A working royal residence on the site of a Genoese fortress. François Grimaldi took it in 1297 disguised as a Franciscan monk — which is why two sword-carrying monks still stand on the Monegasque coat of arms.
The Grimaldis have held this rock, with interruptions, since 1297, making them the longest-ruling family in Europe. The palace is still the Prince’s actual home, which is why the changing of the guard on the Place du Palais at 11:55am is a real ceremony rather than a re-enactment, and why the State Apartments are only open when the family is not using them.
The apartments are worth the ticket: the Court of Honour with its double horseshoe staircase in Carrara marble, the Throne Room where Rainier III married Grace Kelly in 1956, and a set of sixteenth-century frescoes uncovered during a long restoration that finished in 2023.
Go early. The Place du Palais is small, the cruise crowds arrive mid-morning, and by seven in the evening the whole Rock is essentially empty.
| Changing of the guard | Daily at 11:55am on the Place du Palais |
|---|---|
| State Apartments | Seasonal — closed when the Prince is in residence |
| Tip | Walk the Rue des Remparts afterwards for the best view in Monaco |
Everything in Monaco is within a twenty-minute walk, but the country climbs from sea level to about 160 metres — use the network of roughly 80 free public lifts and escalators rather than the streets. Buses 1, 2 and 6 cover the whole Principality for a couple of euros. Full detail in the Monaco travel guide, and transfers from Nice airport in getting to Monaco.
The building that paid for a country
The most famous gaming room on earth, opened in 1863 to save the Grimaldis from bankruptcy — and successful enough that Monegasque citizens have paid no income tax since. Charles Garnier, architect of the Paris Opera, designed the concert hall attached to it.
A prince, a cliff and Jacques Cousteau
Better than almost any aquarium, because it was never meant to be one. Prince Albert I built it into the cliff face in 1910 as a serious research institution, and Jacques Cousteau ran it for thirty years.
A racetrack for one week a year
Run on public roads since 1929 and barely changed since: 3.3 kilometres of ordinary streets barriered off each May, including the slowest corner in Formula 1 and a tunnel taken at 280 km/h.
Search Monaco hotels on Trip.com
Affiliate widget: we earn a commission on bookings, at no extra cost to you.