With an extra day after a conference I decided to travel from Nice to Monaco for the day. It was a perfect exploration.
I was in Nice, France for the International Luxury Travel Market, the world’s largest travel trade show and had a free day before heading back to the States. At one of my meetings, some fellow attendees suggested heading to Monte Carlo for the day. I rarely travel alone any more and it’s still rarer that I find myself with an open day on the calendar. So why not?
Getting There: Cannes To Monte Carlo, Monaco By Train
A taxi or Uber would have been comfortable and faster but not by much (about ten minutes) and for approximately five times the cost. I opted for the train instead, from Cannes and passing through Nice before arriving in Monte Carlo. The cost was a little over €12 each-way and the direct train with no changes for a 63-minute ride, a train ticket from Nice is slightly less and about 10 minutes shorter. I chose the upper deck with sweeping views of the Mediterranean, and soaked it all in while the train clacked and swayed along the rails.
Whether departing from Nice, or Cannes there’s no official passport control into Monaco by train but if you’d like to get a true stamp in your passport, officials at Mairie de Monaco will be happy to oblige. The line might be long but it passed quickly according to reports.
Arriving into Monte Carlo, Monaco the terminal was inside of a cavernous tunnel and it reminded me just how much I miss these glimpses into a grander time.
I exited in the direction of Villa Sauber and headed for the historic casino.
A Walk Along The Waterfront
I’ll hold my hand up that I didn’t research the destination before I bought the ticket. The planner in me that wanted to make the most of my brief experience would have been disappointed but there was something fantastic about exploring it blind and figuring it out as I went.
Spilling out to the marina, cliffs and hills flanked each direction. Apartments, and hotels faced the water with cream colored façades, narrow side streets, and palm trees dotting the sidewalk.
At the top of the hill, the iconic Hermitage hotel looked over the casino, marina, and a market with small shops decorated for the holidays.
The one thing I was sure of before heading to Monaco, Monte Carlo was expected to be full of opulence. However, I underestimated the focus on car culture, racing, and the upcoming F-1 series. It must be an incredible venue to watch the race.
Christmas Markets
Christmas markets spanned along the frontage facing the water, but then extended to the plaza of in front of the casino and the Hermitage. Certainly not as expansive as the those in Munich or Strasbourg, they still added a touch of the season in a refined way. At the base of the marina, a holiday carnival atmosphere was installed but not open during the hours of my visit.
Changing Of The Guards At The Prince’s Palace
Descending down the hill and back up the opposite cliff, the Prince’s palace was a steep climb upward but worthwhile for the view at the top and the view from the top.
The ceremonial changing of the guard begins promptly at 11:55 am and concludes about ten minutes later. A small crowd had gathered to watch the approximately two dozen guards accompanied by drummers move into place.
Taking a trip from Nice or Cannes to the Principality whether by train or bus or taxi was worth it just for the views from the mounted telescopes at the top. Around the palace, small streets that could have been anywhere in Europe were dotted with souvenir shops, and tiny little food stalls with a mix of culinary options.
A Market Visit
On my way back down the hill to the marina, I avoided the waterfront on my return in favor of exploring my way home. I came across a market with incredible fruit and vegetables.
A very small food hall beckoned me inside. I’ve tried cronuts (croissants blended with doughnuts) but never a “cruffin.” Seizing the day, I bought one and bit into it. Like a cronut, or a doughnut for that matter, it was dusted with cinnamon and sugar but the real surprise was that unlike a muffin, it was rolled like a cinnamon roll with yet another surprise inside: a sweet cream.
A line formed in front of several stalls for a large pan charring the bottom of a chickpea cake. Socca is a tradition extending beyond Monaco to the shared coasts of France and neighboring Italy. Crisp edges were the highlight of this cheap and cheerful snack tucked away into a paper sleeve, perfect for my train back.
Overall Impressions
The Principality was affordable for visitors filled with seemingly happy people and set on the picturesque French Riviera. Students exited a Monaco bus proudly powered entirely by electricity, heading into a nearby university. It was life like anywhere else on the continent but felt different, perhaps even a bit utopian.
Conclusion
Monte Carlo, Monaco was such an easy day trip and anyone visiting Nice, Cannes, or the surrounding French Riviera should make time to visit the Principality. It was wonderful to experience a day of discovery again too, but I’ll look forward to bringing my family back with me next year to see it for themselves.
Try buying a house. Certainly not utopian.
A far better option is the village of Eze in between Nice and Monaco. Accessible by bus.
Èze-Village, the hidden treasure of the French Riviera, can also be reached by train from Nice via the train station Èze-sur-Mer or by bus from Nice. Close to the train station is a bus stop for buses bringing tourists to Èze-Village.
I think your conclusion got cut off.
Nice review! I’d take a train any day of the week over an uber in that situation. More relaxing and less stop start.
I walked the whole f1 circuit about 25 years ago on a day trip from nice as a backpacker. Loved it.
Can’t believe how cheap that cruffin was. Thought it would be ten euros plus!
For this trip along the French Riviera, the train proved to be a fantastic choice.
If only you had the chance to hop on a TGV INOUI set from Nice and travel all the way to Paris… Maybe next time with your family.
Husband went the Automobile museum. I decided to walk back from the Palace grounds. Fortunately Monte Carlo is very safe and easy to navigate. What i failed to realize husband had all my stuff in his pack. No id, cards, phone etc (stupid ). I had one bottle of water. Continuing to be fool, I just used the stairs between buildings and proceed downwards. ( hotel De Paris beach club is seafront ). At sunset i could see my hotel but there was a lot of backtracking.
All said, arrived safely with very sore feet. Map, money can be useful, nothing like an hours long detour!
Let’s note that the first known Cruffin or Croffin to be created was by pastry chef Kate Reid of Lune Croissanterie in Melbourne, Australia in 2013. The cruffin was later popularized and trademarked by Mr. Holmes Bakehouse, from San Francisco. Since then, there have been multiple variations of the cruffin found all over the world.
Monaco is indeed a Utopia of sorts, at least for its very rich residents. Nobody need fear that their fancy watch will be stolen from their wrist, or that a thug will demand their wallet at knifepoint. It’s like Disneyland for the extremely well-heeled. As a resident it’s easy to make connections, as there’s a multinational population who have transplanted from elsewhere. My mother and her husband relocated there in 2019, and have no desire to leave. As a casual visitor Monaco’s charms might evaporate quickly, because there’s not really much to see and do after a couple of days. One of the main attractions to living there is the close proximity to the rest of Europe and the UK., with many residents escaping on the weekends, as well as during the Grand Prix and the yacht show.
I love how easy it is to tour this region by train. I’ve done Monaco and am glad for it. But, it doesn’t beckon me back. The local trains will take you to the first stop in Italy. I have to admit, I’ve never been further into Italy. I always hit Antibe for the Picaso museum. The regional food is excellent. I love the regular availability of soupe de poisson as a first course.
Walking along the boats in port in Monaco, I was amazed at the elegant boats. Then, I looked into the harbor where the ships too big to dock were. Wow.
Two tips for Monaco:
– avoid preparation for races! Roads are blocked off and it’s very messy walking around on foot.
– an eSIM covering France may not work in Monaco. Monaco has its own mobile network and our phones, which are meant to allow free roaming in all EU territories, would not work at all in Monaco.
Some would say… this review was… Nice!
*ba dum tss*