Monte Carlo is a city that is part of the four quartiers (sections) of Monaco. It is located in the escarpment at the base of the Maritime Alps along the French Riviera. Once an almost bankrupt area, it now hosts the biggest resorts in Europe. You can see tourists coming from all parts of the world.
A brief history of Monte Carlo
While Monte Carlo looks like a city that is ahead of the others. This place is filled with modern buildings and majestic architecture. Monte Carlo city is actually one of the oldest cities in Europe. This is proven through the evidence that was discovered, dating back to the Stone Age. The early days of settlement development in Monte Carlo initially came upon in the Iron Age. The Ligurian Monoikos setted up a shelter there. Hence, they decided to give the name Monaco to the area.
As time went on and progressed, Monaco became more civilized and governed. However, in 1850, the House of Grimaldi was deteriorating economically and was in desperate need of money and income. They were also in crippling debt which meant that their economic stability was disrupted. From there, the members of the House of Grimaldi heralded an order to build casinos around Monaco.
In order to develop a sustainable income to cover up the debts and retain back its economic stability. Charles III, the future prince of Monaco, along with an assembly of Frenchman, developed a plan to start funding the project. The project was very expensive – which required them 4 million francs. However, because there was a lack of publicity, the capital that Prince Charles needed was not there, hence the project was passed on to Pierre August Daval in 1857.
Even though everything looked grim in the beginning, the casinos then began to flourish in 1878. This happened when the building was expanded to the designs of two well known architects. In the 20th century, the casino was home for the Grand Theatre de Monte Carlo and was the office for the Les Ballets de Monte Carlo. It has since then served as the primary source of income and wealth for Monaco’s economy.
Attractions
Being one of the leading resorts in Europe and one of the most popular in the world, Monte Carlo has a lot of attractions and places to offer for tourists. While heavily known for its casino, Monte Carlo is more than just that. With bustling sports and leisure areas, Monte Carlo has a lot of attractions that tourists must not miss.
A great start to one’s venture in Monte Carlo would be visiting the Palais du Prince. Palais du Prince (literally meaning Prince Palace) is a palace that sits high above Monte Carlo and Monaco and was built back in the 13th century – back when it functioned as a fortress. Aside from walking and sightseeing around the palace, tourists can visit the gallery inside which is highlighted with an Italian art style. Other than that, the Blue Room is also a must visit.
The Blue Room is known for its blue and gold decorations. However, tourists must be aware of when to visit the palace. Because sadly, the palace is not always open for public. The palace is only open for visit when the prince is not at home. For that, tourists must be able to know if the prince is at home or not. An easy way to know if the prince is at home or away is to look at the flag. If it raised, then it means that the prince is at home. If not, then the prince is away – which means the palace is open for visit.
Resorts
Enjoying resorts would not be complete without coming to the beach. Monte Carlo has just that. For tourists wanting to sun tan or just enjoy the sea breeze, they can come and visit the Larvotto Beach. Located in the heart of Monte Carlo, Larvoto Beach is a beautiful beach. This beach will surely that will grapple you with its beauty.
Comprised of both public and private areas, tourists can enjoy both – public to come and mingle with the crowd, or private if they choose to have a relaxing visit. Although a man-made beach, Larvotto Beach still has the main properties of a natural beach. Overlooking the skyscrapers and buildings of Monte Carlo, Larvotto Beach is surely a beach made for you to sit back and enjoy.
For sport maniacs, Monte Carlo is the perfect destination if visited at the right time. This is due to the fact that Monte Carlo is home to annual sport events such as the Monte Carlo Masters and the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix. For tennis lovers wanting to watch the Monte Carlo Masters, they can come visit near the April-May period (the period where the Monte Carlo Masters takes places). If you belong to the Formula One fan, then visiting around the end of May will give you a chance to witness the Monaco Grand Prix live.
Culture
Approximately 38,260 residents reside in Monaco. While mostly being a French nation, Monaco and Monte Carlo is also influenced by Italian culture. This is seen by Italian being one of its official languages. Aside from that, French is its main language. English is also another language that is spoken here. To learn the most of the culture here in Monaco, tourists can visit multiple places.
The Napoleon Museum would be a great start. This museum, which was attached to the Prince Palace, is filled with different artifacts which belonged to the French Emperor Napoleon I. Other places to visit would be the Saint Nicholas Cathedral which is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Monaco. This place was where the Grimaldis were mostly buried.
Gambling in Monte Carlo
While the resort boasts its luxurious hotels and other historical points of interest, Monte Carlo city is well known for its casinos. While having a lot of different casinos for gamblers to visit, the best casino to visit in Monte Carlo would be the Monte Carlo Casino (also known as Casino de Monte-Carlo). Designed to look like a palace, the Monte Carlo Casino retains its classy and old school European architecture. The game tables inside are crafted by artisans belonging in the Bains de Mer workshop. With majestic decorations and beautiful interiors inside, this casino will surely pamper gamblers. That is why Monte Carlo is also known as a gambling city.
There is a plethora of games to choose from in this casino. If gamblers are tired of the old conventional roulette, they can try and play the French Roulette. Other games such as blackjack and poker can also be found here. Craps is also a game that is often played in Monte Carlo Casino. For slot machine enthusiasts, the slot machines in Monte Carlo Casino is equipped with modern technology and the latest machines to ensure that the game is of high quality.
While relatively being a small area, Monte Carlo is always ready to welcome tourists and make them feel at home with its lavish resort and its amiable hospitality.
