Monaco is the second smallest country after Vatican, which makes it possible to visit the country in one day if you are in French Riviera. When I was in Nice, I did not miss the opportunity to do a day trip to Monaco and it was completely worth it.
Getting there:
I chose to go to Monaco by train and came back to Nice by bus because Nice train station (Gare de Nice-Ville) is closer to my hotel and it is more convenient to catch a bus in Monaco to come back to Nice.
By train: I took a train from Gare de Nice-Ville to Gare de Monaco-Monte-Carlo station. The train ticket is about EUR 4. The train ride is only 14 minutes.
By bus: Bus 100 runs regularly from the port (Le Port) in Nice and has several stops in Monaco before it continues to Menton. It only cost EUR 1.50 one way. The bus takes an scenic route along the coast
The closet major airport is Nice Cote-d'Azur International Airport. It is possible to take bus 110 from Nice Airport to go directly to Monaco. If you have money to splurge, you can also consider taking a helicopter to fly from Nice Airport and arrive at Monaco Heliport in 7 minutes!
Getting around:
I prefer walking in Monaco. The country is small, you can cover most sights in one day. But be prepared that you will need to hike up some slopes and free public escalators or elevators might be hard to find.
Alternatively, you can take the bus which has 5 bus routes to get around. Most frequently used is route 1 and route 2. For more information, go to the official website: https://www.cam.mc/en
My one day itinery in Monaco:
Jardin Exotique de Monaco (Exotic Garden) -> Palais Princier (Prince's Palace) -> Monaco-Ville -> Port Hercule -> Casino de Monte-Carlo -> Jardins de la Petite Afrique -> Office Du Tourism (Tourism Office) -> back to Nice
1) Jardin Exotique de Monaco
I decided to start with Jardin Exotique de Monaco after getting off the train at Gare de Monaco-Monte-Carlo station. It is a 20-minute walk from the station to the garden and it's an uphill walk all the way. But it is a pleasant walk with beautiful view and buildings along the way. If you plan to spend more time in the casino or have little interest in gardens and cave, you should probably skip this. It is quite out of the way from the Monte-Carlo area.
The view from the terrace besides the Jardin Exotique ticket office is amazing.
The Jardin Exotique has almost a thousand species of cactus and succulents. These species were originated from Mexico, West Indies, Central and South America or Africa and Madagascar, thus the name "exotic".
The garden also offers a great view overlooking the Mediterranean sea since it is perched upon a cliff.
But my favourite part of the garden is the Observatory Cave. You will need to join a 40-minute guided tour to enter the cave and the tour is available every hour from 10am to 5pm during my visit. Just wait at the entrance of the cave until the tour guide shows up. If you miss the time, you'll need to wait for another hour to enter the cave.
It is not suitable for young child to enter the cave unless you are willing to carry your child most of the time while in the cave. It involves climbing lots of steps and the floor is slippery when it is wet. My husband and I took turn to carry our son. Another couple did the same with their toddler.
The Observatory Cave was regularly visited by prehistoric hunters-gatherers. Remains of their activities such as animal bones and tools, have been excavated.
Visitor to the garden can visit the Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology and see the prehistoric remains uncovered in the Principality and neighboring area.
2) Palais Princier (Prince's Palace)
Passed by this cute little church which is located at the valley between two hills and right under a bridge while on the way to the palace. It is called Chapelle Sainte Devote.
It is mostly downhill walk before I met another long flights of steps to get to the palace.
Fortunately, the slope is not too steep to push my baby stroller up.
This palace is the official residence of the Sovereign Prince of Monaco. Every day around noon, visitors can watch the changing of guards ceremony in front of the palace.
I did not visit the State Apartments though. I was content to see the beautiful panoramic view overlooking the port and Monte-Carlo from the palace square. My cover photo of Monaco was taken here.
3) Monaco-Ville
I walked through Monaco-Ville (old town) also known as "the Rock". It is made up of picturesque narrow alleys from medieval times and colourful buildings which are now turned into shops and cafes.
4) Port Hercule
Afterwards, I went down to the port area.
Monaco is home to the annual Formula One Grand Pix and it is not surprising statue of F1 champions and their cars on the pavement.
5) Casino de Monte-Carlo
From the port, it is an uphill hike again to the casino.
Opera de Monte-Carlo.
Casino de Monte-Carlo is world-famous for its stunning architecture and high-stake gambles. Since I didn't plan to gamble, I just enter the casino and have a look inside.
Nothing shouts "I am here in Casino de Monte-Carlo" more than posing with these giant mock gambling chips inside the casino, haha.
6) Jardins de la Petite Afrique
The small park in front of Casino de Monte-Carlo is petite in size but quite nice to stroll about. It has fountains and palm trees.
Cafe de Paris is a famous cafe which is founded at the same time as Monte Carlo.
7) Office Du Tourism (Tourism Office)
My last destination in Monaco is the Tourism Office where I got a free souvenir passport stamp.
* The staff at the Tourism Office are unfortunately not able to stamp your official documents now, as this could result in your passport becoming invalid and causing problems for your journey home. You can however get a mock passport (free upon request) to get it stamped with the day's date.
Tips: Coming back from Monaco, it is better to get on at the stop by the Tourist Office rather than at the Place d'Ames stop as there will be fewer passenger or you'll risk standing all the way back to Nice for 45 minutes. Also, don't miss the last bus (around 8.20pm) or train (around 9.20pm) if you're doing a day trip to Monaco unless you're willing pay a hefty amount to take a taxi back. Accommodation in Monaco is also expensive, which is why most people travelling on budget opt to do a day trip instead of staying in Monaco.
Others attractions in Monaco that I have not covered are Oceanographic Museum and Japanese Garden which are worth a visit if you have more time and energy.
Is a day trip to Monaco doable? Totally. Depending on what you want to see or do, you can adjust your itinery accordingly.
What a gorgeous area to discover! The views are absolutely stunning!
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