Where To Eat, Play And Stay In Monaco - International Traveller

Monaco is famed for its glamour and opulence, but its seriously impressive green scene is where it truly shines. We discover a different side to the tiny principality on the glittering Côte d’Azur.

With its opulent Belle Époque architecture in profile against the shimmering Mediterranean Sea, the Casino de Monte-Carlo has long been enticing visitors to Monaco. It was opened in 1863 in a bid to revitalise the newly sovereign principality’s economy after it ceded around 95 per cent of its territory – including most of its agricultural land – to neighbouring France.

In the years that followed, the casino transformed the tiny locale into a luxurious playground synonymous today with the superyachts that gleam in the port beneath Le Rocher (the Rock of Monaco).

an exterior view of Belle Époque Casino de Monte-Carlo at dusk — Belle Époque Casino de Monte-Carlo is a famed entertainment complex in Monaco. (Image: B Vergely)

The dramatic promontory sets the scene for the legends of the rich and famous that have unfolded here throughout the ages. Yet the star attraction when I visit on a few blue-sky days in spring is the truly impressive green scene that underpins everyday life here. This is a place where e-bikes, e-cars and even e-boats are the way to get around. And that’s when Monégasques aren’t nimbly navigating the hilly streets on foot, hopping on and off a network of public elevators and escalators to crisscross the principality with mountain-goat ease.

an aerial view of Monaco — Monaco is built on and around the dramatic Rocher.

Why visit Monaco?

Lush and expansive green spaces

Monaco is the world’s most densely populated country and its high rises crowd out the Belle Époque villas that gleam like architectural gems from Monaco’s early development. But so too do its green spaces: packed as they are into every spare inch of the two square kilometres that hug the Côte d’Azur. In fact, more than 20 per cent of the principality is parkland, not to mention the urban farms sprouting from rooftops.

Since launching her company Terrae in 2016, urban agriculture pioneer Jessica Sbaraglia has carved – out of concrete – 1640 square metres of market gardens in Monaco. They service, among other things, the world’s first 100 per cent organic Michelin-starred restaurant, Elsa.

Focus on sustainable travel

Reducing food waste is of paramount importance here; even the finest establishments give food boxes to diners to take away leftovers.

an al fresco dining setup at Lebanese restaurant Em Sherif in Hôtel de Paris — Dine at Lebanese restaurant Em Sherif at luxe Hôtel de Paris. (Image: Monte Carlo Société des Bains de Mer)

At Em Sherif Monte-Carlo within the gilded Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo, where the discreet but unmistakable bustle of security personnel tells us we’re dining in VIP company, my travel companions and I are offered boxes to take away the sumptuous Lebanese feast we haven’t quite been able to finish.

guests dining al fresco at Em Sherif Monte-Carlo — Dine al fresco at Em Sherif Monte-Carlo. (Image: Monte Carlo Société des Bains de Mer)

Sustainability is stamped on the prestigious motorsport calendar, too. First held in 2015, the Monaco E-Prix is now a fixture of the scene today and races the same legendary circuit as Formula One.

In Fontvieille, the boutique Columbus Hotel gives guests a taste of real Monégasque life. Here, eco-friendly initiatives are second nature: from soap recycling to a restaurant committed to local supply chains, and energy needs supplied by a waste-to-energy district heating and seawater pumping plant.

an outdoor pool next to the sea in Columbus Monte-Carlo, Monaco — Columbus Monte-Carlo is a boutique place to stay.

“Monaco exists thanks to tourism and we have to be careful how we do that," says director of sales and proud Monégasque Nancy Ricozzi over breakfast one morning. Staying here in this neighbourhood hotel reveals a relaxed scene; around the corner families gather and friends share after-work drinks along a buzzy strip of restaurants and bars.

Modern-day green Monaco

You can find the seeds of modern-day green Monaco in the bricks and mortar of the Oceanographic Museum. This monumental temple to the sea is built into the side of Le Rocher, watching over the water with its facade rendered exuberantly in Baroque Revival style. Today it serves as a natural history museum and aquarium as well as the nexus for the Oceanographic Institute, Foundation Albert I, Prince of Monaco’s far-reaching research.

Created in 1906, it was the vision of Prince Albert I. The sailor turned scientist turned environmentalist devoted himself to the ocean, explains CEO of the institute and director of the museum, Robert Calcagno. “What is really amazing is that the mission statement of the Oceanographic Institute has not changed since its creation more than 115 years ago," says Calcagno. “To know, love and protect the ocean, which sounds very contemporary. So maybe Prince Albert I was the first activist for the protection of the ocean."

an exterior view of the Oceanographic Museum in Monaco — The Oceanographic Museum has been watching over the seas for more than a century.

Flourishing marine reserves

Later in 1976, Prince Rainier III created the world’s first protected marine reserve in Monaco. Today, Prince Albert I’s great-great grandson has picked up the environmental baton. Albert II, Prince of Monaco is well known as a staunch environmentalist who has long used his voice to raise awareness of climate change around the world.

With a focus on biodiversity, climate, the ocean and water resources, the foundation he established in 2006 has donated more than $100 million to causes around the world. Professor Tim Flannery, one of Australia’s leading writers on climate change, is on the board of directors along with Calcagno.

an aerial view of boats docked at the Fontvieille district in Monaco — Yachts are usually parked in front of the apartments in Fontvieille.

Meaningful ocean and community connections

The connection between Monaco and Australia runs deep. Having once lived and worked in Sydney, Calcagno himself has been instrumental in fostering a close relationship between the Oceanographic Institute and our own shores, a world away but bound by the seas.

In 2016, Torres Strait Islander artist and activist Alick Tipoti contributed to the Oceanographic Museum’s major exhibition Taba Naba: Australia, Oceania and the Art of the Peoples of the Sea. Two years later, after the artist reciprocated the invitation, Prince Albert – accompanied by Calcagno – travelled to Badu Island in the Torres Strait, the first head of state to do so. There, they spent time with the Badulgal people, learning about the community’s symbiosis with the ocean and the pressures that threaten it.

“We stayed there and enjoyed a simple life, speaking about the ocean and understanding [that] relationship," says Calcagno. “It was a relaxing time for us, but we learnt a lot." The journey is documented in an affecting and thought-provoking film, Alick and Albert, released in 2021 and available to watch on Stan.

an overhead shot of yachts parked in Fontvieille Pier — Find a taste of local life in the low-key district of Fontvieille.

Passion for environmentalism

The Prince’s popularity among his fellow Monégasques means his passion for environmentalism trickles down to the streets – from his choice of car – electric of course – to what you’ll find on your plate; after he made a stand against the overfishing of Atlantic bluefin tuna in 2008, all restaurants across Monaco removed it from their menus until fisheries were regulated and the species was no longer facing imminent extinction.

Careful use of resources is being considered in all corners. We pull up a stool at the hole-in-the-wall La Distillerie de Monaco in the elegant Condamine district to sample a taste of the principality – literally. Monégasque Philip Culazzo, a Dubliner with Italian heritage, was inspired to create Monaco’s first and only distillery after stumbling on a spark of inspiration through exploring its agricultural history.

Preservation of local livelihood

Long before tourism, citrus production was the mainstay of the economy, traded for rum with sailors on merchant ships looking to stave off scurvy on long trips to the Americas. “I realised here in Monaco there are still 600 bitter orange trees that grow inside the principality, owned by the Crown, and they were producing between 10 to 15 tonnes of fruit every year which was being thrown away," he says.

a bartender mixing up drinks at La Distillerie de Monaco — La Distillerie de Monaco is the principality’s first and only distillery.

This resulted in the distillery opening in 2017 with its signature product L’Orangerie, a bitter orange liqueur handmade using the oranges that grow on Monaco’s boulevards and otherwise go to waste when they drop from the trees. The suite of spirited souvenirs is complemented by a clean and citrusy Gin Aux Agrumes and a carob liqueur, Carruba, crafted using the fruit from the national tree of Monaco.

a photo of citrus liqueur with a backdrop of the sea at La Distillerie de Monaco — Its signature liqueur is crafted using local citrus.

We get a taste of the sea at Les Perles de Monte-Carlo, where diners sit on wooden tables at the tip of a pier to eat sustainably farmed oysters washed down with a clean Côtes de Provence white under the Riviera sun.

The sky meets the sea at the tip of a pier in the Port de Fontvieille.

This hidden gem, founded by certified marine biologists Brice Cachia and Frédéric Rouxeville in 2011, sits alongside an oyster nursery and ripening centre – unique in a region where traditional oyster farming is almost non-existent.

a waiter serving seafood to guests at Les Perles de Monte-Carlo — Les Perles de Monte-Carlo is a sustainably farmed oyster bar. (Image: Perles Monte-Carlo)

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What makes the city unique?

“This is where the real Monégasques live. You have to take the time to get lost in the city to discover what it really is." I delight in uncovering Monaco’s threads of interest and leave with a list of things I still want to do; I didn’t make it to the lofty Exotic Garden, with its succulents and views across the whole principality, or to the Francis Bacon institute, which offers insight into the period the artist lived and worked here.

The intriguing story goes that, broke after losing his money at the casino and unable to buy new canvases, he developed his signature technique of painting on the raw side of the canvas. “When you say Monaco, straightaway people think supercars and James Bond," says Ricozzi. “But if you take the time to discover the real Monaco, it will give you so much."

a drone shot of Casino de Monte-Carlo — The Casino de Monte-Carlo is a legendary destination. (Image: B Vergely)

A Traveller’s Checklist

Getting there

Monaco is a 30-minute drive from Nice Côte d’Azur Airport.

Staying there

Columbus Monte-Carlo is a boutique neighbourhood hotel in the Fontvieille district with rooms overlooking the Princess Grace Rose Garden and a suite of sustainability initiatives to its name.

a bronze statue at Princess Grace Rose Garden in Fontvieille, Monaco — Find respite at the Princess Grace Rose Garden in Fontvieille. (Image: Visit Monaco)

Eating there

Located in the low-key district of Fontvieille, Les Perles de Monte-Carlo is also the key to unlocking another side of the destination altogether. Monaco’s glamour is undeniably seductive – the rooftop cocktails at Fairmont Monte-Carlo, the lunch with sparkling sea views at Le Méridien Beach Plaza’s L’intempo restaurant and the spa treatments at grand Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo all serve to make you forget yourself for a moment. But you don’t have to scratch far beneath the surface to discover the principality’s most authentic side.

fresh oysters at Les Perles de Monte-Carlo — Fresh oysters are served at the restaurant. (Image: Perles Monte-Carlo)

Playing there

Climb to Monaco-Ville, popularly known as Le Rocher, to explore the oldest of Monaco’s four quarters and where the royal family lives. Wander narrow alleyways that date to the Middle Ages and head to the Place du Palais at 11.55am to watch the changing of the guard in front of the Prince’s Palace.

Take in the Roman-Byzantinestyle Cathédrale de Monaco, wander the winding paths of St Martin Gardens, where you can stare out to sea like the statue of Prince Albert I does, before losing yourself in the aquariums and exhibition displays of the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco.

Head to Monte-Carlo, Monaco’s most emblematic district, to encounter the grandeur and history of Monte-Carlo Casino, wander the parks and gardens and simply soak in the glam atmosphere.

Take a day trip to dreamy locales on the French Riviera, including the medieval hilltop town of Èze – just 15 minutes’ drive or a short bus trip away. While the Exotic Garden is closed for renovations until 2024, the botanical centre remains open.

Tour the Francis Bacon mb art foundation by appointment. See visitmonaco.com for more.

Temperatures are soaring this summer, breaking records across Europe and the UK.

Euro summer is a feeling like no other. But when a heatwave hits? The dream trip quickly turns into a sweaty mess. Extreme heat is sweeping Europe and the UK this week, with record-high temperatures impacting travel plans across the continent.

And while Australian summers are typically hotter in absolute temperature, many European cities aren’t equipped for high temperatures, resulting in unbearable weather.

Why is it so hot in Europe?

Signs of a hot summer loomed in May, when the mercury hit unprecedented spring highs. Now, extreme high temperature warning alerts have been issued in countries such as Spain, Italy, France, England, the Netherlands and Germany.

France saw its hottest day on record on Wednesday, with an average temperature of 30°C across the day and night. This surpasses the average temperature for June, which is 15°C to 25°C. Dozens of people have died, including 40 from drowning.

In Spain, 212 deaths have been linked to the heatwave.

The UK recorded its hottest June day ever on Wednesday with temperatures soaring to 36.1°C. In an article published by the Met Office – the UK’s national meteorological service – Professor Stephen Belcher CBE, Met Office Chief Scientist, shared his concerns about June’s heat. “To see temperatures like this in the UK in June is sobering. Events like this bring home the implications of climate change, with very high temperatures and humidity bringing significant health implications from heat stress, as well as impacts to a range of sectors such as transport, energy and water supply,” he said.

Heatwaves are becoming increasingly common in Europe and the UK, neither of which is prepared for such extremes. The World Meteorological Organization reported that in 2025, at least 95% of Europe experienced above-average annual temperatures and that the continent was heating up twice as fast as the global average.

How travel is impacted

A pharmacy sign displaying 40 degrees Celcius — A pharmacy broadcasting local weather data. (Credit: Getty/Dragoncello)

During a heatwave, power grids, water systems and transport networks can be affected, resulting in disrupted itineraries for travellers. In France, power outages have left thousands without electricity and early closures have been implemented for two of Paris’s biggest attractions, the Eiffel Tower (early afternoon rather than late at night) and the Louvre (two hours early). Eurostar cancelled its London to Paris and Paris to London services from the 22nd to the 25th, and major UK rail companies have been advising travellers to avoid using trains where possible, or to travel during early hours.

If a heatwave is predicted, being flexible with your itinerary and having fully refundable/changeable tickets is key, as extreme heat can force the cancellation of outdoor activities, impact rail and flight services and change the opening hours of sites and eateries.

Why does summer in Europe often feel hotter than summer in Australia?

people swimming in the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris — People swimming in the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris to cool off. (Credit: Rachael Thompson)

With some of the highest UV levels in the world, Australians are no strangers to the heat, adapting well to intense weather. But our infrastructure is largely equipped to withstand soaring temperatures with climate-responsive passive design, refrigerated air conditioning or evaporative coolers, as well as swimming spots aplenty.

Buildings in Northern and Western Europe and the UK, however, are constructed to retain heat and handle frosty winters. The lack of universal air conditioning means it generally feels hotter even though the temperature on your app might not look it. During a heatwave, it can feel like you’re in a sauna as cities act like heat traps.

How to stay cool and prepare for another heatwave

Relief is expected across Europe and the UK later this week, but more heatwaves are still possible in the coming months. Summer heat typically peaks in July and August.

Public transport often doesn’t have air conditioning, and buses in particular can be swelteringly hot. If you’re heading outside or your accommodation has no air conditioning, it’s worth buying a spray bottle and a handheld fan from a pharmacy or tourist stand. Check ahead of time if restaurants and cafes have air conditioning and make a booking in advance. The highest temperatures typically hit between 3pm and 6pm, so aim to head outdoors outside of these hours.

Rising temperatures invite travellers to enter a more intentional era of seeing the world. Now more than ever is the time to embrace lower-impact “coolcations” and off-season getaways.

Your guide to Monaco: Where to eat, play and stay