On a spectacular cruise on the Côte d'Azur, stop for a day in Monaco, namely Monte Carlo. During the day you can explore the shops and elegant streets of the city.
Your evening entertainment could be a visit to the famous casino, where you may well meet the celebrities. Monte-Carlo is, after all, the gambling center of Monaco. The richest people in the world come here to playa few games in the famous casino of the world.
Monte-Carlo Casino is one of the most respectable gambling houses in the world
It is also the main attraction in the Principality of Monaco. The building itself is very fascinating. Beautiful rooftop figures, old medieval themes, a nearby picturesque park and a pier with yachts will not leave you indifferent to this place.
Once inside, you'll be struck by the glittering chandeliers, the green velvet of the tables where the players spend their money and the mesmerising run of the roulette wheel. Everything here is permeated with the spirit of gambling.
But as soon as you step out of the gambling hall onto the street, a gentle Mediterranean breeze will caress you. The splash of the surf will lull you to sleep, and the mountains will seem to complete this natural melodious element, with their persistent silence.
History
It is to the kingdom of Monaco that the Monte Carlo Casino owes its fame, fortune and even its second birth. It all started in 1861, when Prince Charles III Grimaldi sold two cities of his state: Roquebrune and Menton to the French Emperor Napoleon III. The territory of the already tiny principality shrank twelvefold, but Charles III used the 4 million francs to its best advantage.
Determined to turn this rocky piece of land into a fashionable aristocratic resort, he invited the French financier and gambling house owner in Bad Homburg, François Blanc to open a casino in Monaco.
Blanc, who knew a lot about gambling, made a big deal out of it. The first casino opened in 1863, but soon burned down. For the construction of a new building Blanc invited one of the best architects of France, Charles Garnier.
Monte Carlo is known as an attribute of a number of Hollywood blockbusters
The halls of the casino have repeatedly been the setting for Hollywood blockbusters, including episodes of the Bond movies "Never Say Never", "GoldenEye", "Casino Royale" and the highest-grossing film of 2004, "Ocean's Twelve".
luxurious halls of the Palace of Gambling
"The Palace of Gambling", built in the then fashionable "boz-art" style, quickly became the center of social life of the Mediterranean. German Kaiser Wilhelm II, Winston Churchill, and King Fahd of Saudi Arabia graced its luxurious halls with money and presence.
Russian grand dukes brought here safes full of gold ducats. And the incomparable Sarah Bernhardt tried to commit suicide after losing her last 100 thousand francs.
Monaco's most beautiful building
Today the casino is still the most beautiful building in Monaco and for the most part it retains the design and interiors of Charles Garnier. From 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, you can visit it like a normal museum without having to buy an entrance ticket and worrying about the dress code.
Guests first enter a huge atrium vestibule with marble columns. Right from there, the doors lead to the Opera House, stunning with its abundance of gilded stucco, bas-reliefs, frescoes and sculptures.
The laws of the Principality forbid citizens of Monaco to play in casinos. This rule also applies to the ruling Grimaldi dynasty.
Luxury Casino Halls
On the left side of the lobby is the entrance to a luxurious enfilade of gaming rooms. The first of these is the Renaissance Room, which leads to the Salon of Europe, with its huge Bohemian crystal chandeliers.
Then there are the Room of the Two Americas and the White Room, where three of the most beautiful women of the Belle Epoque, the dancer Cleo de Merode and the courtesans Liane de Pugy and Caroline Otero, look out at the gambling addicts.
From the Hall of the Two Americas you can access the private salons: the Hall of the Madsen and the twin Hall of the Tuzé with colored stained glass windows. They are also accessed by an underground passage from the Hotel de Paris, built by Aristotle Onassis for a particularly discerning clientele.
What is the best time to go to the casino?
The first rooms to play at 2pm are the Atrium (slot machines), the Salon Europe (European and English Roulette, 30/40, Punto Banco), the Room of the Americas (American Roulette, Craps, Blackjack) and the White Room (slot machines). These halls gather mostly for newcomers and the occasional tourist.
The hottest game goes in the private lounges, open from 4 p.m. until early morning (baccarat, European roulette, blackjack, punto banco, 30/40).
You don't have to leave the casino to spend your winnings tastefully
There are three restaurants: the elegant Le Salon Rose overlooking the sea, Le Train Bleu, decorated in the style of the legendary Blue Express dining car, and the recently opened Buddha-Bar with Asian cuisine and a Buddha statue in the center of the room.
Near the casino you can always hear the beastly roar of the engines of the unusually designed cars. These racing masterpieces race at breakneck speed through the curving streets of the Principality. But that's not even the most fascinating part.
luxurious gardens of the Monte-Carlo casino
The beautiful grounds of the casino were once simply a rocky wasteland. But over time, an entire town grew up here. It is now the most beautiful building in the Principality, and its grounds are admirable.
The most beautiful thing is the gardens and terraces. The terraces are situated around the casino. They could easily be called the gardens of France, with indescribably fragrant and beautiful flowerbeds, blooming lily ponds, and neatly trimmed lawns.
The natural beauty is so pure and enchanting that visitors come from all over the world to admire it. If you enter the gardens by the casino, you "drown" in the scent of blossoming trees and flowers. The variety of flowers is guaranteed to be very rich.
A little away from the casino on the terrace leading to the sea, a show of real flowers is held every year, as well as the world famous "Flower of the Year" competition. All this action attracts florists and design experts who are no strangers to all that is natural and beautiful about gardens and landscaping.
Now you know where the picturesque, fragrant gardens of Monte Carlo and the world-famous casino are, you can visit it whenever you like. Be sure to see it all with your own eyes so you don't regret it.
Practical information
- Address: Monaco, Place du Casino, 98000 Monaco.
- Visiting the casino to play is possible from 18 years old.
- You must have an identity card.
- From 2 pm to 7 pm dress code "casual-chic", after 7 pm jacket required for men.
- Entrance to the usual and VIP-halls is charged. The price starts from 17 EUR.
- VIP-halls are more glamorous.
In the morning from 9 am to 1 pm anyone can explore the luxurious enfilade of gaming halls and buy a ticket with an audio guide for adults and children from 6 to 18 years.
Popular hotels nearby
- Hotel Metropole Monte-Carlo (5 stars)
- Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo (5 stars)
- Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo (5 stars)
- Fairmont Monte Carlo (4 stars)
- Le Méridien Beach Plaza (4 stars)
- Novotel Monte-Carlo (3 stars)
- Hôtel de France (2 stars)
How to get to the Monte Carlo Casino from Cannes?
We offer a day trip on the French Riviera on a comfortable sailing catamaran: from Cannes to the Casino of Monte Carlo in Monaco. We can choose an itinerary convenient for you on one of our sailing boats:
Signature Concept
Signature Vision
For more details, please contact our manager.
