Monaco

After living in Nice for almost three months, my friend Melody and I decided it was time to get out of our new comfort zone and explore Monaco. We made a quick lunch, put on some fancy clothes, I picked a play suit and a blazer and Melody a purple dress, and then we were ready to go.

We went there by train, which is probably the easiest and most comfortable way to go there. Trains depart from Nice train station approximately four times per hour, the ride takes about 20 minutes and the ticket is 3.70 €. You take the train to the direction Ventimiglia and it will stop in Monaco on the way. Those 20 something minutes on the train are nothing but a pleasure since you have the chance to see the beautiful view over Villefranche-sur-Mer. Make sure to get a seat at the right side of the train so you can enjoy this alluring panorama while traveling!

We arrived around 2 pm, and then we took a stroll from the train station to the actual city of Monte Carlo, the capital (which is actually the one and only city) of Monaco. There are buses as well, but I recommend walking since it is a great way to explore a new place, and as Monaco is really small, you can easily walk everywhere you want. In fact, Monaco has an area of only 2.02 km2, and it is the second smallest state in the world, after Vatican City. Although, it has a quite small population of 36 371 people, it is one the most densely populated countries in the world.

We quickly got to the city center, where we did the obligatory visit to “Place du Casino”, something you just have to do when in Monaco. This is a square just in front of the big casino in Monte Carlo, which is really famous for its stunning architecture. The building is designed by Charles Garnier, the same architect who created the Opera in Paris. Melody was tempted to try some gambling, but since we are two poor students with a very limited budget we resisted.

After taking photos of each other posing in front of the fountain in “Place du Casino”, we sat down in the sun to have an ice cream. Then we continued to explore the glamorous city of Monte Carlo by strolling along the coast side, watching the fine view. We finished this lovely day by having an exquisite dinner at Buddha Bar, enjoying the rich Asian cuisine with a twist of innovation.

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