PARTNERS

Tarte au Chocolat et Framboises de Pays at Le Grill

Le Grill at Hôtel de Paris

WHERE TO DINE

MICHELIN-STARRED EXPERIENCES

There are 12 Michelin-recognized restaurants in Monaco, no mean feat for a country that’s under four miles in radius. Start with Le Louis XV-Alain Ducasse at the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo and its three Michelin stars, where Riviera-inspired cuisine marries the finest local produce with stunning vintages to be found in the hotel’s fabled wine cellars. On the eighth floor of the luxury hotel is another star, this one held by Le Grill, whose kitchens have been overseen by chef Franck Cerutti for over 20 years. Yannick Alléno à l’Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo blends the finest gastronomic dishes with healthy eating and well-being — “The best of the simple”— as the three Michelin-starred chef likes to say, on the restaurant’s terrace with unmatched panoramic views of Port Hercule and the Rock. On the other side of the Place du Casino, the Hôtel Métropole MonteCarlo’s Michelin-starred restaurant is hidden behind the entrance with its two majestic Roman-style columns. Yoshi is the place to be for lovers of Japanese cuisine, with maki, sashimi, fish, and meat prepared teppanyaki-style by chef Takeo Yamazaki, accompanied by the finest sakes, whiskies, or Japanese green teas. Culinary magnificence continues nearby at La Table d’Antonio Salvatore at the Rampoldi, which earned its first Michelin star in 2021 for its merging of classics and original and creative dishes. Down the famous hairpin bend on the Formula 1 circuit, the sea comes into view along the newly refurbished Larvotto Beach, at the far end of which stands the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort and the Blue Bay. There, chef Marcel Ravin weaves his culinary alchemy to blend Caribbean and Mediterranean flavors to exquisite effect. On the very edge of the principality is Monte-Carlo Beach, which opens every year for the summer season. Elsa, one of three restaurants at this timeless seaside location, is the first serving exclusively organically sourced food and wild-caught fish to be awarded a Michelin star. Other Michelinrecognized dining experiences include La Montgolfière-Henri Geraci, a family-run eatery on a small pedestrian street in Old Town;Song Qi, a swanky gourmet Chinese restaurant opposite Grimaldi Forum; Beefbar, a trendy “meat” bar that serves quality Wagyu, Black Angus, and more on the docks of Fontvieille Marina;and Maya Bay, a Japanese-and-Thai-specific experience.

LOCAL EXPERIENCES

No stay in the principality is complete without a taste of the local delicacies, and Monaco is positively brimming with places to appreciate local traditions. In the Monaco-Ville District, beneath the pine trees on the Place du Palais, try the Monegasque stockfish, a quintessential dish that you’ll also find in the colorful streets of the Old Town, at La Montgolfière. Continuing through the narrow streets, hidden treasure Club Bouliste du Rocher is the perfect place to relax in the shade on the restaurant’s terrace overlooking Port Hercule. For another very special local experience, head to Perles de Monte-Carlo at Port of Fontvieille, and enjoy their exceptional Monaco-raised selection of oysters.

Beefbar Monaco Gamberoni de San Remo at Restaurant Le Louis XV-Alain Ducasse

WHERE TO PLAY

So what else is there to do in Monaco when you’re not indulging in gastronomic experiences, spending time at the spa, designer shopping, or suntanning? The answer is: quite a lot, actually. Visitors can tour the Palais du Prince (when the royal is not in residence, that is) and explore the lush Princess Grace Rose Garden or the Musée Oceanographique, one of the oldest aquariums in the world. Get your James Bond fix at the Casino de Monte Carlo, one of the most famous in the world thanks to its Beaux Arts–style marble atrium and onyx columns, which served as the setting and inspiration for 2006’s Casino Royale. And, of course, one should make it a mission to catch the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix, a race through the streets of the city past Boulevard Albert I, that takes place each May.