From champagne-soaked yacht decks and Michelin-starred dining rooms to opulent spas and after-dark playgrounds, Monaco is the French Riviera’s ultimate expression of jet-set luxury.
BY AMANDA McCOY
Small in size but immense in stature, Monaco serves up an intoxicating stew of old-world elegance and modern extravagance. It is the second-smallest country in the world (trailing only Vatican City), stretching not even a full square mile along a rocky promontory on the Côte d’Azur. Monaco has not levied a personal income tax on its residents since 1869, a policy that helped create one of the richest jurisdictions in the world, and today the microstate boasts one of the highest concentrations of millionaires and billionaires on the planet. The Monte Carlo Casino opened in 1863, and by the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Monaco had become the go-to winter playground for European royalty, industrialists, and socialites. Grand hotels, elegant gardens, luxury villas, and cultural institutions sprang up around the legendary casino, and today the scene remains a postcard of Mediterranean opulence: a harbor packed with superyachts, world-renowned luxury hotels, a dizzying dining landscape with 14 total Michelin stars, and a never-ending parade of the global superelite dripping in Versace and Valentino.
Know Before You Go
The easiest way to reach Monaco is through Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, which sits about 20 miles west of the principality. Direct regional trains connect Nice to Monaco in roughly 25 minutes, and the route hugs the coastline with stunning views of the deep blue waters of the Côte d’Azur. If you’re leaning into the full VIP experience, nothing beats arriving by helicopter – the seven-minute transfer offers spectacular aerial vistas of the Mediterranean coastline and Monaco’s famed superyachts. Once you arrive, the country’s compact size makes it easy to explore on foot, though save your shiny new dress shoes for dinner as there are more stairs and elevation changes than many first-time visitors expect. (Monaco is carved into a rocky hillside, after all, but that’s what makes the views so cinematic.)
Reservations are strongly encouraged for popular restaurants, beach clubs, and nightlife hotspots, particularly during the peak summer season and major events such as the Monaco Grand Prix. Dress codes also tend to skew more polished than elsewhere on the Riviera, so if you’ve been itching to flaunt your latest Dior or LV threads, this is your golden opportunity.
Attractions
Casino de Monte-Carlo
Opened in 1863, this Belle Époque stunner is one of the world’s great symbols of glamour, wealth, and old-world European elegance. Built by Parisian architect Gobineau de la Bretonnerie with later expansions by Charles Garnier – the same architect behind the famed Palais Garnier – the casino’s architecture dazzles with marble columns, gilded ceilings, crystal chandeliers, frescoes, stained glass windows, and ornate detailing. Winston Churchill, Coco Chanel, Aristotle Onassis, Frank Sinatra, and countless members of European royal families have all walked its grand gaming halls, and 007 fans will recognize scenes from Never Say Never Again, GoldenEye, and Casino Royale.
montecarlosbm.com/fr/casino-monaco
Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo
This 71,000-square-foot super-sanctuary stands among the Riviera’s most celebrated wellness destinations. Though connected to Monaco’s Hôtel de Paris and Hôtel Hermitage, the sprawling facility operates as a standalone retreat, welcoming both hotel guests and day visitors. Its centerpiece is a heated seawater pool overlooking Port Hercule, complemented by saunas, hammams, whirlpools, solariums, and fitness facilities. Eradicate any traces of jetlag with the La Prairie Caviar Facial, which harnesses the dense nutrients and minerals of the fine-dining accoutremont to rejuvenate, smooth, and plump the skin, then cap off the experience with a green detox juice on the sun-drenched terrace of restaurant L’Hirondelle overlooking the Mediterranean.
Monte-Carlo Beach Club
Since 1928, Monte Carlo Beach Club has embodied the art of the Riviera summer. Set on a secluded curve of coastline just beyond Monaco’s borders, the legendary retreat is a wonderscape of striped double cabanas, a heated Olympic seawater pool, and crystalline Mediterranean waters. The vibe is decidedly Riviera chic: linen shirts, oversized sunglasses, and rosé at lunch. Spend your day drifting between the beach, pool, and restaurants – and chances are you’ll spot a celebrity or two.
Where to Stay
Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo
Opened in 1864 directly on Place du Casino, the Belle Époque palace was built as part of François Blanc’s grand vision to transform Monaco into Europe’s premier luxury destination. More than 160 years later, it remains the principality’s most iconic address, a place where royalty, industrial dynasties, Hollywood legends, and modern billionaires have gathered beneath its gilded ceilings. In 2019, the property completed a multi-year, $280 million renovation, reimagining its storied walls for the modern sybarite, adding a 7,200-square-foot garden, new Alain Ducasse-helmed restaurant, and two massive penthouses: the two-story Princess Grace Suite and the expansive Prince Rainier III suite, both equipped with private terraces, infinity pools, and outdoor jacuzzis.
montecarlosbm.com/en/hotel-monaco/hotel-paris-monte-carlo
The Maybourne Riviera
This cliffside retreat, widely hailed as Monaco’s trendiest overnight stay, debuted in 2021 as the first French property from the luxury hotel group behind Claridge’s, The Connaught, and The Berkeley. Its cascading terraces, floor-to-ceiling glass, and bright white façades seem to emerge directly from the cliff face, creating the sensation of floating between sea and sky. The views here the main attraction, with nearly every room, suite, restaurant, and terrace oriented toward the Mediterranean. Many accommodations feature expansive sun-bathed terraces, while select suites boast infinity plunge pools suspended above the coastline. The hotel’s infinity pool may be one of the most spectacular on the Riviera, appearing to spill directly into the sea hundreds of feet below.
maybourne.com/en/hotels/the-maybourne-riviera
Where to Dine & Drink
Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse
A season regular in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, this legendary fine-dining temple in Hôtel de Paris opened in 1987 when Prince Rainier III challenged chef Alain Ducasse to create a restaurant worthy of three Michelin stars within four years. Ducasse achieved the feat in just 33 months, making Le Louis XV the first hotel restaurant ever to earn Michelin’s highest distinction. Expect opulence turned up to the max, from the frescoed ceilings and crystal chandeliers to the astounding amount of gold-leaf detailing. Ducasse famously described the cuisine as “food that tastes like the sun,” a philosophy centered on pristine seafood, local vegetables, and aromatic herbs. Today, Executive Chef Dominique Lory continues that vision, creating dishes that celebrate the region’s terroir like fire-roasted, milk-fed lamb, Gamberoni with saffron and caviar, and firewood-roasted squab (young pigeon) served with sugar snap peas, French green beans, and a fig wine glaze.
montecarlosbm.com/fr/restaurant-monaco
Beefbar Monte-Carlo
The steakhouse that sparked a global phenomenon (Beefbar touts locations in global metropolitan titans like Paris, Mykonos, Hong Kong, and New York), the Monaco flagship opened in 2005 by Riccardo Giraudi, a rebellious restaurateur intent on rewriting the rules of steakhouse finery by replacing dark wood, white tablecloths, and old-school formality with Riviera glamour. The menu famously blends exceptional beef with globally inspired street food, from Japanese Kobe and Australian Wagyu to Kobe beef gyozas and truffle-infused croque sandwiches – all served against a breathtaking backdrop of the yacht-studded Fontvieille Marina.
Les Ambassadeurs by Christophe Cussac
A triumphant revival of one of Monaco’s most storied dining rooms, Les Ambassadeurs celebrates a new dawn under the stewardship of Christophe Cussac, a longtime protégé of Joël Robuchon. The double Michelin starred dining room features an open kitchen and intimate Chef’s Table that places guests at the heart of the action. The bread and dessert trolleys are the stuff of legends, complementing a bright Mediterrean menu of lobster lasagna with tarragon and spinach, sea bass kissed with Château Thuerry red wine and spiced pear, and milk-fed veal chop pearl jus. The wine program is equally exceptional, pairing prestigious French labels with discoveries from across the Mediterranean.
metropole.com/dining-bar/les-ambassadeurs-by-christophe-cussac