What is Monaco? This is a country where an eternal holiday reigns. This small principality in the heart of Europe attracts the eyes of the whole world. Excitement, success and failure, risk and victory - from all this, the heart beats like mad. And nightlife doesn’t subside here, restaurants with champagne fountains work, and evening shows and shows are so interesting that you won’t be able to take your eyes off them until the morning. No wonder tours in Monaco are so popular. Citizens of the countries of the former Soviet Union also love to come here. You can get to Monaco from different points: Moscow and St. Petersburg, Kiev, Lviv and Minsk. Tour operators of these cities will make a route based on your desires and capabilities. Let's find out what they offer travelers.
What to see in Monaco
Most tourists who travel to this country, of course, primarily go to its capital, Monte Carlo. Of course, we all heard about the famous casino. Even if you are not a fan of gambling, you should take a look at its famous building. After all, it was built by the famous architect Charles Garnier - the one who is the author of the Paris Grand Opera. It surprises visitors with its luxurious decoration. It was here that episodes of several James Bond films were filmed. And right on the seashore there is a luxurious Japanese garden. This landscape park is good for walking at any time of the year. But the main attraction of the country, which is included in the mandatory program of any tour in Monaco, is the princely palace. He stands on top of a steep cliff. You can get there in two ways. Firstly, on a tourist train along a narrow track - this is paid. And secondly, on the elevator, which is laid inside the rock. This is already free for budget travelers. This is the real home of a noble family that rules the principality. Around noon, a colorful change of the guard takes place at the gate. If a flag flutters over the palace, then the prince is at home. And nearby there is a small museum where waxworks of all representatives of this dynasty - Grimaldi are exhibited.
Old city, museums and event tourism
Do not forget about the medieval history of the country. Tours in Monaco are impossible without a tour of the Old Town and the cathedral. Not far from it are the gardens of St. Martin. It offers marvelous panoramic views, especially of the surrounding cliffs, mountains and the Mediterranean Sea. And here is the famous Oceanographic Museum. It was he who for many years was led by the cult explorer of the deep sea Jacques-Yves Cousteau. A yellow bathyscaphe is installed in front of it, in which the scientist fell under water. The museum operates mainly in the summer. They come to Monaco to attend various interesting events. For example, in May, the Grand Prix of the famous Formula 1 races takes place here. And in February, a car rally called Monte Carlo is organized here.
Travel to paradise
Wherever you go on a tour to Monaco - from Moscow, Minsk or Kiev, to come here means to get to a blessed place. Despite the fact that passion and excitement are boiling here day and night, the country itself is very quiet and calm. Its inhabitants are dominated by the cult of traditional family values. Nobody is in a hurry here. In these places you will learn to enjoy life, every moment of it, you will drink a cup of coffee or a glass of wine in a restaurant for a couple of hours, and no one will push you. Behind any bend offers magnificent views. People dress simply but tastefully. Local cuisine will suit anyone. Tourists especially appreciate fruit tarts and beer with lemonade. The pavement everywhere is just incredibly smooth. Each house is surrounded by blooming gardens. Everywhere there are video cameras so that both locals and tourists can feel safe. In a word, a country ideal for a comfortable life. Not without reason are the rich so fond of resting here. But ordinary people can afford at least one eye to look at this paradise. We will now describe different ways of doing this.
Combined tours
To begin with, it is difficult to organize a trip to this country only. If you are not an independent tourist and do not go there to lower a fortune in a casino or to win a lot of money, then it is almost impossible to find a tour in Monaco exclusively. As a rule, various travel agencies combine visiting the Principality with excursions to other countries. Since Monaco is a small country, tourist groups stay here for a day, for a maximum of two. This is enough to see all the sights and even make a bet at the casino. Combined tours in Monaco are bus and air, they can pass through Italy, France and even Spain. It depends not only on the operator, but also on the country where the group is sent from. In Monaco, and get participants in various cruises in the Mediterranean Sea.
Sightseeing trips
The easiest way to get to this corner of Europe is from the west of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. Tours “Italy-France-Monaco” are very popular from Minsk, Kiev, Lviv or St. Petersburg. Such excursions are not only interesting, but also informative. Such bus tours most often involve moving through Austria and Hungary. This means that during the tour you will get acquainted with the sights of some cities in these countries.
So, while moving through the territory of Hungary, you can see Tokaj and taste world-famous wine, spend the night in Budapest. In Austria, you will go to Vienna, which is not without reason called the musical treasury of the world. In Italy, such tours begin with a visit to Venice, which travelers explore on their own using local public transport - vaporetto boats. There are also sightseeing tours of Genoa or Pisa. The whole day on this tour is devoted to exploring Monaco and the country's capital, Monte Carlo. In addition, a tour along the French Riviera is also organized. Travelers are offered a beach holiday in Liguria, Portofino or Ventimiglia. Tourists travel back through Verona, and also relax on lakes such as Garda (Italy) and Balaton (Hungary).
Tours to Monaco from Minsk
To get to this country from Belarus, as a rule, you need to purchase a ticket to the travel agency of the city of Minsk. These are mainly combined trips in Europe. They are interesting in that you can visit several capitals at the same time. Do not think that we are talking about the tour “Paris - Monaco”. Sometimes such a trip is combined with excursions along the Cote d'Azur or a beach holiday in Spain. Such tours are mainly bus, they depart in the summer.
Most often, tourists are brought to Berlin with an overnight stay in a transit hotel. In the capital of Germany, travelers get acquainted with its sights, then move to Paris. From there follows a night transfer to Spain, where tourists are accommodated in three-star hotels. They rest on the beach for several days. Then, on the way to Italy, tourists visit Monaco and spend their free time in Monte Carlo. Sometimes the bus makes a stop in Nice. In this case, travelers get to Monaco on their own (the train goes to Monte Carlo for twenty minutes) or pay for an additional excursion. Tourists spend the night in Italy. On the way back they explore Venice and Vienna. Some tours include visits to Amsterdam, Barcelona and Prague, and a tour of Monaco is included in the price.
Mediterranean Tours
Some package trips, which include a visit to Monaco, are trips to the south of Europe. Such tours ("Milan - Nice - Monaco - Barcelona") are most often organized from Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova. Wishing gathering usually takes place in Mukachevo, where they cross the border with Hungary. On the way, travelers briefly get to know Budapest and Slovenia. The whole day of such a trip is dedicated to Milan and getting acquainted with its sights: the Duomo Cathedral, La Scala Theater, ancient temples and famous shopping areas and passages. Then the group leaves for Monaco, and in the evening already has a rest on the beach of Nice, where it sleeps. The next day is devoted to exploring Cannes, where the famous film festivals take place, and then tourists spend a week relaxing on the Spanish coast, visiting Barcelona at the same time. On the way back, the group calls in San Remo, and on the way home they relax in the thermal baths of the Hungarian town of Miskolc-Tapolca.
Mediterranean from Russia
Similar tours ("Nice - Cannes - Monaco") from Moscow represent a vacation on the Ligurian or Cote d'Azur with additional excursions to Monte Carlo, as well as to the city of Côte d'Azur. From the Russian capital, tourists are transported by plane to Genoa, from where a transfer to France awaits them. Travelers live in one of the hotels near Nice. There they rest on local beaches in between trips.
Another option for such a trip are tours of "Monaco - Nice - Paris." Tourists fly from Moscow to the capital of France, where they spend six days and go on various excursions. Then they are transported to Nice, and another week they rest on the Cote d'Azur. The program also includes a trip to Monaco. Tours from St. Petersburg of this kind are also possible. Most often, they include a flight to Barcelona, holidays on the Catalan coast (usually in Lloret de Mar), then moving to Nice and excursions to Monaco, Gangnam and San Remo, and then returning. Most often, such tours last 8-9 days. Sometimes they are combined with a visit to Paris. In such cases, the tour lasts 12 days, and travelers are met at the airport in the capital of France.
Pros and Cons of Bus Tours
Although some trips with a visit to Monaco, as we have seen, include air travel, you will mostly have to move around inside the bus. Many have the question of how comfortable it is. Do tourists expect sleepless nights, after which they will not want any sights and beauties? The bus tour in Monaco, like any trip of this kind in Europe, has its pros and cons. Let's start with the positive.
Firstly, such a tour will be much cheaper than a trip by rail or air travel, and will allow you to explore several countries at once. Secondly, you can appreciate the national flavor and traditions of each state, into which you even get in transit.
However, quite often such trips involve a simply frantic rhythm, which is not suitable for everyone. If you like to relax and feel the taste of the country, it is better to choose a tour where you live in one place for several days, going from there on excursions included in your program or additional. Pay attention to the type and class of the bus. Cars should be with comfortable chairs, panoramic windows, designed for the fact that in a short time you have to cover long distances. And, of course, choose tours without night trips. Then you can sleep well at the hotel and with fresh energy go for new experiences.
Tour Prices
A tour for 14 or 15 days in the Mediterranean, including Monte Carlo, from Lviv will cost from 260 euros (about 18,470 rubles) per participant. A two-week trip to Europe with a visit to Monaco from Belarus will cost you about 480 euros (34,100 rubles) per person for early bookings. Mediterranean excursions from St. Petersburg will cost from 570 euros (40 500 rubles). With Paris, the price of the tour rises to 1300 euros (92,350 rubles) per person. At the same time, flights to Barcelona, Paris or vice versa are not included in the price. For two-week tours to Monaco from Moscow, the base price of the trip starts from 950 euros (67,400 rubles) per person. But this price does not include either a flight to Milan or Paris, or a transfer to Nice from the French capital. Such approximate prices are available today, but the course is changing, so you should always check the information.
If a couple of days before departure there are still seats in the cabin of the plane or bus, then the ticket is considered to be burning. No exception and tours in Monaco. Last minute vouchers can cost one and a half to two times lower than the usual price for them. Most often, the price of the tour includes bus crossings, breakfasts (sometimes even dinners, but without drinks), several mandatory excursions and accommodation in a two or three star hotel. Travelers dine on their own, as well as use public transport in the cities where they travel. The price of the tour does not include entrance tickets to various museums, as well as the cost of a visa.
Monaco Travel Reviews
Most often, this tiny country is amazing, starting from its harbor, full of chic yachts, and ending with beautiful squares and fountains, as well as exclusive models of cars of fabulous value at the entrance to the famous casino. It’s hard even to imagine how rich this small state is. Everywhere there is an atmosphere of luxury. The prices here are not at all low, and the public comes to rest accordingly. At the same time, it is amazingly beautiful, it gives away everything underlined with aesthetics: gardens, architecture, fountains ... Even the shops here look like museums, and you can be sure that they are sold not in some consumer goods, but in real world brands. This is a real fabulous country, and if your tour includes a visit to Monaco, do not miss this! And if the trip to Monte Carlo is included in your program as an additional excursion, do not waste your money. After all, then you will definitely be sorry.