Mesmerizing Monaco 🇲🇨

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La Condamine, Monaco

We were almost done with our splendid 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 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 Grace Kelly, the American Actress. Monaco celebrated his centennial 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 strolled 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, and 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 entirely 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.





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. 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 300 to 500 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.




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 when 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


My aunt and sister joyfully posing for the camera


I guess, there was some disagreement here, but over all, it was a splendid experience.


Tired but happy

Beautiful Sea Beyond these Buildings


Stunning Belle Epoque Buildings


Hotel de Paris in the evening.

Monaco has many centuries-old buildings 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, which was well within 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 it a more fluid or dynamic look. As Monaco borders France and is a mere 8 kilometers from the Italian border, many of its buildings had both French and Italian influences.


Belle Epoque Buildings facing one another.


I remember having this view while eating dinner.


The church within sight, accentuating the other buildings nearby.


Just some of the buildings we saw while in Monaco


Monegasque Nightscapes



Pretty Monaco-ville


Views from Monaco-ville


Palais Princier de Monaco


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, the casino is still operating as a playground for the 'rich' and 'powerful.'




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


It was at high noon when this image was captured.




The Hotel de Paris was right across Casino de Monte-Carlo


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

Glad to have a decent photo with the famed casino as 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 do I remember Jules Verne's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" with this view?





Monte-Carlo Grand Prix



Churches & Chapels



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