Monaco-ville Travel Guide, Monaco

Monaco-Ville is one of the 4 quarters of the city-state Monaco, located on the French Riviera, near the Italian border. Although the Principality of Monaco is mostly famous for its Monte Carlo casino, Monaco-Ville actually represents the historic centre of the city, where most of the administrative buildings and historic landmarks are situated. Also dubbed “the Rock”, Monaco-Ville hosts, among others, the Palais Princier and the famous Oceanographic Museum.

Monaco-Ville Travel Guide – Geography and Climate

The principality of Monaco is situated on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, only 20 kilometers from Nice and 8 kilometers from the Italian border. The climate is, of course, Mediterranean, with hot summers and mild winters. The hottest month is August with an average high temperature of 27 degrees Celsius and the coldest month is January, when temperatures can go as low as 6 degrees Celsius. Monaco-Ville is situated on a rocky promontory, hence the nickname “Le Rocher” (‘the rock’).

Monaco-Ville Travel Guide – Economy

Monaco’s economy is mostly based on tourism. Other major sources of income are the casinos and trade. The most distinguishing characteristic of Monaco’s economy is the absence of taxes, which brought in a lot of international companies and wealthy residents.

Monaco-Ville Travel Guide – Transportation

There is little to say about transportation in Monaco. The closest airport is situated in Nice, and the entire state can be crossed on foot in a couple of hours. Most Monaco-Ville travel guides will tell you that foreign motor vehicles are not allowed in this quarter, but you will see for yourself that there is no need for public transportation. As an alternative, the Azur Express Tourist Train offers guided tours of Monaco-Ville, but seats are limited to 54.

Monaco-Ville Travel Guide – Interesting Facts and Figures

The entire surface of the Principality of Monaco is only 1.95 square kilometers, which makes it the second smallest country in the world. The density of population is 16,818/m2, which places Monaco on the first place in the top of the most densely populated countries. The official language is French, but the inhabitants of Monaco are called ‘Monegasques’.

As form of government, Monaco is a constitutional monarchy; the head of state is currently H.S.H Prince Albert II. One of the main attractions of Monaco-Ville is the ceremony of changing the guards, which takes place daily at 11:55 in the morning. Monaco also has one of the highest living standards in the world and is one of the most cosmopolitan cities (there are 128 nations living in Monaco). If this Monaco-Ville travel guide has captured your interest, you can also read the Monaco Travel Guide and Monaco Sights article and read about other attractions and interesting facts.