Mesmerizing Monaco 🇲🇨

 

La Condamine, Monaco

We were almost done with our Euro Tour, but our last stop - unbeknownst to us - would make our escapade even grander exponentially.

Monaco is indeed the wealthiest, most affluent nation in the world... and the dollars are speaking from amongst everything you see in every corner of this miniscule country. It is beautiful, it is organized, it is spotless!

If we saw tiny bits of candy wrappers and cigarette butts in very few places in Italy, we didn't see any gram of litter in all of Monaco!

Beautiful Nightscape of Monaco with Late 19th Century Buildings

Perfect. Flawless. 

I have said several times that perfection is unattainable, but our stay in the microstate of Monaco proved me wrong. In the billions of square miles all over the world, there is one tiny country where perfection is, surprisingly, a reality.

Arrival

Our Bus from Nice, France 🇫🇷 to Beausoleil, France 🇫🇷

It was September 14th, my sister's birthday, when we flew from Rome, Italy 🇮🇹 to Nice, France 🇫🇷. There were no direct flights from Rome to Monaco and the closest airport was at neighboring Nice, a beautiful city in the middle of French Riviera.

While still on the plane, we caught glimpses of the Riviera. I have heard of this scenic region since I was in college and thought to myself that I would be there someday. Looking over from my window seat, I could say that it is indeed beautiful.

Just one of the tunnels we passed by on our way to Beausoleil.

My biggest regret was not taking pictures. At that time, I wanted to enjoy gazing at all the seaside French Riviera cities we would see. Indeed, I had a great time and the happiness I felt would remain in my heart nevertheless.

We passed by Jardin Exotique but we went to Monaco for other reasons.

From the Nice Airport, we hopped on the bus going to Beausoleil, a city right outside Monaco. Beausoleil, meaning "beautiful sun," was the location of our hotel. It was only a few meters from the border, but even before reaching Beausoleil, we already passed by certain parts of Monaco.

Seamless Architecture.
Just one of the sights we passed by on our way to Beausoleil.

Immediately, we saw tall skyscrapers lining up roads and streets seamlessly aligned. We also saw dozens of ads showing Prince Rainier III, the sovereign of Monaco for several decades who married the American Actress Grace Kelly. Monaco celebrated his centennial birth anniversary in 2023 when we went there.

Just one of the several ads of Prince Rainier III

The bus led us to a stopover in the middle of Monaco 🇲🇨. Afterwards, we walked to a nearby building and entered an elevator, which then led us to Beausoleil 🇫🇷. 

It was funny that you can go to Beausoleil via an elevator. While other countries can be accessed through airports, seaports, or whatever port you could think of, France can be accessed from Monaco through an elevator!

Beautiful Beausoleil

But before arriving at our hotel, we still need to walk about a hundred meters. It was a little uphill so the walk wasn't easy. Besides, we were a bit tired, after having gone through several cities in Italy.

Inside the hotel were the comfiest mattresses and pillows I have ever slept on in my entire life. The rest of our Monaco trip was easy, nice, and comfortable, and it was partly due to the quality of mattresses we slept in. 😅

Beauty of Beausoleil

Everything in this photo is in Monaco 🇲🇨 but this was captured while standing on Beausoleil 🇫🇷

After arrival, we slept a little to recuperate, but after just a few hours, I got up, excited to see the city. My aunt and my sister went out moments before, so I was able to explore the area by myself alone.

I would say that Beausoleil is a beauty. This is not yet Monaco, and if it may seem to have benefited from the affluence of the micro-state, it nevertheless has its own charm.

I saw many French flags 🇫🇷 in Beausoleil. I think the flags signify where you are at the moment, because inside Monaco, I saw many Monegasque 🇲🇨 flags as well.

Octopus drenched in Tomato Sauce

I had my dinner at a Mauritian cafe, which was another first in my life. Out of curiosity, I ordered Octopus in Tomato Sauce. Though it sounds exotic, it actually reminded me of home as it doesn't taste any different from the regular "pusit" we buy in the market. 

Mauritius is a small island country in the middle of Indian Sea. I don't know how the owners made it here in France, but the quality and taste of food is similar to the Philippines. I didn't ask more, though, as, after traveling several cities and destinations, I was already "information overload" at that time. 

Monegasque Alleys & Streets

Beausoleil straddles a border with Monaco. Our hotel was so near, the border was right across the street. However, one cannot enter the micro-state without walking through a small alley somewhere. I think I needed to walk for 200 to 300 meters before entering the border.

There's an instagrammable sight in every alley in Monaco.

Residents of Monaco are called Monegasque. Their eponymous vernacular is a mere dialect of Ligurian. Nobody speaks Monegasque anymore but it is artificially kept as a second language to keep it alive as part of their local culture.

Circular corners make swerving to the next street seamless, easy, and convenient.

There are no blind curves in Monaco. Every corner was designed in a way that motorists would easily swerve to the next street. Thus, accidents in Monaco are far apart and rare.

Modern Skyscrapers blend well with the old, classical manors.

Monaco's rich cultural history was not a hindrance to the convenience of modern architecture. The city's tall skyscrapers were not a sight pollution. Everything was designed to dramatically blend well with the rest.

A whimsical statue erected in the Early 21st Century

The first thing that I did while on Monaco was to immediately see the sea. After walking through alleys and streets, I finally made it. Having been to spectacular beaches in the Philippines, I realized that some things are really better at home.

The Beach

We spent about three days in Monaco and Beausoleil. It was on our second day when we were able to explore the micro-state well. It was then that we witnessed the real beauty of Monaco. Even its narrowest alleys were pretty, especially with the nearby Mediterranean Sea within view.

A random alley in Monaco with a beautiful view of the sea

Just like in other European cities, there's a lot of walking in Monaco. Here at home, there are dozens of ways to travel from point to point without ever walking. There's no traffic in Monaco and very minimal air pollution, but you have to walk a lot, however. Well, I guess there's some free cardio, no need to hit the gym (if you just want to lose some pounds).

My aunt and sister joyfully posing for the camera

Aside from the walking, there are plenty of stairs you need to go down to (just to get to the nearest bus station). One would really be forced to exert some efforts here. Well, there's no waiting here because there's no traffic after all and buses are aplenty.

I guess there was some disagreement here 💁🏻‍♂️

There was one time I accidentally blurted, "it's heaven and hell, everywhere, all at once." Some passerby, probably a Southern Asian looked at me and smiled. He probably agreed to my statement. 

It's a bit ironic for me to conclude that the most affluent nation in the world has its own share of hellish conditions which the Philippines (a third world country doomed by never-ending corruption) doesn't have.

Tired but happy

Monaco was the last stop of our European Getaway so we were nearly exhausted. The walking was certainly draining our energies. The good thing was that Monaco was convenient for everything else. Comfortable and organized mass transport system, and pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods are luxuries which the Philippines doesn't have. 

Beautiful Sea Beyond these Buildings

Nevertheless, the walking has forced me to realize that all of Monaco appears to be an open air museum where you will see dozens, even hundreds of attractions everywhere. The old buildings, fancily and decadently stylized, are so numerous that the strenuous walking didn't matter anymore. 

Stunning Belle Epoque Buildings

Hotel de Paris in the evening.

Monaco has many centuries-old buildings dating from different eras and periods of history. We witnessed the many varied styles of architecture, most of which were fancy and decadent. I saw several buildings with particular years inscribed on their facades. In particular, one building dates back to 1900 during the Belle Epoque period.

Another vantage point of Hotel de Paris

Belle Epoque means "beautiful era." It began with the conclusion of Prussian War in 1871 and ended with the outbreak of World War I in 1914. The five-star Hotel de Paris in the heart of Monte-Carlo is one example of the Belle Epoque architectural style. 

This beautiful building made use of every square inch of its lot.

The predominant style during the Belle Epoque period was Art Nouveau, an art movement that mimicked the contours and lines of plants and flowers, giving buildings a more fluid or dynamic look. As Monaco borders France and is merely 8 kilometers from the Italian border, many of its buildings had both French and Italian influences.

Belle Epoque Buildings facing one another.

It is safe to say that, though Monaco dates back to the ancient times, it flourished during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, at the peak of the Belle Epoque Era. For many French people, this was a wonderful time to be alive. During that time, so many art movements blossomed and reined on the world, Art Nouveau being one, and of course, Impressionism, which is so timeless, many modern-day artists still create paintings through this style.

Just some of the buildings we saw while in Monaco

That was also the time when Vincent Van Gogh created his many masterpieces before dying in 1890. He once lived in nearby Arles, a coastal city in Southern Provence, which is only a few dozens of miles away from Monaco.

The church within sight, accentuating the other buildings nearby.

Seeing all those Belle Epoque buildings made me feel that my favorite painter probably once passed through several buildings of similar style, but somehow, I wish we had more time to explore French Riviera and nearby Provence to see the world in the eyes of Van Gogh, to maybe understand why he was perennially sad despite being so gifted and talented.

I remember having this view while eating dinner.

Nevertheless, Monaco was our stop when my sister turned another 365 days around the sun. We celebrated her birthday on one of the al fresco restaurants in Monaco where the surrounding view was an impressive array of Art Nouveau buildings. It wasn't just the view that was fantastic though as the food was also top-notch.

All of us having a splendid dinner.

I think my sister made sure that she will celebrate her birthday in Monaco as she was the one who single-handedly created and organized all our itineraries. I had no problem with that as I just want to enjoy without getting stressed about it. We were just so glad that everything went well, thanks to my sister! 😅

I wish I took note what this meal is because I could still feel its taste and texture as I write this.

For my dinner, I probably had chicken or beef with some saccharine bananas. It tasted so good that I devoured it in five to ten minutes and I still remember its taste and texture.

 

Casino de Monte-Carlo

We've seen so many beautiful buildings in Monaco, but the one that stands out the most was the Casino de Monte-Carlo. This masterpiece was constructed over several years during the Belle Epoque Era, and was almost complete by the turn of the 20th Century.

It was constructed in order to raise revenues for the government, which was then facing bankruptcy in the 1860s. This project was so successful that, up to now, it is still operating as a playground for the 'rich' and the 'powerful.'

It is ironic, however, that Monegasque citizens are not allowed to play in the casino. As tourists, we were allowed to enter this forbidden masterpiece. It was my first time to play at a casino but I was so sure I will never go to another one. Regardless, it had some of the best exteriors and interiors I've ever seen.

It was at high noon when this image was captured.

Casino de Monte-Carlo was the pinnacle of all of Monaco's beauty. It was the infrastructure that spurred the growth of this affluent city-state during the Belle Epoque era that it's so hard to believe that it began with an almost imminent bankruptcy.

It was very much a financial and economic success that a case like that would be a miracle that rarely happens elsewhere in the world. The ruling family of Monaco, the Grimaldis, turned what was once an economic wasteland into one of the wealthiest nations in the world. The casino was just the beginning of the city's economic miracle. Part of its success could be attributed to the Grimaldi's good management of their finances.

The Hotel de Paris right across Casino de Monte-Carlo

To this day, despite the lapse of one whole century and few decades more, Monaco remains affluent, clean, and beautiful. A one-time success is not enough to sustain its amazing attributes. This city-state is as amazing as it is through generations of accumulated economic development that has been sustained through several decades. And it all began with this casino.

Imagine hiding underneath these shrubs and flowers while someone is trying to catch you on a hot pursuit?

The casino was such an eye-candy that I was gazing at it the entire time. I was so fixated on this landmark that my head would turn wherever I go, whether I was just walking by or the bus I'm sitting on was moving on. There were so many beautiful buildings in Monaco that, with such landscape, it would be difficult to stand out; yet, the casino outshined them all.

Glad to have a decent photo with the famed casino in the background

Fountains, plants, trees everywhere, in the middle of a cosmopolitan area.

The look of the casino at night with luxury cars within sight, as my sister posed for the camera.

Why does it feel like you're in a submarine 20,000 leagues under the sea?

More of the exteriors

Churches & Chapels

Pretty Monaco-ville

A dark alley in the middle of Monaco-ville

You would expect that the wealthiest nation's seat of power would be sprawling with huge skyscrapers where limousines pass by left and right. Maybe not. But that's my idea, that's my expectation.

Instead, Monaco-ville turns out to be an ordinary village where "idyll" is everywhere. This small centuries-old town is dotted with several row houses of pink and pale tangerine color schemes. It feels like the perfect setting of an ancient fairy tale.

Along its narrow alleys are small shops and restaurants selling cheap souvenirs and ordinary meals that we would find in small canteens and carinderias.

More shops

We were at Monaco-ville around 12 noon so we stopped over to eat lunch. Surprisingly, Monaco-ville doesn't feel so much different from regular neighborhoods in the Philippines. Only that, it is perfectly clean... but the vibe is pretty much the same after all.

My aunt looking delightfully at the menu

I don't remember what exactly I ate back then but it was something as ordinary as hotdog sandwich. Only that, it was a lot more expensive than we would find here in the Philippines.

Houses were mostly pink or pale tangerine

The color scheme of Monaco-ville is pink to pale tangerine. There were a few outliers. A random maroon house stands among them and then there were a few windows in bubblegum green. While Bellagio was mostly yellow and San Gimignano was mostly beige, Monaco-ville was pretty pink.

Just one of the several chocolate shops all over Monaco-ville.

We spotted several chocolateries in Monaco-ville. Of course I was tempted to buy chocolates but, because I still had recurring insomnia every once in a while, I resisted the urge. I'm pretty sure some of those chocolates would've been divine. I could only imagine as I will probably not be back again some day.

Yummy Chocolaterie 

The narrow alleys in this small town are pretty. The row houses are perfectly aligned and the streets are perfectly straight with parallel sidewalks. The patterns are beautiful and make perfect pictures.

Monegasque Flags decorate the alleys

Some alleys had Monegasque flags displayed, and then there are some flags of Prince Rainier, all in red-and-white color schemes. Monaco's flag is one of the simplest in the entire world --- just two colors divided in the middle.

Perhaps a through-house or a right of way carved out of an existing building?

We passed through some dark alleys carved out of some of the row houses. Can this be done in the Philippines too? 

One of those few areas where cars can pass by

Some roads of Monaco-ville are wide enough for cars to pass by, but most of the town is meant for pedestrians only, giving this affluent village some neighborly vibe just like any other village in the rest of the world.

Would you knock using this doorknob? Not at all creepy.

After strolling the streets and alleys of Monaco-ville, we arrived at our next destination, the Palais Princier, an old fortified castle on the very top of this idyllic town...

Palais Princier

Palais Princier or Prince's Palace has been existing since 1191. In good structural condition after almost a thousand years, it remains to be the official residence of the prince of Monaco.

The beginning of the Palace Tour

Inside the Palace, we had about an hour of tour where we saw its intricate interiors, ornaments, and other objects dating back centuries ago. 

Frankly, after visiting several cities in Italy, I was already feeling brain-drain then so I could not describe the antique pieces I saw inside. They feel Rococo-esque though so maybe they date back to 18th Century?

My sister enjoying the view

Just one of the palace's beautiful interiors

The Royal Family with Actress Grace Kelly who became the palace's chatelaine in 1956.

Cozy bedroom

So much gold. So much glitter. Well, this is a palace, after all. Maybe I'm just shocked because it's my first time to see so much luxury in such a short timespan. All in all, the tour was worth it.

Monegasque Seascapes

Monegasque Nightscapes

Monte-Carlo Grand Prix