Monaco: NY Times Profile, Ideas, Options!!

[TLCOhio]

Coming in the Sunday morning New York Times travel section, they have this feature and headline: "36 Hours in Monaco" with these highlights: "Monaco, a constitutional monarchy on the Riviera measuring less than a square mile, evokes high-stakes gambling, multimillion-dollar yachts, Russian oligarchs, racecar drivers, James Bond films, spotless sidewalks and no public debt. Hotel suites with a view of the sea during the Grand Prix can cost thousands, even tens of thousands, of euros. A starter of pea soup with gnocchi goes for 76 euros (about $100) at the Louis XV, Alain Ducasse’s Michelin three-star restaurant at the Hôtel de Paris. Monaco is a place where high-priced female 'escorts' with long legs and exotic accents decorate the nightclubs and hotel lobbies. Visitors can drop their dogs off at free kennels, and car owners feel safe enough to leave their keys in the ignition. Prince Albert II is pushing to make Monaco a family-friendly, environmentally correct vacation spot. Look hard enough and you will discover a world of art, natural beauty and good food and lodging at affordable prices."

 

There are a number of different options suggested for doing and seeing during a period of time there. Here are a couple of options to consider when doing a cruise ship stop there:

 

The story of Grace Kelly — the Oscar-winning American actress who married a prince, became a princess and died tragically — is woven into the fabric of Monaco’s history. An avenue, a rose garden, a foundation, even a polka-dotted fish have been named after her. Her body is buried alongside that of her husband, Prince Rainier III, in the Roman-Byzantine-style Monaco Cathedral.

 

Casino de Monte-Carlo is an architectural delight. Inaugurated in 1863, reconstructed in 1878 by Charles Garnier, it has an atrium paved in marble and surrounded by 28 Ionic columns in onyx. On one side, the Opera Hall, with red and gold décor, bas-reliefs and sculptures, is an ode to Garnier’s other masterpiece, the Paris Opéra.

 

If I Were a Rich Man: Driving is not the best way to get around Monaco; the public bus and free electric bike systems are much more efficient. But you can live the fantasy of driving up and down the winding hairpin turns of the Riviera in a sports car. Monaco Luxury Rent rents cars like Ferraris and Lamborghinis for a minimum of 24 hours.

 

Lots of interesting options to consider. Below are some of my Monaco pictures from visiting there earlier, including 2011 as noted in live/blog for our cruise in the Med.

 

Full story at:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2013/08/18/travel/36-hours-in-monaco.html?ref=travel&_r=0

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Celebrity Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 139,424 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

In Monaco, the Casino might be the most famous building:

 

 

 

Here is one of the parks in Monaco with the scenic mountains in the background:

 

 

 

Here is another view of Monaco with famed hotel and part of the Casino with the scenic mountains also shown:

 

 

 

From the water side, this is the view for this side of the Monaco Casino:

 

 

 

The charming mountain top village of Eze is nearby to Monaco and offers great view along the southern French coast to the west.:

 

[cberge]

Thank you for posting...now let's hope people read it when going to Monaco/Monte Carlo and do not have to ask what to do and see there:D

[TLCOhio]

Thank you for posting...now let's hope people read it when going to Monaco/Monte Carlo and do not have to ask what to do and see there:D

 

Yes, Karen, dream on!!!??? We can hope. Many are new to these boards and don't know about using the "Search" feature and/or to scroll down, look for earlier posts, etc. Lots of great info and people on these boards.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Since Venice is one of a key stop for many, they might look at this earlier posting that I did on the Italy board that shows many options and visual potentials for this city that is so great for "walking around", personally sampling the great history and architecture. This posting has now had over 27,308 views and I appreciate those who have dropped by and tuned in. Don’t be shy in sharing any questions or comments.

Venice: Loving It & Why??!!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

[Keith1010]

Terry, thanks for sharing.

 

We love Monaco and it always amazes me that with say one day there people want to run to other places. There is a lot to see there.

 

Keith

[Hlitner]

Oooooo...cannot let Keith's post go without a contrarian point of view :) DW and I do not particularly like Monte Carlo (we have spent many weeks in this part of France/Monaco) and would be among those mentioned in Keith's post who run elsewhere. In fact, when we did our last long driving trip and drove from Italy past Monte Carlo we managed to totally bypass the city. When I asked DW if she at least wanted to stop and browse some shops she just gave me here old "teachers look" and said "get me to Eze Village NOW." And on our last cruise that stopped in MC (last year) we were only in MC long enough to walk to the bus stop and grab the #100 bus to Nice (Nice is nice).

 

 

Hank

Edited August 18, 2013 by Hlitner

[TLCOhio]

Terry, thanks for sharing. We love Monaco and it always amazes me that with say one day there people want to run to other places. There is a lot to see there. Keith

 

Appreciate the great contrast and comparison raised by the comments from Keith and Hank. I greatly respect both of these wonderful contributors to these boards. I can agree and see BOTH points of view. We first visited Monaco in 1995. It was interesting and great to be there.

 

But, I have warned people that Nice, Cannes, Monaco, etc. can and will be extremely crowded during their peak tourism periods. Lots and lots of people (both residents and visitors), too many cars, too few highways and limited land between the mountains and sea to hold all comfortably and easily. The movies have made these large cities seem attractive and appealing. Do not Cary Grant and Grace Kelly seem to be having fun there? So glamorous and exciting?! For movies, they make it seem so wonderful. If you are rich and in the “best, right” areas, it can seem and be wonderful. BUT, that congestion might be a turn-off. It depends on what are you expecting, seeking and willing to pay for to hang with the rich and avoid the mobs in these famed areas.

 

With a wonderful friend from these boards, we did a nice trip in June 2011 from where our ship was tendered in super scenic Villefranche. We took the bus east through Monaco and spent a good and enjoyable part of the day in Menton. Fun, also. We would have liked to have spent more time in Monaco, especially with an "insider" who knows the town so super well. Only so much time, however!! Would like to see nearby St. Paul in the future, plus more time in Monaco. Good reasons to go back.

 

Below are some more of my 2011 visuals from Monaco, plus a couple of added samples from nearby. Lots of great options in Monaco and nearby. So much depends on what fits your personal interests and needs!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Celebrity Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 139,574 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

From being in Monaco in June 2011, it is clear that there has been building there and that things are booming big time in the well-known coastal kingdom. They had just completed the Grand Prix race here and we went by the scenic Casino with the gardens and fountains in front over top of a large parking garage. They were getting ready at that time for the big wedding event with their ruling Prince that just got “done” in July of that year.:

 

 

 

This view of Monaco shows some of the “density” for the buildings and development in this coastal “nation” whose history goes back hundreds of years.:

 

 

 

This tight view of Monaco gives a sampling for the large number of boats in its harbor.:

 

 

 

The charm, style and beauty of Villefranche are clear in this picture of its harbor area greeting visitors as we arrived via tender from the ship in southern France near Monaco. Clearly the scale and size here are far different than that offered in Monaco. Much more "density" in Monaco. More urban there versus Villefranche. Your choice!!:

 

 

 

Villefranche’s walled fortress or Saint Elme citadel is the “real thing”. It makes the point of how this town’s history was based on its 1500’s coastal/security setting, etc.:

 

 

 

Menton is to the east of Monaco and right next to the Italy border. It is a charming seaside town without the crowds and congestion seen in some of the larger coastal towns. To the west of Menton’s central town, here is the view of the beach and newer, nearby residential structures. Notice that the beach is not those nice sandy ones that some expect. Much more "rocky" in this part of the world for are called "beaches"!!:

 

[cymru cruiser]

Thank you I've just found this whilst researching for our cruise on explorer next month.

[plan09]

Thank you for posting the info and pics