Monaco and Montecarlo: how to get there and what to see

Monaco, for those who don't know, is a small sovereign city-state located along the French Riviera, 30 minutes from Nice; and it's capital (so to speak) is Monte Carlo. As we had a free day today, my friend and I decided to visit this small 'country' and we've had a great day on the coast.

We woke up at 9am, showered, had breakfast and left for Place Masséna where we were meeting some other girls coming with us at around 10am. For anyone interested, in front of the Opera tram stop (near place Masséna) you can grab a bus that takes you to Monaco. It's the 100 bus and each journey costs 1€ (the travel pass doesn't cover this journey as, well, you're going to another 'country' so to speak). The bus is pretty frequent and it takes about half an hour, 45 minutes at the worse.

When we got to Monaco, we got off at a stop called "Office du Tourisme". The bus drops you off, as you can probably guess, right by the Tourist Office. Go straight in as there you can grab a map and ask questions about the best places to go and see. This is what we did and it worked out pretty well.

After getting the map from the Office, we set off and officially started our day in Monaco.

Our first stop was Le Jardin Japonais. It's right by the sea so there are some great views of the boats, yachts, and of course Monaco's beautiful coastal landscape. This small little Japenese inspired park is right in the middle of Monte Carlo, which is like a neighbourhood (the richest one) of Monaco. If you're spending more than one day here, I think it would be a great idea to come and relax in this garden. If it's not busy and the weather is nice, it's a great place to pass the time; sitting down, relaxing, listening to the ocean and playing with the sand in the little zen gardens.

After this spot of relaxation, our next stop was the famous Montecarlo Casino. The building itself is stunning, luxurious and full of people. The entrance itself is even more luxurious (if that's even possible) with Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Rolls Royces parked out front, and valet boys running around parking the cars and even putting on the handbrake if you forget.

After eating, as the Casino didn't open until 2, we went in to see if we could go and and just have a look around. But, on top of having to leave your camera and bag outside, you had to pay 10€ to go in. In the end we didn't go in as 10€ seemed too much to just go and have a look.

Our next stop was l'Institute Oceanographique. It's a small aquarium/museum, a great place to visit if you have the time and are interested in going.

It has loads of interesting fish inside, and you get the chance to learn about all the marine life. There is also a museum, not as interesting, that is full of dissected animals that grossed some of us out (me, for example). However, it was a good place to go despite this, and definitely worth paying the 7€ entry (even less with a student discount) due to its balcony vantage point. The museum has a large balcony at the top from which you can see amazing views of the city and the sea.

Once we'd finished in the museum, we went in to the city, visited a church (the name of which I can't remember) and the palace also. They aren't especially attractive buildings to look at, but it's definitely worth passing by la Vieille Ville de Mónaco (Old Town) which is full of charming alleys and kind people always willing to help you if you seem lost.

Lastly, in terms of getting home, the best place to grab a bus back to Nice is from Place D'Armes. I think you can get them at 8, but as I'm not sure make sure to keep an eye out and don't lose track of time.

So, after an amazing day in Monaco, I'd definitely recommend that you go and pay a visit, but make sure that you see even more than I did. I'll probably go back and visit soon, and maybe even look out for the chance to take a boat or yacht tour of the city. But yeah, definitely worth going.

Just going to leave you with this last little photo of one of my yachts... :P