Monaco is a 20-minute train ride along the coast from Nice so we made the most of a beautiful warm, sunny day to explore – our last day of the holiday so obviously we wanted to see as much as we could.
Eventually got our bearings when we came out of the train station – easier to leave at the lower level than the higher one – and walked along the harbor front where all the preparations are being put in place for the Monaco Grand Prix. A bit tricky to negotiate with lots of protective fencing blocking the path in places, but it is worth it to climb up to the Castle – it is steep with a choice between steps or a slope, but we would recommend the tourist bus or little train to get up there if you struggle with mobility.
Fantastic views over Monaco harbor, beautiful buildings, lots of tourists especially waiting for the changing of the guard. We explored the narrow side streets to find somewhere for lunch and were guided to our table by friendly waiter. However, they were not impressed by the fact we only wanted a snack meal, preferably several dishes we could share between us (as a group of 5), insisting we ordered at least four meals. The salads were the best option and were very tasty, though expensive at €62 for four dishes. A pleasant white wine, Chateau Roubine Blanc, was a bit sweeter than we usually choose and was also pricey at €36.
It was busy with many tourists, but we did feel as though they didn’t care whether they served us or not and we were glad to finish our meal. Still a lovely warm day, we walked down by a different route stopping for a film-star photo opportunity! In contrast, Monte Carlo Casino was wonderful, especially the service of our pink Champagne aperitif. It is €12 to go into the casino itself, and we just bought €20 of chips each – losing most of them within the first 5 minutes but winning some back in the end. It is a splendid building and free to enter the lobby area, so well worth the walk up the hill and the train journey from Nice.
