Casino de Monte-Carlo
Garnier's gilded casino and opera house
The atrium and gaming rooms can be visited by day; over-18s only, and dress the part in the evening.
Place du CasinoArchitectureBelle Époque
Monte Carlo, Monaco
Ideal: 1–2 daysBest: Apr–OctPrice: Very expensive
In 60 seconds
Monte Carlo in 60 seconds
Monte Carlo is the Monaco of the imagination: Charles Garnier's casino and opera house facing a garden of palms, the Hôtel de Paris beside it, and supercars idling in the square. Step inside the casino's atrium even if you never gamble, then walk down to Port Hercule, where the yachts are moored along the same streets the Grand Prix races through each spring — the hairpin, the tunnel and the harbour chicane are ordinary roads the rest of the year. Larvotto beach and the Japanese Garden give the district a calmer side by the sea. It is small, steep and best on foot, with lifts and escalators threading the levels; the old town on the Rock across the harbour has its own guide.
CoastArchitecture
Best for
- Luxury
- Nightlife
Known for
- Casino de Monte-Carlo
- Port Hercule
- Grand Prix circuit
- Larvotto
Skip if
You are travelling on a tight budget — even a coffee on the Place du Casino is priced for the setting.
Your match
Choose a few travel interests and we will show how well Monte Carlo fits them. Choose interests
See
Must experience
The things that would make the trip incomplete without them.
Opéra de Monte-Carlo
The Salle Garnier inside the casino building
A jewel-box opera house; a performance is the way to see it.
Place du CasinoArchitectureMusic
Port Hercule
The harbour between the Rock and Monte Carlo
Walk the quays for the yachts and the view up to the palace.
La CondamineHarbourYachts
Circuit de Monaco
The Grand Prix on everyday streets
Follow the lap on foot: up to Casino Square, down the hairpin, through the tunnel to the harbour.
Monte CarloMotorsport
Larvotto
Monaco's public beach
Free, sheltered and an easy walk from the casino.
LarvottoBeach
Orientation
Neighbourhoods
How the city is actually divided, and what each part is for.
Monte Carlo
Casino, palaces and boutiques
The glamorous quarter on the hill east of the harbour.
La Condamine
The harbour quarter and market
Monaco's everyday streets around Port Hercule.
Stay
Where to stay
Areas rather than hotels — pick the right one and the rest follows.
Monte Carlo
Very expensiveGrand hotels on the square
For the full Monaco evening on your doorstep.
Luxury
Nice
ExpensiveA Riviera base down the line
Twenty minutes by train, with far more choice and lower prices.
TrainsValue
Practical
Know before you go
- Getting in
- Trains along the coast from Nice and Menton stop at Monaco-Monte-Carlo station, cut into the rock.
- Getting around
- Public lifts and escalators link the levels; buses cross the principality.
- Grand Prix
- The race takes over the streets in late May or early June — book far ahead, or avoid those days.
- Taste locally
- Barbagiuan fritters, pissaladière and pan bagnat — Monaco eats from the same Riviera table as Nice.
Plan this trip — useful links
Context
History in 5 minutes
Enough to make what you are looking at legible.
- 1863
The Société des Bains de Mer is founded to run the casino; three years later the district is named Monte Carlo, after Prince Charles III.
- 1879
Charles Garnier's opera house, the Salle Garnier, is inaugurated.
- 1929
The first Monaco Grand Prix is run through the streets.
Further out
Nearby escapes
Worth a day if you have one to spare.
Monaco-Ville & Le Rocher
The palace and old town
Monaco-Ville & Le Rocher has its own guide.
15 min on footHistory
Nice
The Riviera's capital
Nice has its own guide.
20 min by trainCoast