Is Monaco worth visiting? 10 reasons

Monaco is a dwarf country that I visited for the first time in 2013. This country tempted me, so I began to delve into its habits and…

I’m not the only one who likes to visit Monaco. Other people visit here too, and there are reasons for that. I will list a few of them. I hope this article will help you decide—is Monaco worth visiting or not.

1. Monaco is a bridge between Italy and France.

One of the biggest reasons I adore Monaco is that this dwarf is nestled between the other two most charismatic countries in the world, France and Italy.

Look at the map.

Since these countries are close to each other, it happens that in the morning I escape to the real south of France for a coffee (let’s not forget the croissant), and then after returning to Monaco and working for a while, I go to Italy to digest some fabulous pizza. 

Here is a photo of my pizza, which I deliciously digested in October 2023.

(By the way, I recommend the “La Vecchia Napoli” restaurant (address: Via Trossarelli 28, 18039, Ventimiglia, Italy).)

And sometimes I start my mornings by visiting an Italian bazaar, where I buy buratta and Italian tomatoes. Ten points! It’s true that the Lithuanian bazaar is not bad either, but I love buratta and mozzarella. That’s just the way I am.

That’s not all.

Living in Monaco, Italy and France at the same time, you not only enjoy beautiful views—we also talk about the concentration of many different points of view, where you mature your personality. It’s better to be here than in depraved New York.

And that’s not all.

France has a cultivated taste for food and art, and then Italy… Do you know how wonderful and interesting everything is there?

Let’s not forget that when going up from Monaco we have Switzerland, which can be reached in a few hours. So when you live in Monaco, you are basically in three countries at the same time. Isn’t that amazing????

Not far from Monaco there is also a wonderful town called Menton, which I also love. It’s a small town that boasts with impressive palm trees and Italian-style houses.

2. More opportunities for English speakers.

It’s no secret that millionaires from England and America like to move to Monaco because of the communication comfort that this country offers. After all, the duchy has an English-speaking community of about 9 percent, speaking the main dialects of British and American English.

So when you come into a store and ask if someone speaks English, you won’t get the frowns you still get in Italy or France.

For example, if you live in France or Italy, or another European city, you may have difficulties with the language. However, Monaco is quite friendly to English speakers. You will often meet someone who speaks English, which gives you more business opportunities.

3. The most wonderful microclimate. Does it snow in Monaco?

Monaco has a unique microclimate that Paris, England and other countries envy. Therefore, there is always a clear sky here.

O yes, Monaco boasts about 300 sunny days a year.

When raindrops do fall, it usually happens at night and the downpours are quite intense and don’t last long. Not only do the people of Monaco forget what gray, cloudy days are like, they probably don’t even own umbrellas.

Even though everyone says there is no snow in Monaco, this is not true. I’ve seen snow here several times.

For example, snow also fell in 2018:

4. You can choose the weather according to your wish.

Anyone who has been to Monaco has noticed that the mountains are often decorated with clouds. The clouds are above because Monaco is surrounded by mountains. But the most interesting thing is that these clouds give you a unique opportunity to enjoy the cold when it’s hot in Monaco.

This means that in summer you don’t have to eat ice cream to cool down—just get in the car and go to the mountain, where it’s muuuuch cooler than on the beach.

So when I’m hot, I can take myself to the mountains and have a great time there!

5. Everything is nearby and a car is not necessary.

In a country that is only 3 kilometers in size, everything is right here, at your fingertips. If you are on the other side of the country, it takes less time to walk home than to hail a taxi.

“But Alex, how about the mountain range? Do you have to climb mountains every day?” a reader will ask. Yes, sometimes you have to climb here, but… You will also find many elevators here.

Monaco has 79 elevators, 35 escalators and 8 travelators (the same escalators but without steps).

It would seem that 79 elevators is not a lot, but considering the size of the state, this number is astronomical.

I used to walk a lot, but once I found the elevators, I figured out how to “hack the system.”

If you’re going to Monaco, watch this video about the elevators there:

6. Monaco motivates and forces you to be better in every sense.

There are times when I lose motivation. But just a walk through the streets of Monaco is enough to inspire me to keep moving.

The people of Monaco awaken the desire to BE BETTER. Being in Monaco is continuous motivation.

In Monaco, people dress very “precisely,” which inspires the wearing of a suit.

When you wear a suit, your subconscious starts whispering to you to “act like a businessman.”

You probably know that clothing affects behavior?

Oh yes, for those who want to surround themselves with motivated people, Monaco is the best place, after all, every third person is a millionaire there.

If you spend time here, you will automatically meet successful businessmen.

I’m not saying it’s necessary to meet rich people, but Monaco is a great place for those who want it. Plus, don’t forget that if you want to make more money, you should start solving rich people’s problems. In Monaco it is easier to do this than in any other country, because, I repeat, every third person is a millionaire.

Monaco has the highest GDP per capita at $234,316, followed by Luxembourg at $133,590 and Bermuda at $114,090. Monaco is home to an impressive 12,261 millionaires.

If anyone is interested in why Monaco is so rich, read the following article: Why is Monaco so rich?

7. Out of respect for sport.

Not many expected that I would start talking about sports, but Monaco respects athletes.

Proof of this are numerous events promoting sports and symbols decorating the streets.

My favorite statue is the bronze statue of the swimmers.

Oh yes, sport is deeply ingrained in the blood and culture of the people of Monaco living here. The Prince of Monaco himself participated in sports matches and periodically encourages to do sports.

He periodically takes part in events where he is not afraid to “do some work.”

Once I got a chance to ride bicycles with the Prince of Monaco.

The destination was: from Saint Tropez to Monaco.

The prince quickly overtook me (proving that he was more exercised than me) and gave me a nice smile as he passed me.

I wrote more about riding bikes with the Prince of Monaco in the book “Happy Bastards.” You can find this book on Amazon here: an eye-opening e-book.

That’s not all.

Because Monaco’s sporting culture is as rich as its people, it is natural that many sports stars choose Monaco as their permanent home.

Therefore, you can meet different champions in Monaco, such as Novak Djokovic, Holger Rune, Jannik Sinner, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc and many others.

8. Monaco is a great gauge of values that will help you find the middle ground and…

A wise man once told me, “It’s hard to make a lot of money, but it’s even harder to stay human after making a lot of money.” These words are thought provoking. And indeed it is not easy to meet people in Monaco who are rich but also human, BUT I managed to find some.

I’m not 16 anymore, so I can safely say that your life will always be more productive if you focus not only on mindfulness, but also on financial success. Winners are those who choose both, like me. Oh yes, in Monaco you can find the golden mean. It’s not easy, but possible.

By the way, on the subject of the gauge of values, if you’re in Monaco, don’t take photos of Ferrari cars, okay? 😉

9. The best place to visit in Monaco: cactus garden, Japanese garden or…

In Monaco you can find many charming places: a cactus garden, a Japanese garden, in the heart of which you will find a pond.

The pond located at the bottom of the pavilion gives you the opportunity to admire the KOI carp collection. These fish meditate among water lilies and lotus flowers.

Every time I visited the Japanese garden, I felt a “different” peace than in other areas of Monaco, because the design of the Japanese garden was created by the most talented landscape architect Yasuo Beppu, who is crazy about feng shui.

It’s good that in Monaco you can enjoy different energies that give you strength and relaxation.

After all, in Monaco you can find anything your heart desires.

Not even talking about the beaches here. A true paradise.

Now you know what to do in Monaco, but there’s more.

10. World famous events and private parties…

Wonder what to do in Monaco? In Monaco, you can find different art events that take place in private spaces. This is wonderful because it’s easier to meet inspiring people in such places. At one of these events, I met Mika Hakkinen. 

Also, the world’s most famous events take place here, such as: “The Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival,” “The Rolex Monte-Carlo Tennis Masters,” “The Monaco Grand Prix,” yacht show.

The yacht show is one of the most spectacular events you have ever witnessed. Important: Monaco is especially beautiful to look at at night, during the yacht show, when the ships are out to sea, away from the coast. Here’s what it looks like:

Mmmmmm.

Someone has said that everyone must visit Egypt, but visiting Monaco during the yacht show is also a must.

By the way, speaking of watching from above…

You can look at Monaco from above from many points, one of them is called “Tête de Chien.” “Tête de Chien” is a mountain peak that resembles a dog’s head.

Here’s what “Tête de Chien” looks like from the side:

Additional information: several myths about Monaco.

Many people think that Monaco is “overcrowded” (according to various sources, such as here), but this is only during the biggest events (like the Monaco Yacht Show). In fact, when there are no events going on, Monaco is pretty quiet. When there are no events, most people congregate near the Casino de Monte Carlo, which is where you really don’t need to be every day.

There are also people who claim that everything in Monaco is super expensive. Yes, the prices here are huge. However, there are food stores where prices are similar to Lithuania. You just need to know where to shop. If you want to save, go to the stores located in Beausoleil.

Beausoleil is a county above Monaco with more humane prices. There are also elevators there, so if you don’t have a car, you won’t have to walk much.

IMPORTANT: This article doesn’t encourage you to live in Monaco. But it’s worth a visit. For a variety of reasons, not just the ones I told you about.

The End

Mostly, people who have been to Monaco once or twice give it a bad impression. But those who have been three or more times react about it differently.

If you were in Monaco, write why you liked it. It’s interesting to find out. You can write what to do in Monaco in the comments. I’m sure someone will come up with an idea that I didn’t mention.

Or write in the comments if you plan to visit Monaco.

I dedicated my life to the French Riviera and Monaco. Therefore, you will receive new information about this region in the near future. In other words, I am a bridge between Monaco and you, so you can ask me any questions you may have.

Thanks for reading!

THANKS + THANK YOU!