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 - all this makes the heart beat like crazy. And here the nightlife does not subside, restaurants with champagne fountains work, and evening shows and spectacles are so interesting that you will not be able to take your eyes off them until the morning. No wonder tours to Monaco are so popular. Citizens of the countries of the former Soviet Union also like to come here. You can get to Monaco from different points: Moscow and St. Petersburg, Kyiv, Lvov and Minsk. Tour operators of these cities will make a route based on your desires and possibilities. Let's find out what they offer to travelers.
What to watch in Monaco
Most tourists who go to this country, of course, first of all go to its capital, Monte Carlo. Of course we allheard about the famous casino. Even if you are not a gambler, it is worth taking 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 Parisian Grand Opera. It surprises visitors with its luxurious decoration. It was here that scenes from several James Bond films were filmed. And right on the seashore there is a luxurious Japanese garden. This landscaped 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 to Monaco, is the princely palace. He stands on top of a steep cliff. There are two ways to get there. Firstly, on a tourist train along a narrow track - this is a fee. And secondly, on the elevator, which is laid inside the rock. It's already free for budget travelers. This is the real home of a noble family that rules the principality. Around noon, a colorful changing of the guard takes place at the gate. If a flag flutters over the palace, then the prince is at home. And nearby is a small museum where wax figures of all representatives of this dynasty - Grimaldi are exhibited.
Old Town, museums and event tourism
Do not forget about the medieval history of the country. Tours in Monaco are impossible without seeing the Old Town and the Cathedral. Not far from it are the gardens of St. Martin. From there, marvelous panoramic views open up, especially of the surrounding cliffs, mountains and the Mediterranean Sea. The famous Oceanographic Museum is also open here. It was he who led for many yearscult sea explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau. Before entering it, a yellow bathyscaphe is installed, in which the scientist descended under water. The museum is open mainly during the summer. They come to Monaco in order to attend various interesting events. For example, in May, the Grand Prix of the famous Formula 1 races takes place here. And in February, an automobile rally called "Monte Carlo" is organized here.
Journey to Paradise
Wherever you go on a tour to Monaco - from Moscow, Minsk or Kyiv, to come here means to get to a blessed place. Despite the fact that passions and excitement boil here day and night, the country itself is very quiet and calm. The cult of traditional family values dominates among its inhabitants. 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. Luxurious views open up around every turn. People dress simply but tastefully. The local cuisine is suitable for everyone. Tourists especially appreciate fruit tarts and beer with lemonade. The road surface is just incredibly smooth everywhere. Each house is surrounded by flowering gardens. Video cameras are everywhere so that both locals and tourists can feel safe. In a word, an ideal country for a comfortable life. No wonder the rich love to relax here. But even ordinary people can afford to look at this paradise at least with one eye. Now we will describe different ways of how to do this.
Combined tours
Let's start with the fact that it is difficult to organize a trip only to this country. If you are not an independent tourist and do not go there to spend a fortune in a casino or win a lot of money, then it is almost impossible to find an exclusive tour in Monaco. As a rule, various travel agencies combine visits to the principality with excursions to other countries. Since Monaco is a small country, tourist groups stop here for a day, a maximum of two. This is quite enough to see all the sights and even place a bet in the casino. Combined tours in Monaco are bus and air, they can pass through the territory of Italy, France and even Spain. It depends not only on the operator, but also on the country from which the group is sent. Participants of various Mediterranean cruises also get to Monaco.
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, Kyiv, Lvov 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 of these countries.
So, while moving through the territory of Hungary, you can see Tokaj and taste the world-famous wine, spend the night in Budapest. In Austria, you will go to Vienna, which is not without reason called the musical treasure of the world. Tours in Italybegin with a visit to Venice, which travelers explore on their own with the help of local public transport - vaporetto boats. There are also sightseeing tours in 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 of the Cote d'Azur of France is also organized. Travelers are offered a beach holiday in Liguria, Portofino or Ventimiglia. Back, tourists go 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 at a travel agency in Minsk. Basically, these are combined trips around Europe. They are interesting because 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 around the Cote d'Azur or a beach holiday in Spain. Such tours are mainly bus tours, they depart in the summer.
Most often, tourists are taken 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, a night journey to Spain follows, where tourists are accommodated in three-star hotels. They spend several days on the beach. 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 Monacoon their own (the train goes to Monte Carlo in twenty minutes) or pay for an additional excursion. Tourists spend the night in Italy. On the way back they visit Venice and Vienna. Some tours include visits to Amsterdam, Barcelona and Prague, and Monaco is included in the tour price.
Mediterranean Tours
Some package trips that 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. The gathering of those wishing, as a rule, takes place in Mukachevo, where they cross the border with Hungary. On the way, travelers briefly get acquainted with Budapest and Slovenia. The whole day of such a trip is devoted to Milan and acquaintance with its sights: the Duomo Cathedral, La Scala Theatre, ancient temples and famous shopping districts and passages. Then the group goes to Monaco, and in the evening they already have a rest on the beach of Nice, where they spend the night. The next day is devoted to exploring Cannes, where the famous film festivals take place, and then for a week, tourists relax on the coast of Spain, at the same time visiting Barcelona. On the way back, the group stops at San Remo, and on the way home, relaxes in the thermal baths of the Hungarian town of Miskolc-Tapolca.
Mediterranean from Russia
Similar tours ("Nice - Cannes - Monaco") from Moscow are holidays on the Ligurian or Cote d'Azur with additional excursions to Monte Carlo, as well as to the city of Côte d'Azur. Fromthe Russian capital, tourists are delivered by plane to Genoa, from where they are expected to be transferred to France. Travelers stay in one of the hotels near Nice. There they relax on local beaches between trips.
Another option for such a trip is tours "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 for 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, a holiday on the coast of Catalonia (usually in Lloret de Mar), then a move to Nice and tours of Monaco, Cannes and San Remo, and then return back. 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 of the French capital.
Pros and cons of bus tours
While some travel to Monaco, as we have seen, involves air travel, you will mostly need to travel by bus. Many people wonder how comfortable it is. Do not tourists expect sleepless nights, after which they will no longer want any sights and beauties? A 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 seeseveral countries at once. Secondly, you can appreciate the national flavor and traditions of each state that you enter even in transit.
However, quite often, such trips involve just a frantic pace that 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 to excursions included in your program or additional ones. Pay attention to the type and class of the bus. Cars should be with comfortable seats, panoramic windows, designed to cover long distances in a short time. And, of course, choose tours without night crossings. Then you can sleep well in the hotel and with fresh energy go for new experiences.
Tour prices
Tour for 14 or 15 days on the Mediterranean Sea, including Monte Carlo, from Lviv will cost from 260 euros (approximately 18,470 rubles) per participant. A two-week European trip visiting Monaco from Belarus will cost you approximately 480 euros (34,100 rubles) per person if booked early. Mediterranean excursions from St. Petersburg will cost from 570 euros (40,500 rubles). With Paris, the price of the tour rises to 1,300 euros (92,350 rubles) per person. At the same time, airfare to Barcelona, Paris or back is 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 cost does not include either a flight to Milan or Paris, or a transfer to Nice from the French capital. Such approximaterates are available today, but the rate is subject to change, so you should always check the information.
If a couple of days before departure there are seats left in the cabin of the plane or bus, then the ticket is considered to be last minute. No exception and tours to Monaco. Last-minute trips can cost one and a half to two times lower than the regular price for them. Most often, the price of the tour includes bus transfers, breakfasts (sometimes dinners, but without drinks), several mandatory excursions and accommodation in a two or three star hotel. Travelers dine on their own, just as they use public transport in the cities where they go. The price of the tour does not include entrance tickets to various museums, as well as the cost of a visa.
Reviews of tourists about the trip to Monaco
More often than not, this tiny country is stunning, from its harbor full of luxury yachts to beautiful squares and fountains, as well as exclusive model cars at fabulous prices at the entrance to the famous casino. It is difficult 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 audience comes to rest accordingly. At the same time, it is amazingly beautiful here, everything around gives off an accentuated aestheticism: gardens, architecture, fountains … Even the shops here look like museums, and you can be sure that they sell not some consumer goods, but real world brands. This is a real dreamland and if your tour includes a visit to Monaco, don't miss it! And if a trip to Monte Carlois listed in your program as an additional excursion, do not spare the money. After all, you will definitely regret later.
