersen, Riblzi, Galerie Carré Doré (urban modern art), Opera Gallery, and many others.
Christmas in Monaco
If you happen to be staying on the Côte d’Azur during the Christmas holidays, Monaco is an absolute must. Monte Carlo and the Casino are beautifully illuminated with stunning Christmas decorations, a light show, and Christmas trees.
There are also Christmas markets in Cannes and Nice during the Christmas holidays, and there is often an ice rink in Nice as well (with temperatures of 15+ degrees…). In any case, the Côte d’Azur is beautifully illuminated during the holidays.
By train to Monaco
Traveling to Monaco by train is highly recommended. The train from Antibes station takes you to the center of Monaco in about an hour via a stunning coastal route. It saves on parking fees and tolls, and you enjoy a beautiful route! A train ticket costs approximately €8.00 per person. You can park your car at Antibes station.
Specticular Christmas Show Monte Carlo (December 2025)
In December 2025, the Place du Casino in Monte Carlo served as the backdrop for a large-scale projection mapping show that was screened every 30 minutes between 6:00 PM and 10:00 PM. The monumental facade of the iconic Casino de Monte-Carlo was utilized as a three-dimensional projection screen for an audiovisual Christmas spectacle.
The project, initiated by the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer (SBM), was performed under the title “The Magic of Monte-Carlo Christmas”. The show followed a narrative structure centered on Santa’s five reindeer (Flocon, Rose, Hercule, Stella, and Rudolph) and was divided into five specific acts, including The Enchanted Ballet and The Christmas Sky.
The light show was part of a comprehensive redesign plan for the Place du Casino during the festive period: a 20-meter-high Christmas tree equipped with 6,000 LED lights. The installation of the characteristic giant snow globes. This edition marked the last time these specific installations were used. The miniature scenes inside the globes were thematically aligned with the main projection.
Monaco – Harbor and view of Monaco
