Squeezed into 220 hectares, the city-state of Monaco is the world’s second-smallest country. What it lacks in size it makes up for in attitude. It’s just about possible to visit while keeping an eye on your budget. We show you how.
Fontvieille Harbour viewed from Le Rocher
PHOTOGRAPH: JEAN-JOACHIM CRASSOUS/500PX. WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM GREGOR CLARK AND MARTINA GILI
COLLECTION DE VOITURES ANCIENNES
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Starting in the early 1950s, car-mad Prince Rainier amassed an array of more than 100 classic automobiles, on display since 1993. They include Ferraris, Maseratis, Lamborghinis and F1 and rally cars, along with the Lexus that carried the current prince to his wedding in 2011. The museum will move to a new purpose-built home by the harbour in 2020.
CRIQUE CIAPPAIRA
This minuscule hidden cove at the foot of Le Rocher is reached by a steep staircase near the Parking des Pêcheurs. Tucked up against cliffs and a stone retaining wall, the shingle beach here is only about 20m long, but there’s enough space to lay a towel and take a dip in the Med, and it’s a rare pleasure to find a place so secluded in Monaco.
WHIZZ BANG
The Art en Ciel festival, a battle of pyrotechnic expertise, lights up the port area for four Saturdays in July and August. The winner does the fireworks for Monaco’s national holiday (monacofeuxdartifice.mc).
JARDIN JAPONAIS