Nine surprises in billionaire playground Monaco

You might think glamorous Monaco is a magnet only for high-stakes gamblers and billionaire yacht owners, but you’ll find plenty to enjoy in this Mediterranean micro-state which has recently been rolling out the new, the renovated and the decidedly quirky.

The cafe

Inside the Cafe de Paris Monte-Carlo.

Legendary brasserie Cafe de Paris Monte-Carlo reopened in November 2023 after 19 months of renovations, and its shimmering interior shows the beauty that €55 million ($91 million) can achieve. While many visitors sit on the terrace with a view over Place du Casino and its parade of supercars, you should head inside for a sumptuous art deco symphony of marble, brass, mosaic flooring and gleaming mahogany. The two bars are gorgeous enough to be art installations. Upstairs dining features a traditional French brasserie menu, including the crepes Suzette invented here, and still flambéed at the table. See montecarlosbm.com

The unexpected restaurant

Skip the French fare for Amazonico Monte-Carlo’s Latin American flavours.

Monaco isn’t short of French fine dining in elegant surroundings, which makes new Amazonico Monte-Carlo restaurant, opened in April 2024, a wonderfully heady experience for its Latin American dishes and voluptuous, colourful and creative decor. Its expansive terrace is perched on a rooftop overlooking the splendid belle epoque facades of Place du Casino, and erupts in jungle-like greenery and motifs such as panthers and peacocks. The flamboyant interior has a livelier party vibe, while The Club is hidden down a leopard-print, mirrored staircase. Order cocktails in glasses shaped like pineapples or puma heads, then enjoy ceviche, meat from the parilla, and inventive salads. See amazonicorestaurant.com

The best exhibition

One of a hundred cars in the collection.Credit: Benjamin Vergely

The Cars Collection of H.S.H. the Prince of Monaco was begun in the 1950s and has long been open to the public, but recently moved into new digs on Port Hercules waterfront. It showcases some 100 vehicles, from a gleaming vintage Rolls-Royce and Lincoln to the racing cars used in the Monaco Grand Prix. Rev-heads and admirers of industrial design will be entranced, but the exhibition also does an excellent job of highlighting the vehicles in their historical context, and their place in the princely family’s life. See palais.mc

The major attraction

Prepare to be dazzled by the flamboyant creatures of the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco.

The only thing that can match the flamboyant decor of Monte Carlo’s famous casino is the creatures in the aquariums at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco. You’ll be dazzled by white-dotted jellyfish, fluorescent coral that look like 1970s lava lamps, and fish of every hue, trailing feathered fins and sporting pouty red lips. This is one of the world’s oldest aquariums and a pioneer of raising temperamental corals in artificial environments. Also not to be missed is the museum’s main hall for a wonderful cabinet of curiosities that includes a stuffed polar bear, 1776 submarine and gigantic whale skeleton. See musee.oceano.org

The best ceilings

Dramatic ceiling art among the opulent interiors at Princely Palace.Credit: Monaco Press Centre

The Princely Palace was begun in 1191 and has seen many modifications along the way. Amid all the architectural layers, Prince Albert II only discovered he owned 15th century frescoes when they were revealed during recent renovations. Following several years of restoration, they’re now a gorgeous, glowing addition to the palace’s treasures and depict the labours of Hercules, the voyages of Odysseus and other mythological events. Look out for the naughty little cherubs floating in corners on pigeon-like wings. See visitepalaisdemonaco.com

The quirkiest gardens

Looking through the exotic garden to the water.

The Exotic Garden is closed for upgrades, but when it reopens in 2025 you won’t want to miss this improbable place, often overlooked by visitors who stick to the Monaco waterfront. It sits on a hillside so steep you feel you’re about to parachute into the Prince’s Palace far below; at every corner, magnificent vistas of the French Riviera unfold. The zigzagging pathways and teetering steps are vertiginous, the succulents surreal in their jagged, sculptural oddity. At the base of the garden you’ll discover another surprise: vast caverns hung with stalactites, which preserve evidence of prehistoric humans. See jardin-exotique.mc

The green scene

Urban farming in Monaco.Credit: Patrick Aventurier

Herbs sprouting and chickens clucking on the roofs of some of the world’s most expensive real estate? You shouldn’t be surprised, given Prince Albert’s commitment to the environment and Monaco’s mission to be carbon neutral by 2050. Peer down from hillsides at the tops of apartment blocks and you’ll see organic fruit and vegetables flourish. The produce gets sold in markets and used in kitchens, including those of the fanciest restaurants in town. The Terrae project produces four tons of herbs, fruit and vegetables each year, as well as eggs and honey. A 13,000 square metre urban farm is now under construction. See terrae.green

The hotel

The stately seaside Hotel de Paris Monte-Carlo.

Nothing says Monaco more than Hotel de Paris Monte-Carlo. Its fabulous lobby makes you feel you ought to sport a top hat and monocle. But this belle epoque pile overlooking the casino and opera house isn’t resting on its ornate historical laurels. Some parts are art deco, others contemporary, and the wellness centre on its rooftop seems to belong to some chic, minimalist future. You’ll pause everywhere to admire artworks, but views over Port Hercules and the Prince’s Palace from many rooms – and the breakfast terrace – steal the show. See montecarlosbm.com

One more thing

Chill poolside… Monte-Carlo Beach Club.

If you want time out and a step back to the glamorous Hollywood era of the French Riviera, then head to Monte-Carlo Beach Club, whose cabanas, striped parasols and diving platform recall the 1920s. The pebbly shoreline won’t wow an Aussie, but you can’t beat the style of the glorious Olympic-sized swimming pool, or the chance to float in the Med with Monaco in the background. See monte-carlo-beach.com

The writer travelled as a guest of Visit Monaco (visitmonaco.com/en) and Monte-Carlo SBM.