Monte Carlo Casino

The Casino de Monte-Carlo was designed by Charles Garnier in 1878 – the same architect who completed the Paris Opéra in 1875. If you have been to the Paris Opéra, you will recognise the idiom immediately: cream marble, bronze chandeliers, decorative plasterwork in the Belle Époque mode, a facade that announces wealth before you have walked through the door. The building is the reason to visit. Most people who walk in don’t gamble meaningfully; they come to say they went and to look at the rooms.

The Monaco government depends on the casino for revenue but Monégasque nationals are not permitted to gamble there – the money comes entirely from visitors. The principality that built its modern prosperity on other people’s gambling debts while protecting its own citizens from the same trap is a minor masterpiece of cynical governance.

Visiting

Morning heritage visits (10am to 1pm) are open to all ages and give access to the Belle Époque interiors with the gaming tables closed. Photography is permitted during morning hours only; once gaming rooms open at 2pm, photography is strictly banned to protect player privacy.

Entry to the gaming rooms costs 20 euros (18 euros for groups), includes a 10 euro voucher redeemable on slot machines or at the bar, and requires a valid physical passport or EU national ID card – driver’s licences, digital photos, and paper copies are all rejected. Gaming rooms require visitors to be over 18.

Dress code is enforced and varies by time. Daytime (before 8pm): smart casual, jeans without holes acceptable. Prohibited at all hours: shorts, sports shoes, running shoes, flip-flops, sandals for men, sleeveless shirts, beachwear, sportswear. Evening (after 8pm): men require a jacket and closed-toe shoes.

The terrace overlooking the gardens and Casino Square is free to access and one of the better positions in Monaco for watching the stream of supercars on the roundabout below.

The Rest of Monaco

Monaco covers 2 square kilometres and can be walked in a morning. The Rocher (the limestone promontory above the port) is the old town, with the Prince’s Palace and the Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate where Grace Kelly is buried. The Changing of the Guard at 11:55 daily at the palace gate is brief and free.

The Oceanographic Museum, founded in 1910 and directed for 32 years by Jacques Cousteau, has a good aquarium and strong marine biology exhibits in a Beaux-Arts building cantilevered over the cliff edge. Entry around 20 euros. The building is worth the visit.

Getting There

Trains from Nice take 20 minutes and cost around 4 euros. The coastal train line between Nice and Monaco is one of the more scenic commuter routes in Europe, running between the sea and the cliff face.

Eating

Le Louis XV at the Hotel de Paris has three Michelin stars and is Alain Ducasse’s flagship – a meal costs 350 euros or more per person. Café de Paris across the square from the casino does reliable brasserie food for around 25-40 euros. For genuine local eating, the area around the Condamine market in the lower town has cafes where residents eat.

Formula 1

The Monaco Grand Prix runs in late May and turns the principality into an expensive spectacle. Hotel prices multiply 5-10 times. Worth attending once if you plan a year ahead; attempting on short notice is a financial and logistical punishment.