Ever wish you could text the most stylish people in the world to ask them for their lists of things to do in the places they know best? Here are insider travel tips for those who would never be caught dead in a tourist trap. Bon voyage!
Who
Monte-Carlo is smaller than Central Park. Of the 38,000 residents packed in less than one-square-mile, about 32% are millionaires. (There’s no income, capital gain, wealth, or property taxes.) There is a Prince—Albert the II, the son of Grace Kelly—who runs the government, a constitutional monarchy. It’s where Lily Bart, the unraveling New York socialite at the center of Edith Wharton’s House of Mirth (1905), has her reputation damaged beyond repair by a rumor involving a yacht. So yes, a trip to Monte-Carlo feels very grand. But the city-state is more charming than you might imagine: the streets are skinny and winding, often full of Belle Époque buildings that show their age.
We asked a few people well-acquainted with Monte-Carlo for travel tips: Dominique Lory, the executive chef at the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo; Tatiana Wolter-Ferguson, a former resident and the founder of Hardly Ever Worn It; Charlotte Diwan, the director of the fair Art Monte-Carlo; and Almine Rech, the French art dealer who opened an outpost of her gallery in Monaco last year.
What
What to Bring
“Monte-Carlo definitely leans into elegance, so it’s the perfect excuse to dress up a little more than you might elsewhere,” says Wolter-Ferguson. “Think smart casual by day—linen shirts, flowing dresses, crisp tailoring—and chic and polished by night. For dinner, many locals and visitors dress stylishly—heels, blazers, designer bags.”
“You can confidently bring your finest jewelry and valuable accessories,” says Diwan. “Monaco is one of the safest destinations with virtually no crime, allowing you to showcase your most beautiful pieces in complete security.” (Last year, the violent crime rate in Monte-Carlo was less than 1%.)
“For men, jackets, no ties are mandatory,” says Rech.
What to Leave Behind
“Leave the ultra-casual flip flops, cargo shorts, and oversized beachwear at home,” says Wolter-Ferguson. “Monte-Carlo isn’t pretentious, but it does appreciate a bit of effort. And while you’re welcome to bring luxury, keep flashy logos and overt displays of wealth subtle—it’s more about quiet sophistication.”
“Monaco is never really cold,” says Rech. Tourists “can leave their very warm clothes at home.”
What to Keep in Mind
The closest major airport is in Nice, about a 40-minute drive away from Monte-Carlo, or a 7 minute helicopter ride, if you’d like to tempt fate. Direct flights to and from New York City are seasonal, from April through October.
Monaco is stuck between Italy and France. “In Monaco, there are essentially three languages spoken: French, English, and Italian,” says Lory.
Once you arrive, you’ll find four distinct districts: “Monte-Carlo with its glamorous casino and luxury shopping, Monaco-Ville (the old town) with the Prince's Palace and historic charm, the new Mareterra district with its contemporary architecture and waterfront innovation, and La Condamine with authentic local life and the bustling market area,” says Diwan.
“The city is quite compact, so walking is often the best way to take in its beauty,” says Wolter-Ferguson. “Taxis can be scarce, so book in advance if needed, or try the electric boat shuttle across the port for something different.”
Where
Where to Stay
The Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo was built in 1864, when Prince Charles III decided that Spélugues—an arid and undeveloped swath of land full of olive and citrus trees—should become a luxury city. Two years after the hotel opened, the city was officially named Monte-Carlo. One side of the hotel faces the Mediterranean Sea; another faces Casino de Monte-Carlo.
Hotel de Paris
The façade is crowded with Beaux-Arts-style ornamentals: naked ladies, horse heads, and wreaths. The lobby walls are partially painted gold. Even the gym has a view of superyachts docked in the Yacht Club de Monaco. There’s an indoor pool and a spa with saunas, steam rooms, whirlpools, massages, and a beauty salon. The hotel has been featured in two James Bond movies.
Hotel de Paris
“Stepping inside feels like being transported into another era,” says Wolter-Ferguson. “For something more intimate, Hôtel Métropole Monte-Carlo offers stunning interiors, world-class dining, and a calmer, more boutique experience.” (In 2013, Karl Lagerfeld, redesigned the pools and gardens. For the indoor pool, he created a glass mural inspired by The Iliad and The Odyssey.) “Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort has a fantastic mix of luxury and resort-like ease.” There’s not only a outdoor pool but also an indoor pool and a sandy lagoon.
Hotel Metropole Monte-Carlo
A cheap hotel doesn’t really exist in Monte-Carlo. A small dark room with a stiff bed will still run you over $200 a night.
Where to Eat
Across the street from Hôtel De Paris, there’s Café de Paris, a casual spot with a “classic brasserie atmosphere and prime people-watching terrace,” as Lory puts it. Opened in 1868, it was Monte-Carlo’s first cafe. While the tobacco kiosk is long-gone, it’s still open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. “It’s a bit of a scene, but it’s where the action is,” says Wolter-Ferguson.
Café de Paris
For lunch, Lory recommends Em Sherif—a Lebanese restaurant in the Hôtel De Paris that serves kebabs, kefta, and fattoush—and Le Grill, which has a panoramic view of the city and dishes like pasta with mint and grilled blue lobster. Rech likes Le Grill for dinner because the retractable ceiling “opens in the evening to the starry night.” For sushi, Wolter-Ferguson recommends Yoshi, in the Hôtel Métropole. For Peruvian food, she suggests Coya.
Em Sherif
For a special occasion, Lorry recommends Le Louis XV, which was opened by Alain Ducasse, the godfather of French haute cuisine, in 1987. Ever since, the restaurant has been considered the best in Monaco. The restaurant, which has three Michelin stars and a ceiling with molding so ornate it resembles Versailles, offers pigeon with elderflower and turnip and caviar with saffron.
Le Louis XV
For dessert, Patisserie Riviera, a charming shop in the center of Monte-Carlo, has delicious sponge and opera cakes, as well as homemade chocolates.
Where to Blow Money
Monte-Carlo’s first casino was built in the mid-1860s because the royal family was on the verge of bankruptcy. It proved so financially successful that the monarchy abolished taxes four years later and commissioned Charles Garnier, the architect behind the Paris Opera House, to make an even larger casino. Ever since, Casino de Monte-Carlo has been the most famous casino on the planet.
Citizens of Monaco are not just forbidden from gambling in the casino, but barred from even entering gaming rooms. Among the casino’s biggest losers: Winston Churchill. In 1945, he lost 1.3 million francs. Considering he just helped the Allies win World War II, the casino waved the debt.
Where to Shop
“For high fashion, you can’t miss the Carré d’Or,” says Wolter-Ferguson. Also known as the Golden Square, the area includes the Hôtel de Paris and the Casino de Monte-Carlo, and it has everything from Gucci to Miu Miu. “Vintage shopping is more niche in Monaco, but there are hidden gems—you just need to dig a little.” Among them is Le Dressing, a small store with a large selection.
Carré d’Or
“In the Metropole underground shopping mall, you find many famous and lesser-known brands, as well as the HealthStore, which offers amazing products,” says Rech. (Here, health means beauty, not food.) The mall still has a Dean & Deluca.
Where to Go Out
“Start with dinner at Twiga or Sass Café—both transition beautifully into a lively party atmosphere as the night goes on,” says Wolter-Ferguson.
Twiga
“Then head to Jimmy’z for that classic Monaco club experience: late nights, international DJs, and a crowd that dresses to impress.” (After F1 Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc won the Monaco Grand Prix last year, he went to Jimmy’z with a group of friends.)
Jimmy’z
For an evening spent sitting, not dancing, on chairs, “the American Bar at Hôtel de Paris is always elegant,” says Wolter-Ferguson.
Le Bar Américain
Where To Look at Art
Several major art galleries, from Almine Rech to Hauser and Wirth, have outposts in Monte-Carlo. Plus, “the two national museums, Villa Paloma and Villa Sauber, present excellent 20th-century and contemporary art exhibitions,” says Rech. “The next show at Villa Paloma is ‘Les Années Folles de Coco Chanel,’ focusing on the Ballets Russes era and the beginnings of seaside leisure.” Every summer, there’s Art Monte-Carlo, a contemporary art and design fair held at the Grimaldi Forum. This year’s edition runs from July 7 to July 9.
Hauser & Wirth
Lory suggests the Oceanographic Museum, which is embedded in the side of a cliff. There’s multiple aquariums with bizarre fishes, a shark lagoon, model oceanographic ships, and several thousand historical artifacts.
Musée Océanographique
When
Monte-Carlo has two major sporting events throughout the year: in April, there’s the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters Tennis Tournament. In late May, there’s the Formula 1 Grand Prix. In general, “late spring (May to early June) is ideal—it’s warm, but not scorching, and you’ll catch the buzz of the Grand Prix without the full summer crowds,” says Wolter-Ferguson. “September is also beautiful, with lovely weather and a slightly more relaxed vibe post-season.”
Why
Around 1905, the novelist Willa Cather visited Monte-Carlo. Afterwards, she wrote: “I had a continual restless feeling that there was nothing at all real about Monte-Carlo; that the sea was too blue to be wet, the casino too white to be anything but pasteboard, and that from their very greenness the palms must be cotton.” I doubt she intended it, but she makes a compelling case for visiting. Monte-Carlo feels like the idea of a city in the South of France. How cool to visit a fantasyland.
