In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Monaco
Monaco city
Monaco
Monaco is a day on foot with a night as an expensive option: the Rock in the morning, the harbour at lunch, Monte-Carlo at dusk — use the public lifts, and fix Grand Prix week before you fix anything else.
Monaco is about two square kilometres of steep coast, so distances are short but the height differences are not. The trips that go wrong are the ones that walk the Rock at noon in August, arrive during Grand Prix week without a room, or expect a border and an airport. There is neither: you land at Nice, and the state starts where the road sign says it does. Four clusters cover a first visit, and most travellers keep a cheaper bed in Nice.
- Country
- Monaco
- Local name
- Monaco
- Best months
- Mar · Apr · Jun · Sep · Oct · Nov
- Time zone
- Europe/Monaco
- Stay
- 1 days: The Rock in the morning, harbour lunch, Monte-Carlo in the afternoon
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for kiosks and buses.
- Daily spend
- Budget €60–100 excl. bed · Mid €100–200 excl. bed · High €200+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Check that your mobile plan covers Monaco: it has its own network, and some EU roaming deals do not include it. An eSIM bought before you fly is safest.
- Emergency
- Police 17 · Fire 18 · Ambulance 15 · EU emergency 112
- Plugs
- 230 V; sockets take types C and E. A plain adapter is enough for most visitors.
- Tipping
- Service is usually included; round up or leave 5–10% for good service.
- Water
- Tap water is safe to drink.
- Toilets
- Cafés, gardens, the harbour and museums; carry small coins.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Espresso at a café | €3–6 |
| Sandwich or socca at the market | €5–10 |
| Lunch menu at a brasserie | €20–40 |
| Beer or glass of wine | €6–14 |
| Local bus ticket | €2 |
| Train Monaco–Nice | About €4–6 |
| Museum entry | €8–25 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- Nice Côte d'Azur Airport (NCE)
- NCE to Monaco: one pre-booked transfer or taxi, about 35–50 minutes and the most expensive fare of the trip — Monaco has no airport of its own, and the risk is the fare, not the ride.
By rail and road
| Station | Serves | To the centre |
|---|---|---|
| Monaco-Monte-Carlo station (Gare de Monaco-Monte-Carlo) | Coastal line: Nice, Menton, Ventimiglia, Cannes | Walk or public lift 5–15 min |
| Nice-Ville station (Gare de Nice-Ville) | Change here for Paris and Marseille | Regional train to Monaco 20–30 min |
| Nice airport bus 100 (Bus 100 (Lignes d'Azur)) | Nice airport to Monaco, about 50 min | Central Monaco |
| Heli Air Monaco (Heliport) | Nice airport to Monaco heliport, about 7 min | Taxi or bus 10 min |
Typical fares
- Nice airport to Monaco, taxi
- €90–140, about 40 min
- Nice airport to Monaco, bus 100
- About €22 (check), 50 min
- Monaco to Nice by train
- About €4–6, 20–30 min
Show 8 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Eat, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk within a district, use the free public lifts between levels, and take a bus or taxi for bags or longer hops. Cars are a poor choice.
| How | Fare | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | Free | Inside a district |
| Public lifts and escalators | Free | Between the harbour and the Rock or Monte-Carlo |
| Bus | About €2 a ride (2026 estimate, check) | Fontvieille, Exotic Garden, the coast |
| Taxi | Minimum fare about €10–15 (2026 estimate) | Bags, late evenings |
| Coastal train | About €4–6 to Nice | Nice, Menton, Èze |
| Boat taxi | About €10–25 (check) | Harbour and coast hops |
| Rented car | €80+ per day | Not needed |
Fares are estimates; check before you ride.
- Passes
- No pass. Single bus tickets are cheap; taxis are dear and short rides still cost a minimum.
- Late at night
- The coastal train station is inside Monte-Carlo; last trains along the coast are late but not printed here until verified.
See and do
01Palace square and guard changePalais princier de Monaco
The view and the ceremony, free.
Hours: best 11:00–12:00 · Price: Free (apartments extra) · Time: 1 hHours: best 11:00 AM–12:00 PM · Price: Free (apartments extra) · Time: 1 h
02Monaco CathedralCathédrale Notre-Dame-Immaculée
Free, calm, with the graves of Rainier and Grace.
Hours: best Morning · Price: Free · Time: 15 min · 43.7311, 7.4225
03Oceanographic Museum of MonacoMusée océanographique de Monaco
The best indoor plan, on the Rock.
Hours: best Midday · Price: About €20 · Time: 2 h · 43.7314, 7.4254
04Monte-Carlo CasinoCasino de Monte-Carlo
The atrium and the square, even without playing.
Hours: best Evening · Price: Atrium free; gaming rooms extra · Time: 45 min
05Grand Prix circuit walkCircuit de Monaco
Walk the famous corners.
Hours: best Morning · Price: Free · Time: 1 h · 43.7392, 7.4276
06Condamine MarketMarché de la Condamine
The cheapest lunch and the best local snack.
Hours: best 11:30–13:00 · Price: €10–25 · Time: 1 hHours: best 11:30 AM–1:00 PM · Price: €10–25 · Time: 1 h · 43.7358, 7.4197
07Princess Grace Rose GardenRoseraie Princesse Grace
A free, flat rest with roses.
Hours: best Late afternoon · Price: Free · Time: 30 min · 43.7289, 7.4159
08Exotic Garden of MonacoJardin Exotique de Monaco
Views and cacti on a cliff.
Hours: best Morning · Price: About €8 · Time: 90 min · 43.7343, 7.4114
09Harbour walk at dusk
Yachts and lights at Port Hercule.
Hours: best Sunset · Price: Free · Time: 1 h
10Day trip to Èze or Menton
Steps and lemon-town lanes a short train ride away.
Hours: best Morning · Price: €5–10 transport · Time: Half day
Hours and prices are desk estimates (checked 2026-09); anything marked (check) is not confirmed. Coordinates open in any map app.
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Nice | Regional train along the coast, about 20–30 min | Half or full day |
| Èze village | Bus or train and a walk, about 30–45 min | Half day |
| Menton | Regional train, about 15 min | Half day |
Eat
| Where | What · area | Price | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Condamine Market | Barbagiuan, socca, fruit · La Condamine | €8–20 | Budget |
| Bakery sandwich | Baguette sandwich · Any bakery | €5–8 | Budget |
| Supermarket picnic | Bread, cheese, fruit · Carrefour and supermarkets | €6–12 | Budget |
| Stars'n'Bars | Burger and a drink · Port Hercule | €25–50 | Mid-range |
| Quai des Artistes | French brasserie set menu · La Condamine | €35–75 | Mid-range |
| Rampoldi | Italian pasta and grills · Monte-Carlo | €40–80 | Mid-range |
| Les Perles de Monte-Carlo | Oysters and seafood · Port Hercule | €40–100 | Mid-range |
| Café de Paris Monte-Carlo | Terrace dinner · Casino Square | €50–120 | Splurge |
| Michelin-starred hotel restaurants | Tasting menus · Monte-Carlo hotels | €200–500 | Splurge |
Per person, one meal, 2026 estimate. Addresses change: check the day before.
Sleep
| Band | Price a night | Where | What |
|---|---|---|---|
| budget | €40–80 dorm bed in Nice · €150–250 a double in Monaco | Nice for a bed; La Condamine hotels | Guesthouses and small hotels |
| mid | €250–500 | La Condamine and Monte-Carlo edges | 4-star business hotels |
| splurge | €600–2,500+ | Monte-Carlo grand hotels | Historic grand hotels and resorts |
Per room per night in euros, 2026 estimate; Grand Prix week adds 100–300%.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbon-ZHOOR |
| Thank you | Mercimehr-SEE |
| How much is it? | Combien ça coûte ?kom-BYAN sah KOOT |
| The bill, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaîtlah-dee-SYON, seel voo PLEH |
| To this address, please | À cette adresse, s'il vous plaîtah set ah-DRESS, seel voo PLEH |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Dress: Smart-casual in the evening; no swimwear or bare chest away from the beach.
- Casino: Adults only, passport needed; jacket and tie in the private rooms.
- Tipping: Service is included; round up or leave 5–10% for good service.
- Photos: Ask before photographing guards, and do not block their posts.
- Greeting: Say bonjour when entering a shop or a café.
- Voices: Monaco is quiet; keep phone calls low on terraces.
- Lifts: Use the public lifts as you would a street; let others out first.
Red lines
- Do not walk around town bare-chested or in swimwear away from the beach.
- Casino gaming rooms: adults only, with a passport or ID; dress rules apply in the evening.
- Do not photograph the palace guard closely or block their post.
Scams and watch-outs
- Unlicensed drivers at Nice airport offering a fixed fare to Monaco: use the official rank, a pre-booked transfer or an app with a shown price.
- Restaurants that place a cover charge or a high service fee on the bill: read the menu before you sit.
One and two days
1 day
A stopover or a day from Nice. Skip: Fontvieille: it adds a bus and half an hour.
- 09:009:00 AMPalace square and cathedral
- 10:3010:30 AMOceanographic Museum or gardens
- 12:3012:30 PMLunch at the market
- 14:302:30 PMHarbour walk
- 17:005:00 PMCasino Square and the hairpin
- 19:007:00 PMAperitif at the casino square
2 days
A weekend break. Skip: Big-name dinners: prices are for the room, not the plate.
Day 1 — The Rock
- 09:009:00 AMPalace, cathedral, Saint Martin gardens
- 11:3011:30 AMMuseum
- 13:001:00 PMMarket lunch
- 17:005:00 PMHarbour
Day 2 — Monte-Carlo and Fontvieille
- 09:309:30 AMExotic Garden
- 11:3011:30 AMRose garden
- 14:002:00 PMCasino and circuit walk
- 19:307:30 PMDinner in the harbour
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Visit Monaco: www.visitmonaco.com/
- Nice Côte d'Azur airport: www.nice.aeroport.fr/
- Wikivoyage — Monaco: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Monaco
- Wikitravel — Monaco: wikitravel.org/en/Monaco
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Monaco cityMonaco
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Take me to
- Palais princier de MonacoPrince's Palace of Monaco
- Cathédrale Notre-Dame-ImmaculéeMonaco Cathedral
- Musée océanographique de MonacoOceanographic Museum of Monaco
- Casino de Monte-CarloMonte-Carlo Casino
- Circuit de MonacoGrand Prix circuit walk
- Marché de la CondamineCondamine Market
Many embassies are in Paris; Monaco is served by French and other consulates (check).
Show addresses in writing; taxis use street names.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/monaco-city). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.