Monaco, the second smallest country in the world, is packed with more glamour per square inch than most places dream of. In just a few dazzling hours, we took in Monaco’s greatest hits—from the harbor to the palace, a peek at the iconic casino, and lunch at a longtime favorite.

You can almost see the entire country standing atop the royal palace grounds. The country is completely surrounded by France and the beautiful blue Mediterranean. Easily accessible by train, and as a part of the Schengen region of the EU, moving in and out of the country is effortless. We were staying in Nice, just a 30 minute train ride to this tiny country.

Port Hurcule (The Boat Harbor)

If you love to gawk at mega yachts, this is the place for you. Taking the train in, you drop right down to the harbor, called Port Hurcule. Here you will find some of the most gorgeous yachts you could imagine. There are restaurants, bars and gelaterias all along the harbor if you want to stop and simply enjoy the sights.

Just walk along and pick out your favorite yacht. Everyone can dream!

From the edge of the harbor, it's impossible to miss the Prince’s Palace, perched high above on the Rock of Monaco. The contrast is striking—glittering yachts below, royal history above.

The Prince’s Palace

We made our way up to the palace for sweeping views of the sea and city. It was a picture perfect day with not a cloud in the sky. So many high rises for such a small city!

It’s a Hike!

While not a long distance, the hike up to the palace from the harbor is a lot on a warm summer day. There are also busses, cabs and even a small tourist train that can take you to the top

We arrived at the top of the hill just in time to see the changing of the guard. This is a long-standing tradition in Monaco. It takes place once a day at 11:55 a.m., right in front of the palace. The ceremony is carried out by the Carabiniers du Prince, the royal guard responsible for protecting the Sovereign and the palace grounds. They still perform it not just for security, but to uphold a piece of Monaco’s heritage. It’s a nod to centuries of royal protocol, and is clearly become a popular attraction for visitors.

As soon as the changing of the guard is finished the whole area clears out. We learned that the Prince’s Palace has been the home of Monaco’s ruling Grimaldi family since the late 1200s, when it was first built as a fortress. Over the centuries, it has grown into a lavish residence with over 150 rooms, including ornate state apartments open to visitors in certain months. Today, it’s the official home of Prince Albert II, who still uses it as his working and living residence.

Prince Rainier of Monaco

A bronze statue of the late Prince Rainier sits quietly along the path to the palace in the shade. He ruled Monaco for almost 56 years. He was also famously married to the American actress Grace Kelly and their son is now the Prince of Monaco.

A top the hill, across from the palace, sits several small streets. Some are quiet with houses along the street and several are filled with shops and restaurants.

Castleroc Restaurant

Facing the palace sits a beautiful restaurant called Castleroc. The tables overlook both the palace and the seaside below. We were not hungry yet so we just stopped for a refreshing St. Germaine spritz. The food looked very good though!
It was now on to see more of Monaco

The Monte Carlo Casino

If you’ve even seen a James Bond movie or Ocean’s Twelve you’ve probably seen one The Monte Carlo Casino, one of the most famous casinos in the world. The setting is beautiful with opulent building sitting against the Mediterranean sea in the background.

The Monte Carlo Casino is Monaco’s most famous landmark, drawing visitors since it opened in 1863. But get this, the casino was actually built to help rescue the principality’s of Monaco’s finances. Today it’s become a playground for Europe’s elite, thanks to its opulent Belle Époque architecture and glamorous gaming rooms.

Another interesting fact about the casino is that, by law, citizens of Monaco are not allowed to gamble or even enter the gaming rooms of the Monte Carlo Casino. The rule was set in the 19th century by Prince Charles III, who wanted the casino to bring in revenue from wealthy foreign visitors without causing financial harm to Monaco’s own residents.

Fortunately, on this day, we did not have our passports to enter the casino itself, saving us a lot of money!

During the day visitors are pretty casually dressed to simply look around, but by evening, you will want to be well dressed up as part of the high roller scene.

In front of the casino, you will see some of the most high end cars in the world. How would you like to be a valet here? We also wondered how do they select which cars are out front and which cars get hidden away?

Cafe de Paris

Right across from the casino, the Café de Paris is the perfect spot to sit back with a coffee or champagne and watch Monaco roll by—literally, in a parade of luxury cars. Its sunny terrace and Belle Époque charm have made it a favorite for more than 150 years.
But bring your credit card as the prices match the luxury that sits all around you!

The Famous F1 Hairpin Turn

One more quick stop to see, the F1 turn. Every year in late May Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix, takes place racing through the streets of Monte Carlo and Monaco. The famous hairpin turn is just a short walk from the casino, right in front of the Fairmont hotel.

Even mid-afternoon on summer day you will see a show of fast cars taking the curve. Definitely worth a quick stop to say you were there!

BONUS: A Favorite Parisian Restaurant in Monaco, Relias de Venice!

After our visit to harbor, palace and casino we were ready for a late lunch. We thought we might wander back down toward the water to probably find some over priced food. Then we turned the corner and could not believe what we saw, Le Relais de Venise L'Entrecôte, the home of the most famous steak frites.

What? In Monaco? Turns out this is the latest addition to this iconic restaurant, now making 7 locations around the world. We were just in the Paris location last year and the Mexico City location earlier this year. We felt so fortunate to have stumbled on this gem right here in Monaco.

As I’ve said in our other posts, the menu is simple; salad, steak and frites. On this day, they had a lunchtime special that included a glass of wine. Perfect!

We told our waitress that we’d been to two other locations and she told the manager and other waitresses. It was fun to show them our pictures and they, of course wanted us to take a picture in their restaurant. It was, as always, a delicious meal.