I took a train to visit Monaco for the day, while I was exploring the French Riviera in 2017. Monaco is the second smallest country in the world. Located east of France and on the Italian border, it is only natural that the country’s roots stem from both countries. Although French is the main language spoken, it is important to remember that Monaco is not in France and is in fact its own country, confusing the two might offend the locals. 

The country attracts a lot of wealthy visitors from all over Europe. You may recall scenes from the Monte Carlo Casino from a number of the James Bond movies. If you wish to visit a casino, please don’t invite them. I’m not much of a gambler, but it was striking to me that all the casinos are strictly for tourists and international guests. Monegasques (people from Monaco) are not allowed to enter or gamble. You can only enter a casino if you work there; otherwise everyone else is strictly forbidden by law. This is a rule that I have since seen in many other places, albeit exercised slightly differently, such as Singapore and China. 

The city attracts a lot of high net worth visitors and residents, which explains the number of interesting and extravagant yachts on the Marina. In addition, one can find a number of luxury fashion brands, including some independent boutiques within the shopping street. The average nightly stay in the local hotels is about $210 per night. Every year, it also receives a number of visitors who come to watch the Monaco Grand Prix.

The city state is quite hilly, in parts, and therefore has some gorgeous views of colourful houses that look like part of an contemporary painting from certain view points. Monaco is beautiful and creative which makes for various ‘instagram worthy’ locations. They have some really lovely beaches where one can enjoy a lovely picnic or relax and enjoy the warm water of the Mediterranean. To gain a bit more understanding of the history of Monaco, a visit to New National Museum of Monaco – Villa Paloma is definitely worth a visit. There are also other really interesting museums in the city state.