Monaco, October 16-17

In a few days, I’ll be joining friends and travel companions Denis and Joyce, whom I met on a cruise two years ago, for an Azamara cruise out of Venice.  Being a country collector, though, I figured I’d add Monaco to my life list as long as I’m sort of in the neighborhood.

In a sense, Monaco is my amuse bouche for this trip, not that I need to whet my appetite for travel (orfor  food, for that matter).   I wasn’t sure what to expect: I had visions of seas of Aston Martins piloted by tuxedo-wearing spies and haughty mobs of elegant, fashionable people with chiseled cheekbones, which is not my scene.  (I drive an 11-year old Nissan Altima, haven’t worn a tux since my wedding 37 years ago, and have never been accused of hauteur (thankfully), elegance, good fashion sense, or alluring zygomatics.)

In truth, I found Monaco delightful and not at all stuffy.  There are plenty of fancy cars, for sure, but no greater proportion of shockingly attractive, well-dressed folks than in any other European hot spot.  For all I know, the place is rife with secret agents, but then again, if they’re doing their job correctly, I’d be none the wiser.

Getting there:  I’ve come to the grudging acknowledgement that traveling to continental Europe from Dulles Airport often will involve a connection through Frankfurt, my second-least-favorite airport (Heathrow takes top honors).  When you arrive at Terminal Z and your connection departs from the opposite end of the alphabet (Terminal B in this case), you know you’re in for a trek:  4000 steps, in this case, including a detour to Terminal A to find a lounge, of which Terminal B seems bereft. 

I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating:  make sure you have at leat two hours for a connection through Frankfurt, three if you’re worried about flight delays.  At any rate, I made my  connecting flight to Nice in plenty of time, and after a half-hour car ride past steep green hills dotted with villas, I arrived in Monaco, country number 90 for me.

Staying there:  My travel agent booked me into the classy, beautiful Hotel Hermitage, just off the U-shaped harbor that separates Monaco Ville from Monte Carlo.  (Thanks, Lauren, it’s great!)  The Hermitage is a lovely place with solicitous staff, spacious rooms, comfortable beds, and a good breakfast buffet. 

It’s a reasonable walk from the hotel to everything worth seeing – Monaco is a tiny place, so everything is walking distance from everything else as long as you have comfortable shoes and don’t mind vertiginous hills.

What to see: Monaco has a bit of everything:  the famous Casino, beautiful pocket parks, the Prince’s Palace, a world-class Oceanographic Museum, the Prince’s collection of classic cars, and yachts big enough to deserve their own zip code.  I visited all of these except the yachts, having no contacts among the world’s demigods.

The Casino.  Fronting a beautiful square and adjacent to the spectacular Hotel de Paris (don’t ask me why it’s in Monaco), the casino is massive yet elegant.  Not being a gambler, and suffering from an allergy to formal clothes, I merely stepped inside rather than entering the gaming area. 

Very close to the casino, there’s an installation by Anish Kapoor entitled “Sky Mirror,” a gleaming reflector offering fresh perspectives on the surrounding buildings. 

The Jardin Japonais.  Also nearby are several gardens.  Yesterday I strolled through the small park across from the casino, a lush spot popular with seagull-sized dogs and dog-sized seagulls.  Today I visited the Jardin Japonais, located behind the casino at 5 Av. Princesse Grace. 

It’s a delightful, attractive spot, well worth a visit, but I won’t be koi:  its serenity is compromised by construction noise from a luxury apartment complex being erected between the garden and the sea. 

Marché de la Condamine.  Being a fan of markets, this morning I went to the Marché de la Condamine (11 Rue Terrazzani). 

It’s compact and lacks the hectic energy of most such places, but based on the number of people buying fresh produce and meats, it is popular with locals. 

If you’ve got plenty of time, it’s worth perusing; if not, you can skip it without missing much.

The Palais Princier.  Towering over the market and surrounding area, the Palais Princier is a castle with commanding views of the harbor, the mountains, and Monte Carlo.  Here’s where the vertiginous hills I mentioned earlier come into play:  to reach the castle by foot, you must ascend a fairly steep road with scattered steps for a total elevation gain of around 200 feet. 

I didn’t go into the palace, instead electing to explore Monaco Ville, a warren of narrow lanes lined with cafes, tea rooms, shops, and artisans’ studios.

The Oceanographic Museum (Av. Saint-Martin).  Less than a quarter mile from the Palace, this museum was established by Prince Albert I, who was a noted explorer and conservationist.  The lower two levels comprise an excellent aquarium. 

Upper floors contain an “immersive Arctic experience” – a large room whose walls, ceiling, and floor place you amidst scenes of Arctic and Antarctic wildlife – natural history exhibits relating to terrestrial and marine life in polar regions, and a fascinating exhibit of photos and gear from the Prince’s various expeditions. 

There’s also an outdoor sea turtle exhibit and a rooftop terrace with beautiful views of the shoreline.

The Prince’s Car Collection (54 Rte de la Piscine).  Prince Rainier III was a car enthusiast, and his collection of nearly 70 vehicles is open to the public in a modern space right next to the marina.  Several of the vehicles raced in the Monaco Grand Prix and other prestigious events. 

Even if you’re not a car nut, it’s a fine place to spend a half hour admiring some truly elegant designs.  (You can buy a combination ticket for the Oceanographic Museum and the Car Collection for 25 euros, which is unexpectedly modest given the price of everything else in Monaco.)

I’ve enjoyed my time in Monaco and would encourage anyone who visits the French Riviera to go to Monaco for a day or so.  Tux and chiseled cheekbones are optional.