Monaco Day Trip from Nice, Monaco

Monaco, officially known as the Principality of Monaco, is a small sovereign city-state located on the French Riviera

Monaco is easily reachable from Nice by train.  I made a day trip to see the famous Casino de Monte-Carlo.

On the way to the Nice train station

The Nice Train Station

I arrived at the Monaco Train Station and was on the way to the casino.

Monaco is bordered by France on three sides and the Mediterranean Sea on the fourth side.

And it is one of the smallest countries in the world, with an area of just about 2.1 square kilometers (0.81 square miles).

Approximately 39,000 residents, making it one of the most densely populated countries.

Monaco was established by the House of Grimaldi in 1297. The Grimaldi family, originally from Genoa, seized control of the Rock of Monaco and have ruled the territory since.

The type of government is Constitutional monarchy, and the head of the state is the
Prince of Monaco, currently Prince Albert II.

The key industries are tourism, banking, and finance. The country attracts rich people worldwide because of its favorable tax policies, especially for personal income tax.

Casino de Monte-Carlo. Opened in 1863, it was developed to help save the House of Grimaldi from bankruptcy. Designed by Charles Garnier, who also designed the Paris Opera House.

The Grand Prix Track.  Hosts the annual Monaco Grand Prix, one of the most prestigious Formula One races.

The casino is known for its luxurious ambiance and attracts high rollers and celebrities from around the world.

The far end is the entrance to the casino, but I could not go in because I did not bring my passport, and I may not dressed up enough to get in.  So I only saw the lounge.

I walked toward the ocean which is at the back of the casino.

I looked back at the buildings

Then I walked toward the ocean

Another panoramic view of the same place

Looked back at the casino building

I walked toward the area with many buildings in the picture

Looked back

The seats along the road are for Monaco Grand Prix.

Looked back

The building on the top of the hill is the Prince’s Palace of Monaco.  The palace was my next destination.

This is the ramp that goes up to the palace

Looked back

Walked up the ramp

On the top of the hill in front of the palace

The Prince’s Palace of Monaco, also known as the Palais Princier, is the official residence of the Sovereign Prince of Monaco.

At the top of the hill is a town with many buildings, shops, and restaurants.

The view of the town

I came back to the palace. It was originally built as a Genoese fortress in 1191 and has been transformed into a palace over the centuries. It has served as the seat of the Grimaldi family since 1297 when François Grimaldi seized the fortress.

A part of the palace is open for a tour

Inside the palace

Panoramic view