Monaco City Guide | TravelSavvy travel tips for Monaco

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Photo: Olivier BareauSNCF train pulls into Monaco station

Only local Monaco and Alpes-Maritime registered cars can drive to the Rock
Use the many giant elevators to avoid steep climbs
Park in an underground car park and walk to the Principality's sights
There are boat trips from the Quai de Etats-Unis on the north side of the port

Getting around

For the more energetic, the excellent Monaco bus service is a little redundant due to the compact size of the Principality.

Virtually everywhere is within walking distance. It is hilly but there are several large outdoor lifts to provide easy vertical travel.

Near the railway station, for example, there is a long lift from Place Ste Dévote to Boulevard de Belgique. Another takes you from the beaches at Larvotto, in the north of Monte-Carlo, up to Place de Moulins, where there is public parking. Several more run up from the northern side of the Port. One takes you near the casino terraces.

Walking in Monte Carlo

Walking around the Rock (Le Rocher) is a must. The narrow streets are full of character and most cars are banned - you must have a Monaco or local French plate to drive in the area. There is a lift that runs from Parking des Pecheurs, at the base of the Rock, to the Oceanographic Museum. The gardens around the Rock are particularly beautiful and make for a wonderful walk, with some breathtaking views.

Monaco Grand Prix course

If you can find a quiet day, Grand Prix fans will enjoy driving around the race circuit. Time your visit for late May and you may find all the grandstands, barriers and starting grid still in place.

The drive, however, includes some diversions as the race paraphernalia is dismantled following the weekend’s racing. The course is all on public roads, so driving is very tight and you’ll understand why overtaking is so difficult in the Monaco Grand Prix.

Monaco trains

The French railway system makes getting from Monaco to nearby French resorts very easy. The SNCF station, just about in the centre of the principality, is modern and underground. There are regular trains west to Antibes, Beaulieu, Villefranche and Nice and east to Menton and the Italian Riviera. Long distance services are also available.

Monaco buses and helicopters

The bus station for long distance bus journeys is in the Fontvieille district to the south. Like the railway station, it is deep underground. The Monaco football ground is also found in this area. A peninsula covering 54 acres has been constructed, adding valuable new land to the principality. The heliport is in Fontvieille, right next to the sea.

Monaco sea trips

For those wanting to view Monaco and the French coast from the sea, there are boat trips from the Quai de Etats-Unis on the north side of the port. There are four trips-a-day (starting at 11am) in July and August; three-a-day in June and September (not Mondays) and in April, May and October there is one service at 2.30pm.