Top Monaco Tours & Vacations 2024/2025 [reviews & photos]

Monaco Tours & Travel Packages 2024/2025

107 Monaco trips. Compare tour itineraries from 11 tour companies. 263 reviews. 4.7/5 avg rating.

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Top Monaco Attractions & Experiences

Top Monaco Experiences

  • Stroll through Old Town and the Rock of Monaco
  • Explore the Prince’s Palace where Monaco’s royalty live
  • Walk the Grand Prix Monte Carlo path
  • Relax on the rocky Mediterranean beach, Larvotto beach.
  • Visit the Antique Automobile Museum

Monaco Tours & Travel Guide

Monaco Attractions & Landmarks Guide

Known perhaps as a place where a lot of “one percenters” spend their vacations, Monaco is a tiny principality and more than lives up to the glitzy hype. This independent micro-state along the French coastline is chock full of luxury boutiques, fine dining, and coastline dotted with yachts.

Most people who visit Monaco usually do so on a Europe tour, making their Monaco visit either a day trip or an overnight trip from Nice, France.

Monaco is an independent micro-state that sits near the French Riviera, and is a popular destination for “one percenters” who like to check out the fine dining, high-end shopping, the casinos, and the yacht-filled coast.

Monaco is also home to the annual Monaco Grand Prix, one of the most prestigious automobile races in the world. Monaco is also a popular spot for movie filming. If you’ve seen the movie “Never Say Never Again” (1983), you’ll remember the bike chase through the streets of Monaco along the French Riviera. You can experience those views yourself with a trip to Monaco!

How to get to Monaco

Monaco is just a short ride away from Nice, France, about 30 minutes by bus. Many travelers choose to fly into Nice. If you’re traveling to Monaco straight from the airport, there is a bus from the airport that takes you to Gare de Nice (The name of the transit stop. Gare is the French word for station). If you’re planning on doing the reverse route, make sure to allow adequate time to catch the bus between the station and Monaco, as buses can be late on occasion. You don’t want to miss your flight due to a late bus!

How to get around Monaco

A question travelers often ask is “should I rent a car and drive to Monaco?” and the answer is, there is no need! Monaco is very small, about 0.78 square miles, so it’s possible to walk the entire country! Between the public transportation and the walkability of Monaco, there is no need to rent a car. Plus, parking is limited, there is loads of traffic, and roads are extremely narrow. It’s better to save the hassle and skip the car.

The public transportation in Monaco is affordable and reliable. With five bus lines, you’re able to get where you’re wanting to go. You can buy individual tickets at the vending machine, or on the bus from the driver. Bus rides within 30 minutes of a validated ticket (make sure to validate your ticket on the ticket validation machine), you can ride for free. If you plan to take more than a few rides in a single day, it’s more economical to get an unlimited day pass. Children under the age of 7 travel free.

Sitting on the coast, parts of Monaco can be pretty steep. Luckily, Monaco has installed several street lifts around the city to make the trek easier. These lifts are also free to use. If you’re trying to get up or down from Old Town to the Casino (a common route), there are lifts towards the end of the Old Port.

One more fun form of transportation around the city, especially if you have young kiddos. There is the Azur Express, a tourist train that starts at the Musée Océanographique de Monaco and takes you around to the tourist highlights of Monaco in about 30 minutes.

For those who are tight on time, such as a day trip, this is an efficient way to check off all the main sights. Monaco also has a hop-on hop-off bus tour, and takes you to all the stops where you can choose where to get on and get off. The entire route takes an hour, but the idea is that you’ll get off at the sights you want to see and explore. Another fun alternative for those who don’t want to walk, or who have young kids.

What to see in Monaco

There’s a variety of things to do depending on your interest, and you can find them listed under our attractions and guide pages. Here's a quick list of things that should not be missed!

1. Monte Carlo Casino

This is probably the most obvious choice, as it’s the most popular attraction in Monaco. Take in the grand décor and all it’s glamor. Make sure you’re dressed appropriately, as there is a dress code, especially at night. This casino has been featured in many movies, including James Bond’s GoldenEye. Fun fact: the citizens of Monaco are forbidden from the Casino’s gaming rooms. Some travelers have mentioned bringing your passport to show your citizenship so you can take home your winnings.

2. Prince’s Palace of Monaco

This is the official home of the Prince of Monaco. While their residence is not open to the public, you can tour the rooms of the palace and the gardens. There are some incredible views of Monaco from the Palace, making it a great place to visit for photographers.

3. Jardin Exotique De Monaco

The main attraction of this garden is the succulent plants that have been brought in from across the world, including the southwestern United States, South America, and Southern Africa. While viewing all the plants, you’re met with awesome views of the Mediterranean and the city, as this garden was built on a Cliffside.

Plants produce flowers for reproductive purposes, but since the plants are brought in from various parts of the world, the “reproduction period” varies throughout the year depending on where the plant originated.

Not to be missed when visiting the Jardin Exotique De Monaco is the observation cave at the bottom of the cliffs. The limestone was dug by the carbonic gas in the water. A visit to the caves is included with the garden ticket. For those fascinated by archeology, check out the Prehistoric Anthropology Museum, right next to the Garden.

Where to shop and dine in Monaco

Monaco is known for its luxury dining and shopping, and even if you’re not looking to spend money, it’s fun to browse through and window shop. The shopping in Monaco is pretty expensive, so be prepared for high price tags. For shopping, check out the Cercle d’Or district. Shops such as Dior, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton line the streets of Monaco.

Dining wise, there are lots of high-end restaurants, including Le Louis XV and Blue Bay. For more casual dining, consider Les Perles de Monte-Carlo for some fresh seafood. Being near the sea, there is plenty of Mediterranean and seafood options in Monaco. Another popular place to grab a bite if La Note Bleue, with live music, on Larvotto beach.

Outdoor Activities in Monaco

Sitting on the coast right off the Mediterranean Sea, it’d be crazy not to spend time soaking in the gorgeous views that Monaco offers. Luckily, there is plenty to do, and many attractions have great views of Monaco. Spending a sunny morning strolling through the Jardins Exotique de Monaco, looking at the plants from around the world.

The gardens are met with coastal views of the sea and the city. If you’re not into succulents, or want to visit numerous gardens, you’re in luck! There are many gardens in Monaco. Check out the Japanese Garden, the Princess Grace Rose Garden, and/or Les Jardins Saint-Martin.

Another idea is to walk along the waterfront and check out all the yachts that are docked by the port. If you go to Monaco Harbor, you’ll be met with views of the cliffs and the really luxurious yachts, including the Prince of Monaco’s main yacht. You’ll also find plenty of shopping and dining while roaming the streets of Monaco. There are plenty of beaches (both natural and artificial) for those who want to relax and feel the breeze.

How Much Time Should I spend in Monaco?

Many people are satisfied with a day trip to Monaco, since it’s not very big geographically. One could walk from one end of Monaco to another in about an hour. For those who like to take it easy, stroll around and lounge around, an overnight trip may be a good option.

Most travelers are satisfied with just a day trip. Accommodations are pretty pricey in Monaco too, so that’s why the day trip is usually the better option, especially for those who are on a budget.

For those who would like to spend a night or more in Monaco, but aren’t looking to pay a fortune, consider staying on the French side of the border. Even if you stay in Nice, you’re only 30 minutes away, so it’s an easy commute and a much more affordable option.

If you’re taking a day trip, it would be a good idea to make a list of what sites you want to see so you can plan strategically. Since Monaco runs along the coast, it would be most efficient and enjoyable to visit attractions in order of location, rather than popping around at each place. Since your time is precious, you don’t want to spend it running back and forth across town (or the country!!).

Monaco Reviews & Ratings

4.7/5  Excellent
263  Reviews
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Excellent
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Great
7
Average
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Disappointing
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Terrible
1
S

Sean

Sep 2016

Provided byG Adventures

Very good, extremely enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the locations

Very good, extremely enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the locations.

T

Tammy

Sep 2016

Provided byG Adventures

I was able to meet some wonderful people on this trip and that really is what G Adventures is about in a week, I was able to experience things that you can barely begin to describe in words or can fully capture in a photograph

I was able to meet some wonderful people on this trip and that really is what G Adventures is about in a week, I was able to experience things that you can barely be...

P

Paul

Aug 2016

Provided byG Adventures

Fantastic

Fantastic.

T

Thomas

Aug 2016

Provided byG Adventures

See above

See above.

J

Jinoos

Jul 2016

Provided byG Adventures

My experience with G Adventures was a trip of a lifetime

My experience with G Adventures was a trip of a lifetime. The cities we explored were beautiful and the experiences we had both as a group and smaller groups are mom...

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