Monte Carlo
Ryan has always wanted to go to Monte Carlo, the glitz and the glamour on the French Riviera.. Home to the rich and famous and part of the principality of Monaco.
I booked it as a surprise for his 30th birthday celebrations.. A weekend in Monte Carlo - how snazzy!
Jet2 have a range of city breaks and monte carlo is one of them. Nice is the nearest airport (Nice is also a lovely city break) and we arranged for a private transfer to our hotel. There is the option of a helicopter transfer but Ryan isnt a keen flyer so we decided to stay firmly on the ground.
The transfer took around 20 minutes and then we pulled up at The Fairmont hotel famed for its location on the hairpin bend. Ryan is an F1 fan so he was happy Id chosen this hotel.
The Fairmont as you can imagine is lovely, the concierge service is fabulous and it has some lovely bars/restaurants with panoramic views over the riveria. When you check in you must leave a deposit of 200e per day so that’s something to bare in mind. We had a garden view room which was very clean but was a little underwhelming for what I expected of a Fairmont. However we were not there for the hotel room so we set off exploring..
My first tip is take comfortable footwear, Monaco is very hilly! During our time there we visited the princes palace, the oceanographic museum, st nicholas cathedral, casino de monaco and larvatto beach. It was 28 degrees all weekend which was very pleasant for the end of October.
The highlight of these for me was the casino… Words can not quite describe the feeling once you are in there. You cant take pictures in the casino itself only the atrium and this is enforced. We sat in the bar area on some lovely chic sofas listening to the grand piano and later on a jazz band.. It was quite something. The table service was impeccable and for those few hours I felt like a lady from the aristocracy being waited on, coat placed on my shoulders as we left and doors held open where-ever you went.
There is an entry fee is pay and you will need your passport to gain entry to the casino but you get a voucher for the value of the entry off food/drinks within the casino so its worth the fee. We dined in Le Salon Rose restaurant on our second visit to the casino as a treat for my birthday which was the next day. The food was as one would expect in one of the most prestigious establishments in the world.
In terms of cost - The meal was very reasonable and only slightly more expensive than UK prices, drinks are around £18 plus for cocktails as a guide. Absolutely worth every penny I must say.
Would I recommend Monte Carlo as somewhere to experience? Absolutely. You could do it as part of a Mediterranean cruise or as a day trip from Nice if you wanted to incorporate it into a larger holiday.
Something I can guraantee you though is you will feel a million dollars even if it is for a weekend…
Melissa