Monaco may be tiny — the principality is smaller than Central Park — but you’ll quickly realize there’s enough to do here to stay busy for weeks. It is a wonderful hub for exploring both the French and Italian Rivieras, blending the best of its prime locale between the mountains and Mediterranean Sea.
From world-class museums and celebrity chef-helmed restaurants to iconic landmarks like the Monte-Carlo Casino and Prince’s Palace, here are 10 things not to miss the next time you make a detour to the magical Mediterranean escape.
Spend a Spa Day at Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo
The multi-floor wellness center at the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo spans more than 71,000 square feet and features everything from an outdoor jacuzzi overlooking the port and Prince’s Palace to a heated indoor pool with sea views, a sauna, a hammam and customized treatments with top-notch products like La Prairie. In between dips in the water and lounging in the Thermes Marins solarium, take a seat on the sea-facing terrace of L’Hirondelle for healthy, Mediterranean-inspired cuisine.
Visit the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco
Founded by Prince Albert II’s great-great-grandfather, Prince Albert I, the Oceanographic Museum has stood proudly over Monaco for more than a century — making it one of the world’s oldest aquariums — and showcases the principality’s commitment to protecting the seas. Built on the side of Le Rocher, Monaco’s perched old town, the museum features more than 6,000 species, from Mediterranean octopuses and moray eels to tropical sharks and sea horses.
Experience the Monte-Carlo Jazz Festival
The winter season officially kicks off with the annual Monte-Carlo Jazz Festival, two weeks of live performances at the casino’s gilded Opéra Garnier Monte-Carlo. The festival curates a lineup of up-and-coming and big-name acts. The music ranges from traditional jazz and orchestra to big-band riffs and pop-funk, with past performances by everyone from Herbie Hancock and Gregory Porter to Diana Krall and Melody Gardot.
Explore the Prince’s Palace
Time your visit around the daily ceremonial changing of the guard at 11:55 a.m. before touring inside the Prince’s Palace. The former Genoese fortress — the oldest parts of which date back to 1215 — contains beautifully restored Italian Renaissance frescoes (some hidden for nearly five centuries), as well as stunning woodwork and silk tapestries, which are on display as you walk around the galleries, Throne Room, Palatine Chapel and art-lined Court of Honour, the palace’s centerpiece courtyard.
Lounge at Larvotto Beach
Despite its coastal locale, Monaco lacks many beach options. However, the recently redesigned seaside complex at public beach Larvotto was a game changer for the principality, which now feels more like its neighbors along the Riviera. Spend the afternoon at the boardwalk’s private beach clubs, buzzy bars, restaurants and swim shops — in case you forgot your bathing suit and want to splash in the sea.
Sample Local Oysters at Les Perles de Monte-Carlo
Monaco’s smaller port in Fontvieille caters more to locals than tourists despite sporting a roster of standout spots (see: the original outpost of luxe steak restaurant Beefbar). On the tip of the pier, Les Perles de Monte-Carlo is the brainchild of two biologists who wanted to introduce oyster farming in the principality. Unfolding under the shadow of the Prince’s Palace, the alfresco eatery is the opposite of the fine dining you’d expect in Monaco. Here, seafood platters are served on picnic tables with wooden benches in a laid-back and festive atmosphere — meaning you could easily linger over a long, rosé-spiked lunch on a warm summer day.
Sip Cocktails at Le Bar Américain
A meeting ground since the 1930s, jazz lounge Le Bar Américain at the Five-Star Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo has welcomed stars such as Josephine Baker; Frank Sinatra, who claimed table 34; and Lady Gaga, who once gave an improvised performance there. There’s live jazz, swing, blues and soul every evening, so pop by the Monaco institution before or after dinner for great music and some of the best cocktails in the principality.
While the show takes place inside, the view from the terrace is just as spectacular, offering sweeping shots of the Mediterranean and neighboring Monte-Carlo Casino. If you want to complete the extravagant evening, book one of the most decadent dining experiences on the Riviera at the hotel’s Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse.
Shop at One Monte-Carlo
Monaco has a long history, but that doesn’t prevent the principality from continuing to develop and embrace the future. Case in point: One Monte-Carlo, the new fashion district. Sitting between Place du Casino and Four-Star Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo, the sculptural, glass-encased shops house 24 boutiques from many of the top luxury houses, including Cartier, Chanel, Céline and Saint Laurent. When you’re ready for a break, take a seat at all-day dining spot Mada One, acclaimed chef Marcel Ravin’s refined take on café fare.
Set Off on a Sustainable Sea Safari
Explore the marine mammals of the Pelagos Sanctuary with Sustainable Whale Watching Monaco, an initiative to promote the conservation and protection of the white bottlenose and striped dolphins and the migrating fin and sperm whales swimming off the coast of the French Riviera. On a half- or full-day tour, cruise the coast with expert guides observing these majestic creatures in their natural habitat. During peak migration season from mid-June to mid-August, there’s an impressive 90% chance you’ll spot something special in the water.
Browse Art Exhibitions at Villa Paloma & Villa Sauber
Dubbed the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco, the museum’s collection includes more than 10,000 pieces created between the 19th and 21st centuries, with work by masters like Claude Monet and Jean Cocteau, as well as international artists like Andy Warhol and Jeppe Hein. Spread across two locations, the museum unfolds at Villa Sauber — one of Monaco’s last belle époque villas — and Villa Paloma, which sits at the entrance to Monaco and features an antique-style terraced garden designed by Octave Godard, a protégé of famous landscape designer Édouard André. Keep an eye out for temporary exhibitions highlighting everyone from photographer Helmut Newton to writer/director Pier Paolo Pasolini.
