Cruising to Monaco: It’s just as glamorous as you think
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Monaco is a destination that bills itself as “the international capital of luxury.”
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MONTE CARLO, Monaco – No wonder James Bond loved hanging out here so much.
This playground for the rich and famous on the French Riviera, the setting for two of Agent 007’s movies — “Never Say Never Again” and “GoldenEye” — oozes Bond-like glamour, sophistication and money.
Lots of money.
Covering less than one square mile of territory, the principality is the world’s second-smallest sovereign country (behind Vatican City). Monaco is so tiny it could easily fit inside New York’s Central Park, with plenty of space left over. Yet 35,000 people live here, making it the most densely populated country in the world.
While empty space may be in short supply, opulence is not. Monaco is a destination that bills itself as “the international capital of luxury.”
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Regent Seven Seas Voyager. We started in Barcelona and ended in Athens, with stops along the way in France, Italy, Malta, Turkey and the stunning Greek island of Santorini.
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Grace Kelly married Monaco’s Prince Rainier III. She served as princess of Monaco until 1982, when she died in a car accident at the age of 52. Today, Monaco’s reigning monarch is one of Grace and Rainier’s three children — Prince Albert II — believed to be one of the wealthiest royals in the world.
As soon as the Voyager’s tender dropped us off at Monaco’s pier, we were ushered onto a coach for one of the most exciting bus rides I’ve ever taken. We were on the 2-mile Circuit de Monaco, a road that winds through the streets of Monaco and is home to the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix, a Formula One race held every May.
Our driver kept to the speed limit and five minutes later, we exited the course and crossed the border into France. We were on our way to the medieval hilltop village of Èze. Some of the buildings here date back to the early 14th century.
We hiked up to the highest point in Èze to see stunning views of the French Riviera, including Cap Ferrat, nicknamed the “peninsula of billionaires.” Some of the cape’s notable residents have included Winston Churchill, Elizabeth Taylor, the Rolling Stones and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.
In 2012, Cap Ferrat was named the second-most expensive residential location in the world. Number one? Monaco.
Monaco’s royal family
After lunch in Nice, a pleasant coastal city of about a million people just 8 miles from Monaco, we drove back to the principality to learn more about its famed monarchy. We stopped at Saint Nicholas Cathedral, where Grace and Rainier are buried. The beloved princess’ tomb still sees a steady stream of devoted pilgrims.
A short walk away, we visited the Prince’s Palace of Monaco, where the royal family lives. The palace, which features a changing of the guard at 11:55 a.m. daily, was built in 1191 as a fortress.
We ended the day in the ward (neighborhood) of Monte Carlo, home of the grandiose Casino de Monte-Carlo. The casino opened in 1863 in a building with a beautiful neoclassical facade. Parked out front were dozens of custom-made Ferraris, Bentleys, Rolls-Royces and Lamborghinis.
Visitors are allowed inside parts of the casino, but if you want to enter one of the gambling halls, there is a 17-euro cover charge (about $18.50). A dress code is strictly enforced. I didn’t want to pay the cover charge, but was able to get a quick glimpse into the gambling hall from the lobby.
Not surprisingly, I didn’t see any nickel-poker machines.
Sailing with Regent Seven Seas
Monaco and the entire French Riviera is one of the most expensive places to visit in the world. That’s why it’s a great place to stop on a cruise, where visitors are insulated from the high costs of restaurants and hotels. A three-star hotel will set you back about $260 a night; five-star hotels average $640.
Regent, a high-end boutique line with just four ships (a fifth ship — the 750-passenger Seven Seas Splendor — begins sailing in 2020), includes most shore excursions in the cost of the cruise. So we incurred virtually no extra out-of-pocket costs exploring Monaco and the Cote d’Azur.
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dan.fellner@asu.edu or visit his website at global-travel-info.com.
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