On board

• The passport and visa requirements to enter Monaco as tourists are the same as those for France; in other words, no visa is required for stays up to 90 days, with a valid passport being sufficient. Monaco is not a member of the European Union and therefore, the requirements for residence and longer stays differ.

• Sailing along the coast of Monaco is governed by the same rules as for the French coast.  Sailors entering by yacht from any country must present the vessel’s registration papers and their passports. It is important to mention that yachts may only be used when the owner or skipper is present and when the registration papers are on board.  Foreign yachts may remain in French territory for up to six consecutive months.

• The two ports of the Principality are equipped to receive recreation vessels: the legendary Port Hercules, with an area of 16 hectares, provides secure mooring for more than 500 vessels, some of larger tonnages. With the growing development of marine tourism, Monaco is now included as a port of call of the numerous Mediterranean cruises.

• During summer, its waters are an unbeatable backdrop for international fireworks displays. Port Fontvieille, located in the new district, may accommodate up to 160 yachts, to 30 meters in length in its eight hectares of water.  Port Cap d'Ail, next to Port Fontvieille, is equally a destination for recreational yachts.

 

 

Treasures

• Located at the foot of the Alps and on the edge of the Mediterranean, the Principality of Monaco awaits travelers with its medieval air and its exquisite walks. Due to the presence of movie and sporting stars who have chosen it as their residence, this tiny country has become one of the most glamorous tourist destinations in the world.  In Monaco, ­travelers can visit the celebrated Rock, the Fontvieille Rose Garden, the variety of museums, the sumptuous district of Monte Carlo and the famous Casino.

• Monaco's beaches can only be compared with those of Nice and Cannes, next to the so-called French Riviera. Beautiful world-renowned hotels, top-level restaurants and boutiques of the best designers complete the offer so that visitors can fully enjoy the luxury and tranquility of the Principality.

• The Principality is divided into four important zones: Monaco, the capital, sits on top of a rock, 60 meters high by 800 meters long; a Condamine, a picturesque area that surrounds the port; Fontvieille, the industrial sector to the south-west of the capital and Monte Carlo, famous for its Casino and its formula 1 track through the streets.

• Visitors enter the Casino, designed by Charles Garnier, by climbing a monumental marble staircase that leads to the Renaissance lounge, before entering the Europe room, where 16 onyx pillars support the Louis XV decoration. At 125 years of age, the Monte Carlo Casino continues to maintain the heights of formality that has characterized it since its origins.

• Other things to see in this tiny country include the Botanical Garden, The Observatory Caves, the Cathedral and the Prince’s Palace, which are all well worth a visit and of course the  Museum of Napoleonic Souvenirs, which houses numerous objects that once belonged to the Emperor. Also worth seeing are the  Oceanographic Museum, with an astounding variety of exotic fish and the National Museum, one of whose halls houses a collection of dolls and mechanical toys from the 18th and 19th centuries, the only one in the world.    

 

 

Text: AMURA ± Photo: Patrick Monney, visitamonaco.com.