Monaco - exploringhighlanders

Monaco, country where money is like water!

Monaco, na Vaticaanstad het kleinste land ter wereld. Monaco is dan ook een van de 5 dwerglandjes van Europa. Samen met Vaticaanstad, San Marino, Liechtenstein, Andorra and Luxembourg they are the smallest countries in Europe. Some lists also include Malta. As avid travelers who like to add some countries to our list, Monaco could not be missed. During a road trip to the south of France we decided to combine our city trip Nice with Monaco.

Just like Macau Monaco also resembles a casino and tax haven. Due to the special constructions with taxes, laws and gambling, Monaco is also a real paradise for people with money.

So Monaco, a short but fun train journey through the French Riviera took us to the second smallest country on our planet. Monaco. Monaco is known as the gaming paradise for the very rich. The annual Formula 1, the grand Monte Carlo Casino and the many luxury yachts give Monaco the image as the country for the elite. I can write you all kinds of things about the luxury life in this blog, but you are just unlucky because we are just simple workers who have absolutely nothing to do with elitist behavior. We prefer to keep our feet on the ground.

Why would Monaco be fun to visit? For us the main reason was to add a new country to our list. Surprisingly enough, we had a nice day here. The enormous contrasts of life here and elsewhere make you feel like you're in the world of the jet set. During your visit to Monaco you will soon be amazed by the enormously exorbitant lifestyle of the richest people on earth. Your visit to Monaco gives you a special insight into a way of life that few will experience. Of course there is plenty to comment on, because could you only be happy with materialistic wealth?

**My terribly wrong attempt to look rich, bringing my collection of foreign money from the past countries I've been to. All together it is less than a hundred euros 😉**

From Nice, a short train journey will quickly take you to Monaco's only station. The country is also ideal to combine with your visit to the south coast of France, or on your way to Italy! Personally, I don't think it's worth it as a separate trip.

Monaco quick facts:

The inhabitants of Monaco are called the Monagascans
Monaco is not a member of the EU, but does use the Euro
Like Luxembourg and Liechtenstein, Monaco is a principality.
Monaco, together with the other dwarf states, is a remnant of the many small kingdoms from European history
Monaco is now a tax haven, one of the reasons that many wealthy settle here
Monaco has the highest population density of all countries on earth. It is one big city.
Several James Bond films have been filmed in Monaco.
Only 1/4th of the inhabitants are true Monagascans.

Highlights Monaco

Monaco, you've seen it in just a few hours. Start your walk from the station to the country's famous marina. Marvel at the enormous yachts with ditto gold diggers. From the marina you can easily walk to the Prince's Palace of Monaco. This palace is home to the royal family who have been rulers here for centuries. Between the marina and the Prince's Palace of Monaco you will also find the old city of Monaco. Characterized by its colorful houses, you can also taste the Mediterranean atmosphere here. Eating something will cost you top dollar here. We went to the famous American restaurant with its characteristic golden arches. To still pay €25 for a soggy hamburger with nuggets. Well, this immediately marked all McDonalds for 1 country.

After a short walk along the rock of the royal palace, we walked to the other side of the city via the Jardins Saint-Martin. This park has a beautiful location on the coast. We walked to the famous Monte Carlo Casino via a souvenir shop to score a flag. Because our dress code doesn't quite fit, we didn't go in here. However, the well-known casino from the James Bond films can be seen and the parking lot is full of luxury cars.

Monaco, ondanks dat wij persoonlijk niet veel hebben met de luxe leefstijl hebben wij hier wel een leuke tijd gehad! Juist omdat dit landje wel erg uniek te noemen is, al is het alleen al om te zien hoe Lamborghini’s moeten zoeken naar een parkeerplekje omdat de rest vol staat met andere Ferrari ‘s. De Jetset voelt zich hier vast wel thuis, een bezoekje aan Monaco is dan ook erg leuk om even in een ander, onbereikbaar, wereld te kunnen zijn!

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