For the final part of our French Riviera stay, we took a day trip to Monaco. After exploring Nice and Cannes, we were excited to explore the second smallest country in the world! Still using Nice as home base, we took the train from Nice to Monaco. Like the day trip to Cannes, it was very simple to get to Monaco via the TER (Transport Express Régional). Our train travel was covered by our Europe Rail Pass, but a one-way ticket on that route costs just under $5 if you are paying out of pocket!
Monaco is a place that I never imagined I’d travel to. I just didn’t think I’d ever be in a situation on a vacation where I’d have the time or be so close to this little country. But there I was, mapping out our French Riviera itinerary (see my process for itinerary planning here), and I noticed how close Nice is to Monaco (only half an hour!). We could not resist checking out this country known for its wealth, casino, and race cars.
When we stepped out of the train station, it felt like we had entered a whole different world, mostly because of all the little details pointing to the wealth found in the country. Luxury could be seen everywhere – cars, clothes, shops, homes, etc.! Despite its differences, it still had a similar feel to Nice with its mix of French and Italian influence.
After walking around the area outside of the train station (and making a Starbucks stop to pick up a mug for my collection!), we headed over to the most well-known “quartier”, Monte Carlo.
We were really hungry, so when we ran to Starbucks to get my mug, we grabbed a couple pastries. I kid you not, that is golden sugar on that piece of cake! Only in Monaco….
Yacht Gazing
After spending a good amount of time yacht window shopping in both Nice and Cannes already, we were still excited to see more luxury yachts in Monaco! On our walk from the train station to Monte Carlo, we took the coastal route and walked right next to some amazing yachts.
Casino Monte Carlo
Once arriving in Monte Carlo, we walked past the famous Casino Monte Carlo. We didn’t go inside because the dress code was “proper attire”, and we weren’t sure what that meant. I wish we’d at least peeked in anyway though! Next time….
Japanese Garden
The Japanese Garden is a peaceful little park sitting right in the middle of the busiest part of Monte Carlo. It was fun to walk around for a half hour. You could peek over the edge of the park and see the sea. It was a beautiful area.
Colorful Helipad
Continuing our walk along the coastal side of Monte Carlo, we ran across this colorful helipad! While this is a quick stop, I recommend swinging by for a photo and some people watching. See those condos to the left? It was fun to imagine living in one of those overlooking the French Riviera.
Lunch at Il Terrazzino
After all of that walking around, we wanted a nice, cool place to eat lunch before heading to our next stop. Since we were so close to the Italian border, I wanted to try an Italian restaurant. I had found Il Terrazzino when researching options the night before, and while it took us awhile to find it (which isn’t a bad thing since we got to see a part of town we wouldn’t have otherwise seen), it was a great spot! We (luckily!) got there about half an hour before close, and they were still able to serve us. The food was very authentic and fresh. I recommend it if you are looking for a more casual stop in Monte Carlo.
Overall, we enjoyed our half day in Monaco. I would want to go back to see the inside of the casino and check out a couple nicer restaurants, but I couldn’t imagine spending too much time there. I was a little put off by the construction everywhere (see picture below), but I’m not sure if that was only there because it was off-season. Monaco is definitely a fun experience and worth a day trip!
Èze Village
I knew I wanted to visit a small village in the French Riviera on the way back from Monaco, so I picked Èze Village. Little did we know just how much of a treat this stop would be!
Because Èze sits high on a hill, the train does not stop there. From Monaco, we took bus number 112 up to Èze. Google Maps will tell you to take the train to the coastal stop closest to Èze and then to take a bus up the hill, but we found the direct bus from Monaco to be quicker.
View right by the bus stop in Èze
Èze Village is a gorgeous medieval village perched on top of a hill overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Its narrow, cobblestoned streets and quaint buildings make it feel like a step back in time. To me, it is the quintessential French village.
Many of the businesses were closed for off-season while we were there, but I wouldn’t trade our quiet, uninterrupted walk back in time for anything.
The cobblestone roads take you further up the hill to a succulent garden with a panoramic view of the surrounding area, including the sea.
We stayed at the top of the garden for a while watching the sunset. It was a moment I will never forget. Please please please stop at Èze Village if you find yourself in the French Riviera!
We walked back down the hill to grab a quick coffee and snack before taking the bus back to Nice.
We could not have asked for a better conclusion to our French Riviera segment of our backpacking trip. The next day we took an early train to the French Provence region for the next big stop on our adventure!
Our time in the French Riviera was part of a 2.5 month trip across Western Europe. Click here to check out all of my posts from this adventure!
{Thanks for reading! Want to know a little more about me? I’m a CPA learning how to balance a career with frequent travel while planting roots at home in Austin, TX. When I’m not exploring my home city with my husband Daniel or cuddling with our chubby orange cat Banana, I’m probably planning, packing, traveling to, or daydreaming about our next adventure. After all, my travel mug collection is never complete. If you have wanderlust too, be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat(emilya89), or subscribe to my blog!}
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