Between walks, visits and museums, there is plenty to do in Monaco. The Principality is full of places to discover to learn more about its history, its artistic and cultural heritage. Of course, some establishments are internationally renowned, such as the Casino de Monte-Carlo or the Hôtel de Paris.
1. The State Apartments of the Prince’s Palace
The building was built at the end of the 13th century on the site of a castle built in 1215. During your visit, you will discover the intimacy of the Princes of Monaco through their large and sumptuous apartments.
The opportunity to visit the Throne Room where the official receptions of the Palace take place. The scenography and the visit route have been completely revised to highlight the restored frescoes and to better tell the story of the Grimaldi dynasty.
Don’t forget to attend the changing of the guard of the Carabiniers du Prince.
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Open until October 15. Palace Square. +377.93.25.18.31.
10 euros/adult, 5 euros/child.
2. The Monte Carlo Casino
Obligatory passage through the legendary casino of Monte-Carlo. No need to play to admire all the beauty of the place. The mythical steps performed in the main hall, the Atrium, to immerse yourself in the Belle Époque style decor of this building designed in 1879 by Charles Garnier.
Marbled, decorated with gold and bronze, it has 28 columns in the Ionic style, all in stucco except for one in marble, it’s up to you to find it. At the moment, the Bleu Sel installation by artists Eva Dmitrenko and Céline Pagès is on display until September 10.
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Visits every day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 17 euros normal price. Casino Square. +377.98.06.21.21.
Correct outfit required.
3. The tombs of personalities
Touch terminals allow visitors to glean a myriad of information and locate the concessions of these dozens of personalities buried or cremated in the cemetery of Monaco.
Among the 7,875 concessions listed, we will mention pell-mell: Jules Bianchi, the Formula 1 driver, who died in 2015 following a tragic accident.
Not very far, we find Roger Moore, alias James Bond from 1973 to 1985. Léo Ferré, the singer, composer, Monegasque by birth. Jean-Michel Folon, the watercolourist known for his decoration of the chapel of the White Penitents in Saint-Paul-de-Vence.
Or Josephine Baker, the American singer and dancer, naturalized French.
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Open daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. 4 avenue Pasteur. +377.93.15.22.77.
4. The ambulatory of the cathedral
Monaco Cathedral is a jewel of art and architecture that has hosted some of the Principality’s biggest events.
This neo-Romanesque cathedral was built in 1875 in the white stone of La Turbie, on the site of the former Saint-Nicolas church. In the ambulatory, the tombs of the Princes of Monaco: that of Princess Grace and that of Prince Rainier III are located in the left part of the transept.
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Open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. 4 rue Colonel-Bellando-de-Castro. +377.99.99.14.00.
5. The American bar of the Hotel de Paris
It was in 1928, during a renovation of the Hôtel de Paris, that the reading room was transformed into a bar and became the American Bar. After multiple transformations, the paintings have disappeared, giving way to unpublished black and white photographs by artists who have stayed in Monte-Carlo.
The bar cabinet is in solid mahogany with pilasters and molded panels. Table 16, near the piano, has always been the favorite table of artists and celebrities such as Charles Aznavour, Tina Turner, Roberto Cavalli…
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Open every day from 12 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Casino Square. +377.98.06.76.23.