Where to go in Monaco

The richest people of the world as well as the common tourists; everyone comes to Monaco to admire its unique style. Everybody knows about the main places, like the Casino Monte Carlo, the Prince Palace, and the Oceanographic Museum. But where to go in Monaco to find its hidden gems?

The Principality of Monaco is a country, located on Cote D’Azur between the city of Nice and French borders with Italy. This microstate is covering the area of only 2 km² (0,78 mi²) and has almost 39 thousand inhabitants. That makes Monaco the most densely populated country in the world.

So why is Monaco so popular? I guess you can blame it on the fact that one-third of the population are millionaires! The city is full of fancy cars, yachts and high-end brands that are literally designed to grab your attention. This playground for rich has 4 casinos, one of which is the famous Monte Carlo Casino.

But what are the places that not all the tourists get to know about? This article will help you out with finding those places!

 

Saint-Charles Church

This Roman Catholic church, built by Italian-born Monegasque Jean-Baptiste Pastor, was first opened in 1883. The city of Monaco was growing in population and so, Prince at the time, Charles III. (1818 – 1889) ordered to build a church to accommodate new residents. Standing 30 meters tall and located in the northern part of the Monte Carlo district, the Saint-Charles Church is very unique since it hosts the only English Catholic service on French Riviera. Visit this lovely church and explore the part of Monaco, a lot of people miss!

 

Japanese Garden

If you’re looking for a calm place to escape from all the noise and rush of Monaco, you should definitely visit the Japanese Garden! This garden was opened in 1994 and features all the essential components that transform a regular garden into a Japanese garden. Yasuo Beppu, a landscape architect from Japan, designed the garden is made according to the Zen principals. It features little islands surrounded by ponds and connected to each other by various bridges, a waterfall, a tea house and a Zen garden, and a lot of small details like for example traditional lanterns. Interesting is that all the trees and flora are the Mediterranea! They have been pruned by Yasuo Beppu himself and that is why they resemble the Japanese traditional trees. Isn’t that just cool?

The garden is open from 9am until the sunset.

 

La Condamine Market

 

For the best and the cheapest way to eat in Monaco, you might want to visit the Market Condamine. This market dates back to 1880 and is considered to be the heart of traditional Monaco. On the market square, You can find many stands with flowers, vegetables, and fruits or fresh fishes. However, if you enter the market building you will find many options for “on-the-budget” meal. Everything from pasta to traditional snacks like Barbajuan, Socca or Pissaladiere. Shared tables and a glass of wine with the meal make up the cozy and traditional atmosphere of the market.

The whole market opens 7 days a week between 9am and 3pm, and the market building opens additionally between 6pm and 9:30pm (only from Tuesday to Saturday).

Join a Monaco Walking Tour, if you wish to find out more about Monaco and explore all of its hidden corners!