Long weekend trip and exploring Monaco

Monaco as a microstate is known all over the world. Located on the French Riviera, it is a semi-enclave bordered by France to the north, east and west and the Mediterranean Sea to the south; the Italian region of Liguria is about 15 km east and only 13 km northeast of Nice, France. According to data from 2024, it has a population of just over 38 thousand. It has been a constitutional monarchy since 1911. Among other things, this small piece is extremely rich in the eventful history of the 20th and 19th centuries.

Monaco is the second smallest sovereign state in the world after the Vatican City and also the most densely populated. It also has the shortest coastline in the world of any landlocked state, at 3.83 km. Less than 10,000 of its inhabitants are Monegasque nationals. Although French is the official language of Monaco, Italian and Monegasque are also widely spoken and understood. It has an area of ​​2.1 km² with a coastline of 3.83 km (but a maritime claim of 22.2 km).

Monaco has a hot summer Mediterranean climate with strong maritime influences, which is partly similar to a humid subtropical climate. As a result, it has pleasant warm, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. Winters are very mild given the city's latitude and are as mild as in locations much further south in the Mediterranean basin.

One of the world's most famous events, which takes place annually in Monaco, is the Formula 1 race - the Monaco Grand Prix. The tradition of these races dates back to 1929. This year (2026), the races will be held on June 5-7. Tickets for this event can of course also be purchased online, but you need to be careful of different sales companies (prices range from a few tens of € to hundreds of €, depending on the place from where you want to watch F1).

Entry is possible only for 1 day, as well as for the entire duration of the competition. However, it is necessary to take into account that in the city before and during the preparation of the race, traffic around the race circuit is significantly limited (if you rely on public transport - which works at a high level, you can expect significant restrictions).

F1 attracts tens of thousands of visitors, fans and tourists to Monaco every year. However, if you are one of them, this event is definitely worth it and we recommend it to you. However, if you are not a supporter of this sport, we prefer you to visit this place at another time, although Monte Carlo and Monaco are never empty.

What is there to see in Monaco? Of course, in addition to the beautiful beaches, cafes and restaurants, Monaco offers you several important museums, the most famous of which are:

• The Museum of the Collection of the Best Cars of Monaco, which is a collection of historic cars assembled by Prince Rainier III of Monaco (1923–2005).

• Museum of Old Monaco. This is a museum of Monaco's tangible heritage. It exhibits ceramics, paintings, furniture and costumes, as well as scenes from daily life from Le Rocher, Monaco's historic center. The museum's primary mission is to preserve the Monegasque identity.

  
  

• The Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology, located in the Exotic Garden of Monaco. It opened in 1902 and contains a collection of fossils and other excavated artifacts relating to the prehistory of Monaco and the surrounding areas. The museum is also home to the mummy of an Egyptian woman named Merit, who died around 300 BC.

  
  

• The Museum of Stamps and Coins, located in the Fontvieille district of Monaco. It tells the story of the postal history of the principality and contains an exhibition of Monegasque money from 1640.

  
  

• The New National Museum of Monaco is a museum of contemporary visual arts in Monaco. It is located in two locations, the Villa Sauber and the Villa Paloma. The museum began hosting temporary exhibitions in the Villa Paloma in 2010. Two exhibitions are held there each year.

  
  

• The Oceanographic Museum is a marine science museum in Monaco. This building is part of the Oceanographic Institute, which is committed to sharing its knowledge of the oceans.

  
  

• The Maritime Museum of Monaco is a museum of ship models, paintings, and nautical objects in Fontvieille, Monaco. It is an international museum dedicated to all navies from antiquity to the present day.

We wish you a happy journey full of experiences.

WT.24, Photo gallery WT.24