This year’s festivities celebrating the 700th anniversary of the Grimaldi family’s reign will feature a dazzling array of events, including an exhibit of historical memorabilia, a sail-by of tall ships and a musical premiere.
Points ofInterest
Area:0.73 square miles (approximately the size of New York’s Central Park).Population:28,188.Languages:French, Monegasque, Italian.
Highlights
Monaco-Ville(the Old Town) sits atop the Rock of Monaco and includes the Palace of Monaco and the imposing Musée Océanographique with its renowned aquarium. A changing of the guard takes place promptly at 11:55 a.m. every day at the palace.
Monte Carlo, on the opposite side of the harbor, is the location of the glamorous hotels, the Casino de Monte Carlo and the lavish opera house.
The Seawater Thermal Baths, or Thalassotherapy Centre, is one of the newest attractions. With 64,560 square feet on four levels, it provides a wide range of spa treatments and services, and has two swimming pools, a sauna and a fitness club.
Fontvieille, a 45-acre landfilled area, is acquiring its own personality with the Princess Grace Rose Garden and marina. One of the newest attractions is the Stamps and Money Museum, which, along with the Museum of Old Cars, showcases private collections of His Serene Highness, Prince Rainier III.
Attractions
Palace of Monaco. Built during the 13th century, the palace has been renovated with 17th-century frescoes and sumptuous rooms. The state apartments are open to the public in July and August.
Monaco Cathedral. Constructed of white stone in a Ronanesque-Byzantine style, this is the final resting place of princes of Monaco. From spring through summer in this anniversary year, it will be the setting for a spectacular sound and light show depicting the principality’s history.
Musée Océanographique and Aquarium. The rarest fish in the seven seas are exhibited in 90 tanks in this grand tower, as well as skeletons of whales, sea lions and other findings from the Antarctic exploration of Prince Albert I, who founded the museum in 1910.
Napoleonic Museum. Houses memorabilia from the Napoleonic period collected by Prince Louis II, grandfather of Prince Rainier. Of note are an exceptionally rare collection of 19th-century stamps and a series of coins minted by the princes of Monaco since 1640.
National Museum. Designed by architect Charles Garnier, its doll and automation collections date from the 17th century. The rose garden is a tranquil oasis at any time of year.