48 hours in Monaco: a gentleman's itinerary
Monaco is small enough to cross on foot and grand enough to fill a lifetime. Two days around the Place du Casino, from the first tee on Mont Agel to the last hand at the Casino.
Where to stay
The Hôtel de Paris, opened in 1864, faces the Casino across the square. Everything in this itinerary is within a few minutes' walk of its door.
- Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo · Monaco
Opened in 1864 beside the Casino, the Hôtel de Paris is the heart of Monte-Carlo, home of Le Louis XV and a wine cellar carved into the rock. - Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo · Monaco
A Belle Époque palace above the port, with a glass-domed winter garden and L'Abysse, Yannick Alléno's sushi counter. - Hôtel Métropole Monte-Carlo · Monaco
A short walk above the Casino gardens, with interiors by Jacques Garcia and Les Ambassadeurs by Christophe Cussac.
Day one
Begin with golf at the Monte-Carlo Golf Club, founded in 1911 high on Mont Agel, with the Mediterranean far below. Return for a late lunch, walk the harbour, and spend the evening at Le Louis XV, Alain Ducasse's three-star dining room in the Hôtel de Paris. Finish at Le Bar Américain, where the jazz starts late.
Day two
A slow morning, then lunch at Blue Bay, Marcel Ravin's two-star restaurant at the Monte-Carlo Bay. In the evening, the Casino de Monte-Carlo: bring a passport, dress properly, and take a look at the Belle Époque salons even if you do not play. Members of the Monte-Carlo Cigar Club end the night in François Blanc's old office.
The tables of Monaco
- Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse · Monaco
Alain Ducasse's Riviera flagship, in a gilded Belle Époque dining room at the Hôtel de Paris facing the Casino. - Les Ambassadeurs by Christophe Cussac · Monaco
Christophe Cussac's restaurant at the Hôtel Métropole, a short walk up from the Casino gardens. - Blue Bay Marcel Ravin · Monaco
Martinique-born Marcel Ravin brings Caribbean spice to Riviera produce, on the water at the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel. - L'Abysse Monte-Carlo · Monaco
Yannick Alléno's intimate sushi counter at the Hôtel Hermitage, one of the most exclusive seats in the Principality.
Good to know
- Book everything far ahead during the Grand Prix in late spring and in July and August.
- Monaco has no airport: Nice is about half an hour by car, or minutes by helicopter.
- Jacket required at Le Louis XV, and expected in the Casino's gaming rooms.
