Honeymoon in Monaco in a day
Monday, September 25, 2017
#WalkwithChaMikeinMonaco
Customized Swimsuit Turned Top | Georgina Sasha
Pink Coat | Uniqlo
Cropped Pants | Hong Kong Shop
Sling Bag | Kate Spade
Pink Sneakers | Adidas
Sunnies | Georgina Sasha
Never have I thought that I was able to visit this mecca of the rich, the sovereign state that is Monaco. Monaco is a city-state, country in France and is part of the French Riviera. It is the second smallest country in the world (Vatican is the smallest) but despite it's area it remained to be one of the key attractions at the Cote d'Azur. It's well- known for the glitz and glamour, wealthy socialites, car races and casinos. I even thought normal travelers aren't allowed here not until I did a researcher prior to our trip.
A day tour in Monaco was what we can only afford. It was actually a half day tour as we spent the whole morning roaming around Nice. So after a quick Nice morning tour we dedicated the whole afternoon in Monaco.
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| Monaco #OOTD |
Pink Coat | Uniqlo
Cropped Pants | Hong Kong Shop
Sling Bag | Kate Spade
Pink Sneakers | Adidas
Sunnies | Georgina Sasha
From Nice to Monaco
From Nice, there are several cities you can visit at the French Riviera and one of those places is Monaco. Monaco is just a 30 minute train ride from Nice so going there is easy breezy. Being an OC I booked our train tickets in advance HERE, even before we left for Europe just to secure our slots but if you are a spontaneous traveler you can always buy your ticket at the station. From our ticket voucher, we exchanged and paid for actual train ticket at a ticket machine. One way ticket costs € 3.90 each.
From Nice, there are several cities you can visit at the French Riviera and one of those places is Monaco. Monaco is just a 30 minute train ride from Nice so going there is easy breezy. Being an OC I booked our train tickets in advance HERE, even before we left for Europe just to secure our slots but if you are a spontaneous traveler you can always buy your ticket at the station. From our ticket voucher, we exchanged and paid for actual train ticket at a ticket machine. One way ticket costs € 3.90 each.
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| Nice Train Station |
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| Ticket Vending Machine |
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| Our tickets from Nice to Monaco |
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| Validation of ticket before riding the train |
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| Fast and smooth train ride from Nice to Monaco |
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| Monaco Train Station |
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| Arrived in Monaco! |
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| In Monaco we exchanged our vouchers through a teller |
The moment we went out of the train station Mike and I with April and Neal pretended we were billionaires in Monaco. Below are the list of things we did in this country that is budget friendly but will let you enjoy the luxurious Monaco.
If you have limited time in Monaco (like us) the best option is to take a Hop On - Hop Off Bus. This bus stops at the key areas so its really efficient to ride. Plus it was our first time so we were quite excited for this experience.
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| Hop On - Hop Off Bus |
Adults
1 Day Pass | € 22
2 Day Pass | € 25
Senior & Students
1 Day Pass | € 20
Children
1 or 2 Days Pass | € 8
The pass is valid for either 1 to 2 days; you'll be free to hop on and off the bus at any of the 12 stops to explore the many places of interest along the route. The tour lasts for approximately 1 hour not including stops, however this may vary according to traffic conditions.
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| On Monaco High |
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| Chose to sit at the second level in front |
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| Bus all to ourselves <3 |
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| English commentary with headsets |
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| ChaMike and D'Mufs |
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| Monaco from our view at the bus |
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| Ride along the long and winding track |
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| Good thing we had the best seat in front |
Visit the Prince's Palace
Via the Hop On - Hop Off Bus we were able to visit the Prince's Palace. The Prince's Palace of Monaco is the official residence of the ruling Prince of Monaco. It has been the home of the Grimaldi dynasty since the end of the 13th century.
Via the Hop On - Hop Off Bus we were able to visit the Prince's Palace. The Prince's Palace of Monaco is the official residence of the ruling Prince of Monaco. It has been the home of the Grimaldi dynasty since the end of the 13th century.
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| Prince's Palace |
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| The castle looked very modest |
If you are in Monaco in the morning you should definitely visit the Prince's Palace at 11:55 am as you will witness the Changing of the Guards which are watched by many tourists. Too bad we were here in the afternoon so we weren't able to witness it.
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| My Prince Charming |
From June - October, the Palace is open to the public. You can find a courtyard made from 3 million pebbles that form a geometric pattern and historic Genovese frescoes. We visited it in the month of April so we weren't able to go inside.
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| Too bad the Palace was not yet open to the public when we visited |
Aside from the actual palace, The Prince's Palace will give you a beautiful panoramic view of the cityscape and seascape. It was a spectacular sight!
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| Picturesque view |
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| At the port you can find the Royal Vessel belonging to the Prince of Monaco |
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| Cityscape and seascape |
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| The Port Hercules |
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| Staring at this view gave me the feels <3 |
Check Out Luxurious Yacht at the Hercules Port
Port Hercule or Port of Monaco is the main port of the Principality of Monaco and probably the most famous yachting destination in the world. I've known this port even before I've visited this place so seeing the port from a distance wasn't enough for us thus we had to visit the port and see all the beautiful yacht along it.
Port Hercule or Port of Monaco is the main port of the Principality of Monaco and probably the most famous yachting destination in the world. I've known this port even before I've visited this place so seeing the port from a distance wasn't enough for us thus we had to visit the port and see all the beautiful yacht along it.
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| Port Hercules or Port of Monaco |
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| The port can accommodate 500 vessels |
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| My hubby blending in |
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| Playground of the rich and famous |
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| Stayed here a couple of minutes to relax at the waterfront so we could enjoy the beautiful luxurious yacht and scenery |
There is also a nice view of the port at the train station
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| A very pretty sight! |
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| Located in the heart district of Condamine, and nearby shopping malls and leisure facilities |
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| Feeling 'Don' |
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| Monaco #OOTD |
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| Another one of my fave shots |
This swank and grandeur casino is Monaco's most recognizable landmark. It is said to be one of the oldest casinos in the world. The most lavish place to gamble has been featured in several 007 movies like "Never Say Never Again" and "Golden Eye".
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| Monte Carlo Casino |
Opening Time
Group tours are available from 9:00 am - 12:30 pm.
Gaming opens at 2:00 pm
Dress Code
Smart dress,
No military uniform,
No flip flops and shorts
Jacket is required after 8:00 pm
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| Bell Epoque style of architecture |
We just wanted to see the luxurious exterior of the casino so we didn't bother going inside, besides I heard picture taking is not allowed.
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| In 1863, the casino was built to save Monaco's House of Grimaldi from Bankruptcy |
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| A #ChaMiKiss at the Casino |
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| Cafe de Paris, a popular spot for a drink and people watch |
Stand on the Monaco Grand Prix Track
Monaco is synonymous to Grand Prix and no car racing fan would want to miss a Formula One racing event in Monaco which happens annually every May. Monaco Grand Prix is considered to be one of the most prestigious automobile racing in the world which is said to be "an exceptional location for glamour and prestige"
Monaco is synonymous to Grand Prix and no car racing fan would want to miss a Formula One racing event in Monaco which happens annually every May. Monaco Grand Prix is considered to be one of the most prestigious automobile racing in the world which is said to be "an exceptional location for glamour and prestige"
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| Monaco Grand Prix Track |
The race is held on the actual streets of Monaco, that are narrow, sharp, has many elevation changes, tight corners, and tunnel making it one of the most demanding tracks in Formula One.
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| Happy Kid standing on the race track which happens every May |
Mike, especially his dad are big fans of Formula One racing events so standing on the actual track was quite a big deal for Mike.
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| Mike at the famous Sainte Devote corner of Monaco Grand Prix Track. During the race season, these roads are closed for public. |
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| Grand Prix took place here in 1929 and has been affiliated with Formula 1 in 1955. |
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| Behind is the bleachers for Formula 1 audience |
Buy Souvenir Items at the Formula 1 Store
A store dedicated to Formula 1 fanatic is located along the street of Monaco. Mike being a fan of Formula 1 (he also wanted to bring something home for his dad), he insisted on going here so he could buy any memorabilia for him and his dad.
A store dedicated to Formula 1 fanatic is located along the street of Monaco. Mike being a fan of Formula 1 (he also wanted to bring something home for his dad), he insisted on going here so he could buy any memorabilia for him and his dad.
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| Formula 1 Store |
Inside the store you can find all sorts of toy racing cars, remote controlled racing cars, matchbox racing cars and any decorative racing car. You can also find accessories like watches and glasses, and assorted Formula 1 merchandise like jackets, shirts, even a car racing outfit.
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| Collection of different racing memorabilia |
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| Cars |
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| More cars |
Mike bought two official F1 caps, one cap for him - with Michael Schumacher's signature and one cap for his dad - with Ayrton Senna's signature.
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| Ayrton Senna's cap |
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| Michael wearing Michael Schumacher's cap |
Shop
In Monaco, you can find a lot of fancy shopping malls. We tried entering in one of the malls near the casino, Le Metropole Shopping Center. We had no plans of buying anything but we just wanted to see what the interiors of a mall in Monaco looked like.
In Monaco, you can find a lot of fancy shopping malls. We tried entering in one of the malls near the casino, Le Metropole Shopping Center. We had no plans of buying anything but we just wanted to see what the interiors of a mall in Monaco looked like.
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| Just right next to the Casino gardens |
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| This luxury decorated mall under a magnificent chandelier houses 80 boutiques |
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| One of those boutiques is of course brands like Rolex |
We didn't buy any expensive items but we bought an SD card for my camera. The staff at Fnac Electronic Shop were very nice and accommodating.
Pretend to be rich
It's nice that once in our lifetime, we belonged to the upper class society (haha) so yes, in that short span, we pretended we were one of the rich and famous.
Pretend to be rich
It's nice that once in our lifetime, we belonged to the upper class society (haha) so yes, in that short span, we pretended we were one of the rich and famous.
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| What car to bring? |
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| Off to go cruising |
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| Our home for a week! |
Walk and Appreciate the Surroundings
Because we were done with our itinerary and we were able to visit all the areas we wanted to go to, plus we also had a few minutes to spare before our scheduled train ride back to Nice, we strolled a little while and appreciated the pleasant street, quiet and safe surroundings.
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| HHWW |
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| Pretty structures |
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| Lovely street |
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| It's so peaceful and we felt very safe roaming around |
Discover the Marine Life at the Oceanographic Museum
We haven't really visited it, but this was one of the stops from our Hop On - Hop Off Bus as Musee Oceanographic is considered to be one of recommended sites to visit. For the lovers for all things marine, the museum is devoted to marine science. A collection of sea life, like sharks, turtles and shellfish, home to 4,000 species of fish. This building overlooks the Mediterranean.
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| Oceanographic Museum |
It was just a quick 'ooh-and-aah' visit to Monaco but we fell in love with it instantly. I guess everyone who visits this tiny country would wish they could be as wealthy as the people here. Among the four of us, Mike was the happiest. He even vowed that when we have enough savings, he would bring his family here during the Formula 1 season so they can enjoy watching the Grand Prix live.
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