A Czech Travels to Monte Carlo

The following article was written by Jaromir Svobodnik, a Czech guy who likes to travel and currently plans to quit his 9-to-5 job, travel more and write his own blog.
A few days ago he sent us an email asking us to publish his article about one of his favorite destinations, a place that he visited several times during the last two years – Monte Carlo.

Monte Carlo – Living the Good Life

The luxurious quarter (one of the four divisions of the Principality of Monaco: Monte Carlo, La Condamine, Monaco-Ville and Fontvieille), located on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, has always fascinated me and never stopped to impress me since my first visit, two years ago.

Although it represents a small area of the second-smallest independent state in the world, Monte Carlo offers a multitude of attractions, activities and modes of entertainment. Known as a symbol of wealth and extravagance, Monte Carlo is undoubtedly one of the favorite destinations for the above-average income tourists coming from Europe and the Middle East – in fact, the Principality of Monaco’s economy is based mainly on tourism.

Monte Carlo is all about good taste, elegance and exuberance: starting with its famous harbor (where I was able to take pictures of some of the most extravagant yachts in the Mediterranean) and continuing with luxurious shopping galleries, fine restaurants attracting you with perfect sea-views and mouth-watering menus, exotic gardens, clubs and tumultuous nightlife – everything is entertainment at its best. Obviously, though, one needs a consistent budget to be able to enjoy all these attractions, even for a short, two to three days visit.

Two Things Monaco is Most Popular for

The first on the list of attractions for any tourist in  Monaco is Le Grand Casino in Monte Carlo: an elegant and imposing building, which most tourists admire from the outside – in order to have access inside the casino, one must have substantial financial resources; therefore, I must admit that I was happy to take a few photographs of the exterior of this beautiful building.

Le Grand Casino was designed by the famous architect Charles Garnier (who also created the Paris Opera) and has a history of over 150 years. Its Mediterranean seafront location, the unique architectural style and the beautifully landscaped green spaces makes it an icon of aristocracy and elegance.

Le Grand Casino is not just about table games and slot-machines: the building also houses The Grand Théâtre de Monte Carlo, where you can watch performances by world-famous philharmonic orchestras and ballet groups.

In addition, if you don’t want to spend your money in the casinos of Monte Carlo, you can try other modes of entertainment such as clubs and bars (they are open until late at night), sea-view cafes, shows and concerts.

Also, if you have the opportunity to visit Monaco in May this year, you should not miss The Formula 1 Grand Prix – the second largest tourist attraction in Monaco: from 26 to 29 May you will be able to attend the Formula 1 racing which takes place every year on the streets of the Principality. This is a tradition dating back to 1925 when Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM) was founded.

Cultural Attractions and Places to Relax in Monte Carlo

Monte Carlo has a generous offer of places for leisure: exotic parks and gardens, golf facilities, tennis courts, etc. One of the gardens worth visiting is the Exotic Garden (Le Jardin Exotique), situated on the boulevard bearing the same name. The garden is home to an impressive number of plant species and was opened to the public in 1933.

Located on the same boulevard, you will find the Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology, a perfect place to start learning interesting things about the history of humanity.

Another area ideal for relaxation is the Japanese Garden, where plants brought from Japan were grown and adapted to the Mediterranean climate of Monaco.