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Monaco on my mind

 

An article I wrote for http://www.diversetraveller.com/default.aspx

When my friend invited me to stay with her, while she was in Monaco for a business trip, I jumped at the chance.  Casinos, celebrities, luxury and glamour all ran through my mind as I searched for the cheapest way to get there. 

 

Monaco doesn't actually have an airport - it has a heliport though, a hint as to how small this country really is.  The nearest airport to Monaco is Nice - the second biggest airport in France - one of the many useful facts I learnt about the region. 

 

I arrived on a lovely October afternoon and inquired about the easiest way to get to Monaco from the airport, I learnt it was by coach, a service that runs every hour and takes about 50 minutes costing 15 Euros. (under 25s get a discount - 11 Euros).   The coach dropped me off at the Columbus Hotel in Fontvielle, situated near the heliport and the Princess Grace Rose Garden. 

 

As another friend was also joining us later that day, I decided to start my tour of Monaco by taking the train to meet her at the airport. There is only one train station in the world's second smallest country, and you can get there via carefully situated subway tunnels.

 

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My friends and I spent our first day in Monaco wandering around Fontvielle, the royal palace grounds and La Condamine (a lovely little shopping/café district).  Fontvielle is a port area where many high fliers moor their huge yachts and private boats - it's a wonderful sight. There are a few great restaurants along the port that offer Italian and French cuisine as well as an English pub.  Every Saturday there's a flea market at the port - with some glorious little treasures at quite reasonable prices.

 

We wandered up to the royal palace which is quite a trek, but well worth it. I wanted to have my photo taken with the guard, but he told me he wasn't allowed. Vielle Ville (the old town) is situated by the palace and its cobbled side streets make for a nice walking experience - there are plenty of ice cream shops and tourist gift shops as well an internet café.  The Cathedral de Monaco was delightful and the bright sunshine made the architecture look even more commanding. 

 

You can get some wonderful views of the entire country from the Jardin de St Martin.  The weather in Monaco was idyllic; it was 26 degrees - in October!  Having walked through the old town and taken more pictures than I could count, we decided to walk back down to La Condamine.  During our stroll we discovered the most divine vintage clothes store - Chanel, Cavelli and Louis Vuitton - I wanted to buy the entire shop, but financial sense prevailed. 

 

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The next day we went into the heart of Monaco - Monte Carlo. With its grand casino and gardens one would think that it's the capital of Monaco (which is Monaco-ville). It's a glorious part of town with luxury shops, hotels and gardens that are every tourist's dream. We decided not to go inside the Casino de Monte Carlo, however we did go inside the Café de Paris casino, which I found to be a dull experience, plus I bemused that people preferred to be in the dark when they could be basking in the sun.  We quickly left and headed for the tranquillity of the Japanese garden - a quaint little spot influenced by Zen thinking.

 

 Picture: Casino de Monaco. Source: Traveplaces.com

 

After a hard day touring we went to a little jazz bar named "Le Jazz" near La Condamine which had a happy hour from 5:30pm - 7:30pm.  Its interior was plush and classy as one would expect and the music was a wonderful mix of classic soul and soft rock.

 

We decided against walking up to the Monte Carlo beach as the sun was beginning to set, so we went to The Champions Promenade near Larvotto beach.  The guide book professed a walk full of the world's most famous footballers, so I was extremely excited at the prospect of seeing the footprints of Pelé and Zidane.  The most famous player's footprints were Maradona's and Shevchenko's. There are about 12 prints and we took pictures of our feet in Maradona's "golden foot" prints.

 

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The final day of our trip was spent lazing by the pool and wandering along the port watching locals catch fish.  I did manage to get up early enough to catch the changing of the guard at the palace, which takes place every day at 11:55am and is a treat for those die-hard monarchists.  

 

Monaco is a true gem in Europe's crown and is well worth a visit - even if you are short of time, rest assured you can see most of this small country in less than 48 hours.