Take Me To Monte Carlo!
/
Finally my last, and favorite, stop in the French Riviera - Monte Carlo, Monaco. Monaco is everything I thought it would be. Beautiful, expensive, luxurious. It was the perfect place to visit for inspiration and manifestation in my pre-wealth era.
Many people don’t know this but Monaco is its own independent territory. It borders both France and Italy but it isn’t part of either. The official language there is French and it’s known as ‘the millionaires playground’. Getting there from my hotel in Nice was easy. I walked across the street to the airport and took the ZOU! bus ride to Monaco for 20 euro. The bus ride was scenic and took a little over an hour to reach the Monte Carlo area.
My first stop was a restaurant that I found when planning the trip. Il Fornaio had AMAZING reviews on Google and I understand why. The owners, Stefano and his wife, are the sweetest Italian couple. We had great conversation, he tied my napkin because he didn’t want me to ruin my white dress, and even offered to take my picture. The food was some of the best I had ever had while still being very inexpensive given its quality. If you’re ever in Monaco, I HIGHLY recommend!
After my meal, I decided to walk some it off by exploring the area on foot. The main shopping area was beautiful and I loved how aesthetic the shops were, especially the designer pop-ups. After walking around for a bit, I stopped at the Veuve Clicquot pop-up to rest my feet and enjoy a refreshing cocktail.
The shops are near the popular casino, Casino de Monte-Carlo. You can’t come to Monaco and not come here but here’s a warning: it is very busy and touristy. If you don’t like crowds of people, steer clear. This plays is always buzzing.
The heat was sweltering and I was melting so making little pit stops to sit in the shade and enjoy my hand fan was required. I stopped by some consignment shops and the casino was a short walk away from the water so of course I stopped by to see the boats. There’s something about boats that feel so aspirational for me. I could sit and watch them for hours.
I wandered around for hours before getting tired and deciding to head back to Nice. Monaco is such beautiful place with a peaceful vibe, surprisingly. This was hands-down my favorite place while exploring the French Riviera. I can’t wait to return and spend more time here. My first euro-summer was lovely. The balance between rest and exploration was the perfect way to mentally and physically prepare for my upcoming surgery.
Is having a euro-summer on your bucket list? What European cities are at the top of your list? Let’s chat in the comments. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed this series. Ciao!
monaco recap
- Pros: Beautiful, lots of places to shop and eat, safe for solo travelers, easy to get to from other cities
- Cons: Very busy with tourists