Walking in Monaco: Old Town, Circuit, Coast

October 20, 2026

Monaco is easy to explore on foot if you use its public lifts and escalators to skip the steepest climbs. The government counts about 79 lifts, 35 escalators and 8 travelators, and the visitor office puts the figure nearer 80, 37 and 8. The “Monaco Malin” map brochure shows where they are. Most of the walks below are free.

Starting point

Monaco-Monte-Carlo station is underground with four exits: Pont Sainte-Dévote for Monte-Carlo, Parvis Sainte-Dévote near Port Hercule, allée Lazare Sauvaigo for La Condamine, and avenue du Prince Pierre for Fontvieille and the Rock. Pick the exit nearest your first stop.

Monaco-Ville old town

Allow about two hours for the Rock. Start at Place du Palais, where the free Changing of the Guard is at 11:55 daily. Walk along Rue Basse and Rue Émile de Loth, then finish in the Saint-Martin Gardens, which are free and run along the cliff with a bronze statue of Prince Albert I and views toward Port Hercule and Fontvieille. The cathedral on this route is a place of worship and holds the tombs of Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace, so go in quietly and dress modestly. The State Apartments in the palace are open only in season, from about spring to mid-October.

Circuit de Monaco loop

The Formula 1 track is made of open streets and runs 3.337 km. You can walk it from Boulevard Albert 1er through Casino Square, around the Fairmont Hairpin, through the tunnel and along the harbour front. Traffic uses these roads, and barriers and grandstands go up for weeks around the Grand Prix, so the open route shifts in the weeks around the 2027 race (4 to 6 June).

Fontvieille park and the Rose Garden

Fontvieille is reclaimed land, and its park is free and equipped for strollers and reduced mobility. The Princess Grace Rose Garden is open around the clock and holds hundreds of varieties, a bronze statue of the princess by Kees Verkade from 1984, and sculptures including works by Arman and César. Take bus 4 or 6 to the “Roseraie” stop. The garden page has details.

Japanese Garden and Larvotto

The free Japanese Garden, designed by Yasuo Beppu, opens roughly from 9:00 to sunset. The promenade beside it leads to Larvotto, the public beach. Swimwear, bare chests and bare feet are for the beach only, and you can be fined for them on the streets.

Coastal path at Cap d’Ail

The Sentier du Littoral runs about 3.6 km from Plage Marquet, at the Monaco border, to Plage Mala. Reach Cap d’Ail by train or by bus line 100. The path is closed in bad weather.

Longer walk from Èze

The Nietzsche Path from Èze-sur-Mer to Èze village is about 2.1 km with a 400 m climb, around one hour uphill. It is free and open all year, but wear boots, avoid it with small children and expect closure in bad weather.

Guided walks are listed on GetYourGuide . Check the official pedestrian guide for the lift list.