One Day in Monaco – How to See the Entire Country in One Day
About My One Day Visit to Monaco
The day before my one day in Monaco, I had tried to visit by taking the train from Nice Saint-Augustine Station to Monaco Monte Carlo Station. As the train skipped stop after stop, I knew something was wrong. It turned out that due to the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping, no trains were stopping East of Nice or in Monaco.
I had hoped to have a bonus day in Monaco, but it turned out that I would only have one day in Monaco and would have to see the entire country in one day. Despite having only one day to see the world’s most crowded country, I felt that I was able to see most of the main sights. My one day in Monaco would be crammed full of activity but also very successful.
One Day in Monaco - How to See the Entire Country in One Day - Table of Contents
- About My Trip to Monaco
- Getting to Monaco by Train
- Walking East – Towards Monte Carlo
- Walking West- Towards the Ports
- Port Hercule
- Royal Palace of Monaco
- Port de Fontvieille
- Monaco Cathedral
- Oceanographic Museum Area
- Monaco Sundial
- Port de Fontvieille Area
- “Must Bring” Items that I Bring on Every International Trip
- Monaco Tours
- Earning Points and Rewards
- Related Content
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One Day in Monaco: How to Take the Train from Nice, France to Monaco
The next day I departed for Monaco again leaving Nice Saint-Augustine Station. This time, the train from Nice to Monaco, made all the regular stops including a stop at Monaco Monte Carlo, which is the only station in Monaco. Monaco Monte-Carlo Station would be the starting point for my one day in Monaco, which would hopefully allow me to see the entire country in one day.
Monaco Monte Carlo Station is much fancier than the other French Stations on the line. The station had a full ticket office, numerous places to eat, and souvenir shops.
For travelers unfamiliar with Monaco, it is the second smallest country in the world behind only the Vatican City. Monaco is the wealthiest country in the world per capita, and also the most crowded country in the world. The entire country is only 1.5 x 1 miles in area, which made it possible to see the entire country in one day. I exited Monte Carlo Station and walked down a steeply inclined path towards the main section of Monaco.
As I exited the path leading down from the station I passed a small church. This church is a helpful location maker for finding Monaco Monte Carlo Station.
Faced with a choice of heading west towards Port Hercule or east towards the Monte Carlo Casino, I chose to head east. The two ports, palace, and cathedral are the most spectacular sights, and they are all to the west. I figured I would go east first and save the best views for later.
One Day in Monaco: Heading East - Towards Monte Carlo Casino
As I headed east towards the Monte Carlo Casino, I stopped to take a few pictures of Port Hercule and the Palace of Monaco. Port Hercule is the most famous sight in Monaco, and I took over 100 photos of the Port alone. On top of a large bluff sits that Royal Palace of Monaco. Walking west, there were many excellent spots to take pictures of the Palace.
Monaco is an independent nation that is technically not part of France. They have their own flag, which was proudly displayed all over the tiny country. In Monaco, people speak French, and they use the Euro. I learned a lot about this tiny country during my 12 hours in Monaco.
The first stop on my walking tour was the Monte Carlo Casino. The Casino is the best-known building in Monaco and is also the reason the country does not have an income tax. There are no bags allowed in the casino or cameras. I decided to come back at the end of my trip to the casino when I did not have my bag or camera.
Walking the casino garden provided excellent views of the Monte Carlo Casino as well as some interesting plants and sculptures. There were also great views of the Mediterranean Sea.
The furthest point that I walked was the Fairmont Hotel and Casino. I spent about an hour, roundtrip, walking west. I then turned around and went back towards Monte Carlo Station to walk the other direction.
One Day in Monaco: Walking West Towards the Ports
As I stated earlier, Xi Jinping, the President of China was visiting Monaco the day prior. There were many Chinese Flags mixed in with the flag of Monaco.
As I walked towards Port Hercule, I stopped to take a picture of a sculpture of a Grand Prix Car. Monaco is famous for having Grand Prix races through the city streets.
Continuing toward Port Hercule, I spotted an interesting children’s slide. I noted the location of it in case I ever visit Monaco with my nieces or nephews.
As I entered the area next to the Port, there was a large display of flags of China and Monaco. It seemed to be a huge deal that the President of China had visited this tiny country.
Since Monaco is such a tiny country, it is not difficult to get around. Because of this, many small cars line the streets. The car pictured below was the fanciest tiny car I have ever seen. Most of the small cars run on electricity and charging stations were numerous.
One Day in Monaco - Walking Around Port Hercule
Port Hercule is the large port and most well-known place in Monaco. There are many different ways to explore the port including a lower walkway that goes out into the harbor area and an elevated walkway that resembles a pier.
I chose to start on the lower walkway and venture out into the harbor. Here, I was able to walk right out into the harbor and look at the ships, sailboats, and yachts.
Some of the yachts were super fancy, and high tech and others looked like more traditional yachts.
As I ventured further down into the harbor, I was a little worried that I was in a restricted area. I did not see many tourists, but none of the security people said anything to me.
As I walked towards the edge of the pier, I thought it would be a good time to take out my zoom lens and get some detailed pictures of some of the buildings. These pictures truly show how crowded Monaco is.
I also was able to get a great picture of the Monte Carlo Casino.
The edge of the pier provided an excellent view of Port Hercule looking back towards the center of Monaco. This image is not a picture that I often find online when I search “Monaco.” I was proud that I was able to figure out how to get to the edge of the pier to get these pictures.
It took a minute to find the stairs to go up to the upper walkway on the pier. As I walked back towards the start of Port Hercule, I decided my next stop would be the Royal Palace of Monaco.
There was an interesting ship trying to drop a claw into the Mediterranean to retrieve something. The vessel was struggling to stay in one place due to high wind. I wondered what the ship was trying to recover.
Some of the yachts in the harbor are pretty impressive. I was not sure if this one was a cruise ship or someone’s private yacht. Regardless, it was spectacular to see.
I continued to walk to the end of the pier and then took a turn and walked up the hill towards the Palace.
One Day in Monaco - Walking Around the Royal Palace of Monaco Area
The Palace of Monaco is located at the top of a large hill overlooking Port Hercule. The climb was not steep as it is a very slow incline. As I walked up the hill, I passed an International School.
There are bathrooms along the way and benches for resting. Along the way, there are many additional spots to get beautiful photos of the Port and the crowded buildings that surround it.
When nearing the top of the hill, a castle-like tower will appear. From this point, it is just up a few stairs, and then the Palace will become visible.
The Royal Palace of Monaco is home to the Royal Family and is under ceremonial guard 24 hours a day. While I was taking pictures of the Palace, the changing of the guard took place.
The changing of the guard ceremony only involves three people, two soldiers, and a commander. The commander yells commands and the soldiers go through a ceremonial ritual. Upon completion, the guard that was on duty prior is released and the new guard takes his place in the tiny building where he will stand guard.
Throughout the Palace Area, there are many cannons with piles of cannon balls. I do not believe they are set up in case of attack, but it did make me feel secure in knowing this tiny nation is prepared for an attack, even though cannons are fairly primitive at this point.
Just to the side of the Royal Palace, a platform provides the best, and most famous, view of Port Hercule. Having the best view would make sense as I am sure the Royal Family wanted to see this view every time they left the Palace. After taking a few more pictures, I set off down the path towards Monaco’s secondary port, the Port de Fontvieille.
One Day in Monaco - Walking Around the Port de Fontvieille
The Port de Fontvieille is the smaller of the two ports but is very picturesque. This port features many crowded buildings with gardens on the top. There are also large yachts parked in front of many of the buildings.
The path that I took leads to the Cathedral of Monaco and follows the edge of the Port de Fontvieille.
Due to the lack of green space, many people in Monaco have gardens and trees on top of the buildings. I took this chance to zoom in and get some pictures of the rooftop gardens.
Before heading off to the Cathedral, I was able to take one last shot of the Port de Fontvieille.
One Day in Monaco - Visiting the Monaco Cathedral
Another very famous building in Monaco is the Monaco Cathedral. The home of the Royal Wedding and the burial place of many of the Princes and Princesses of Monaco, the Cathedral is open for visiting and is free to the public.
Photos are allowed inside as long as the camera does not produce a flash. Visitors must follow a predetermined path around the cathedral.
The path ends by taking visitors through the graves of the Royal Family Members and ends with the tomb of Princess Grace. My entire visit to the Cathedral only lasted around 15 minutes.
One Day in Monaco - The Oceanographic Museum Area
One building I did not have time to go in that I wish I would have been able to see is the Oceanographic Museum. Having limited time in Monaco, I decided to skip the museum as I have been to similar museums around the world.
Outside the museum is a submarine that can be followed on Instagram and an interested statue of an octopus.
There was also a company offering tours on a tiny train. Eight years old me would have begged to go on the train ride. Thirty-Six year old me seriously thought about it but decided to pass.
Below the Oceanographic Museum is the beautiful Saint-Martin Gardens. On my way back towards the Port de Fontvieille, I walked through the gardens. Below are some of the highlights including a rainbow-colored eagle, some sculptures and statues, and many blooming flowers.
The walk through the gardens ended at the Port de Fontvieille and allowed a few pictures from a slightly different angle.
Public restrooms are plentiful around Monaco, and at the end of the garden’s path, there was an immaculate bathroom. All of the bathrooms are free, and most were spotlessly clean. A restroom attendant works the bathrooms and has a small jar for tips. I tipped One Euro each time I used the bathroom.
One Day in Monaco - Visiting the Monaco Sundial
An interesting stop near the Port de Fontvieille is the Monaco Sundail. The sundial works by casting a shadow on a large circle made out of bricks and stones. The shadow is dependent on the atmospheric conditions as it may not cast a shadow when it is cloudy.
One Day in Moanco - Walking Around the Port de Fontvieille Area
My final stop in Monaco took me down to the Port de Fontvieille. Not only did the Port provide excellent views of the Royal Palace it also offered a different perspective of the Port.
For travelers that enjoy cars, be sure to visit the Prince’s Automobile Collection. It is located just behind the Port de Fontvieille.
This stop ended my journey through Monaco. I turned around and walked through the heart of the city back towards the train station. As I walked by, I took a quick picture of the tunnel heading back towards Nice.
Monaco was a fascinating place to visit, and I was able to see all of these sights in about eight hours.
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Monaco Tours and Packages
When visiting Monaco, I do not believe a tour is necessary. That being said, I know some people enjoy tours rather than exploring on their own. Posted below are some options for touring Monaco.
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Prices are accurate as of April 2023.
 Monaco, Monte Carlo, Eze, la Turbie Half-day from Monaco Small-Group tour - $71.75 Discover the best of the beautiful French Riviera on a small-group half-day tour of Monaco and Eze. Enjoy magnificent views of the Mediterranean coast as you head to the picturesque medieval village of Eze for a guided perfumery tour. In Monaco, watch the Changing of the Guard ceremony at the Prince's Palace, enjoy a drive along the road used for the world-famous Formula One Grand Prix race and explore Casino Square in Monte Carlo. |
 Monaco Hop on Hop Off Sightseeing Bus Tour - $27.52 See Monaco's top attractions at your own pace! |
 Monaco by Night eveningTour from Monaco Small-Group - $71.75 Explore the glamorous city of Monaco and see its top attractions illuminated against the night sky on a 5-hour night tour. Drive along the spectacular Basse Corniche road and stop at the Vista Palace Hotel in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin for magnificent views of sparkling Monaco. Back in Monaco, you'll see the Prince's Palace and the Monaco Cathedral, admire the illuminated Old Town (Monaco-Ville), and cruise around Casino Square in Monte Carlo. Before your night tour ends, you'll have free time to discover Monaco's vibrant nightlife at your leisure – visit the Grand Casino or enjoy dinner in a local restaurant if you wish. |
 Private Customized French Riviera Full-Day Tour from Monaco, Nice, or Cannes - $640.16 Enjoy deciding your itinarary with your guide suggestions. choose your destinations as Monaco, Provence, Italy, choping area etc... |
 Monaco Formula 1 Walking Tour The INSIDE Track Monaco F1 - $34.70 You will hear about the history of the Monaco F1. Some interesting stories about the race and some insight from some of the sports most famous drivers, a number of which are or have been resident in Monaco... |
 Ferrari Sports Car Experience from Monaco - $211.40 Enjoy an exhilarating 30-minute or 1-hour drive at the wheel of a Ferrari F458 car. Cruise on the famous panoramic roads and corniches of the French Riviera, overlooking Monaco and the blue Mediterranean sea. |
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