Here stands the most famous casino in the world, in front of which only the most expensive cars are parked. The products in shop windows don’t have price tags, and mandarins grow on the roadside trees. It is the world of the rich – Monte Carlo, a district of the Principality of Monaco.
Monte Carlo is the most famous district in Monaco, and is often, incorrectly, called a city. Tourists usually end up only exploring Monte Carlo’s famous casino, however by going further northeast you can see many more of Monte Carlo’s attractions. These include the promenade displaying the footprints of football stars, the Japanese-style garden, the beach, and the concert hall where the stage was built below sea level.
See also: Monaco travel guide
Monte Carlo is built on a steep slope and the streets here have been built almost at the level of the roofs of the tenement houses of the street below – consequently there are a lot of stairs and elevators between them. Mandarin trees grow along the streets, and the products in many storefronts don’t have price tags as rich customers don’t need to know the prices. Every year in May the streets of Monaco and Monte Carlo are turned into a Formula One track.
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Monte Carlo’s attractions
Monte Carlo Casino and the opera (see more about them below) are not the only Monte Carlo attractions. There are many other interesting places worth seeing in the district. Take, for example, the observation deck from which you can admire Port Hercules and the Monaco’s Old Town. This spot is actually the roof of a huge building built partly on stilts protruding into the sea; its known as, Les Spélugues and includes the Rainier III Auditorium. On the roof of this congress hall is a work by Victor Vasarely named Hexa Grace – le ciel, la mer, la terre. It’s nothing less than a huge, colorful mosaic symbolizing the sky, the sea and the earth…
Monte Carlo, Monaco
The second best hotel in Monaco is located near the casino. It is known as the Hermitage, and was built at the end of the 1800s. The winter garden in this building was designed by none other than Gustave Eiffel, whose tower is the symbol of Paris and of France. Going further east will bring you to one of the most exclusive shopping centers in Monte Carlo – Le Métropole (Center Commercial Le Métropole Monte-Carlo). Here you will find stores with expensive brands, but also elegant interior designs.
Monte Carlo Casino
Monte Carlo Casino is probably the best known casino in the world. Established in 1863, its initiator was Charles III Grimaldi, Prince of Monaco. Today it is hard to imagine, but when the construction of the casino was being planned, Nice and Monaco were connected only by a horse-drawn tram, which covered the route along a rocky road in about 4 hours. Plans to make a summer resort in Monaco and attract players from Nice were associated with the need to build a solid road.
In those days, Monaco was not a rich principality. When the casino was finally founded, it was not in the form we know today – it was a small establishment, poorly managed, and with a bad reputation that caused guests to stop frequenting it. The company Société des Bains de Mer (Monte-Carlo S.B.M.) was established to manage the casino. Even today, it still manages the casinos and many other valuable locations in Monaco and Monte Carlo. The Grimaldi family is provided with a fixed income from the Society’s profits.
Monte Carlo Casino, Monaco
The casino we know today may have arisen from the political changes that followed the Franco-Austrian war in 1859. In the years following the war, Prince Charles III renounced his rights to Roquebrune and Menton, which belonged to Monaco at the time, and in return received money from France and the promise that France would build a road and rail-line from Nice to Monaco. As a result, the picturesque Lower Corniche and the railway line were created, which still today allows workers to get to the principality from nearby towns and tourists to arrive from around the world.
The facade of the casino’s building that can be admired today was completed in 1890. Before this, the elegant Hôtel de Paris and the no less chic, Café de Paris, were built in the vicinity. All this delighted the rich guests, who from that time began descending on Monte Carlo from all over Europe.
Opera in Monte Carlo
The building of the casino is connected with the later addition of the Monte Carlo Opera House (l’Opéra de Monte Carlo) in 1878. This place was created to provide additional entertainment for tourists visiting Monaco. The building was designed by Charles Garnier, who was also the architect for the famous Paris Opera (he also participated in the creation of the opera/theater in Nice). The Monte Carlo Opera House fits in so well with the casino, that tourists are often unaware that (when looking from the side) they are admiring two different buildings at the same time.
The Larvotto beach in Monaco
The building’s most beautiful opera hall is called the Garnier Hall, and is similar to the Paris Opera’s main room (although it’s much smaller, as it only has 524 seats). The same artists and craftsmen worked on both buildings, however, the Monte Carlo building was created in only eight and a half months, while the Paris Opera took years to build.
Monte Carlo’s beach and other attractions
Other attractions can be found a bit further away from the casino. One of these is an attraction for football fans – the Promenade des Champions. Instead of the hands of famous stars, here the feet of the world’s best footballers have been imprinted. Of course, there are the foot imprints of such celebrities as Zidane, Ronaldo, Del Piero, and Maradona. Right next to the promenade is the Grimaldi Forum conference and congress center, with an auditorium whose stage has been built below sea level.
A bit further along is Larvotto Beach (Plage du Larvotto) with its imported sand and relaxation facilities for tourists. The Le Sporting Monte Carlo sports complex is right behind it, along with the most famous of Monaco’s nightclubs – Le Jimmy’z. The boundary of the principality is marked by the huge Monte-Carlo Bay hotel with its numerous open-air swimming pools.
Monte Carlo, Monaco
There are two reasons to mention the Monte Carlo Country Club. First of all, the well-known Rolex Masters Series, Monte Carlo’s tennis championship, takes place there. Another interesting fact is that the Monte Carlo Country Club’s tennis club is located entirely in France, in the village of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin.
The last attraction I must mention in this section is the Odeon skyscraper (Tour Odeon). It is easily recognized by its blue facade, which stands out against the background of Monaco’s panorama. The most expensive apartment in the world was created on the top floor of this building – it has its own pool, slide, and palm tree; and is worth 300 million euros.
Monte Carlo gardens
Despite Monte Carlo’s small size and densely packed buildings, it’s a very green district. There are several magnificent gardens with lush, mostly exotic vegetation, and numerous fountains and sculptures. All this is, of course, constantly nurtured and looked after.
One of these is the Boulingrins Gardens (Jardin des Boulingrins), a fragment of which is located directly in front of the casino, which has, unfortunately, been recently built up with futuristic boutiques for expensive brands. These are easy to recognize because these low buildings have round shapes and are white. Fortunately, right next to them is the rest of the garden, which is called Little Africa (Jardin de la Petite Afrique), where you can relax in the shade of the trees. Right next to the garden’s pool are free public toilets.
The Japanese Garden in Monaco
A second garden directly adjoins the casino and opera buildings, and also forms a path that leads to Monte Carlo’s beach as well as the Japanese Garden (Jardin Japonais). The latter was designed by a Japanese architect at the request of Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace – all the rules of art preserved in its design. Admission to the Japanese Garden is free and it is definitely worth visiting.
Visiting Monte Carlo
Bus 100 from Nice arrives in Monte Carlo nearby the casino. The trip costs €1.50 and takes less than an hour. You get off at the Casino Monte Carlo stop on Boulevard des Moulins (next to the tourist information office). Taking the train to Monaco takes 20 minutes, but it’s more expensive (about €4).
To visit Monte Carlo you need a minimum of 2 to 3 hours. If you finish your visit on the beach you can return to the center by bus or on foot. Choosing a different route will let you delve deeper into this unique place.
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