THE FRENCH RIVIERA - France 2014 - page 1149

By Car: Follow Centre-Ville signs into Monaco (warning: traffic can be a problem),
then watch for the red-letter signs to parking garages at Le Casino (for Monte Carlo) or Le
Palais (for Monaco-Ville). You'll pay about €10 for four hours.
By Cruise Ship: For information on arrival by cruise ship, see “Monaco Connec-
tions,” near the end of this section.
Helpful Hints
Combo-Ticket: If you plan to see all three of Monaco's big sights (Prince's Palace, Na-
poleon Collection, and the Cousteau Aquarium), buy the €19 combo-ticket at the first
sight you visit.
Telephone Tip: To call Monaco from France, dial 00, then 377 (Monaco's country code)
and the eight-digit number. Within Monaco, simply dial the eight-digit number.
Minivan Tours from Nice: Several companies offer daytime and nighttime tours of
Monaco, allowing you freedom to gamble without worrying about catching the last
train or bus home (see “Helpful Hints” on here ) .
Loop Trip by Bus: You can visit Monaco by bus, then take a bus from Monaco directly
to Eze-le-Village (#112, none on Sun) or La Turbie (#114), then return to Nice by bus
from there. For details, see “Monaco Connections.”
Evening Events: Monaco's Philharmonic Orchestra (tel. [phone],
www.opmc.mc ) and Monte Carlo Ballet (tel. [phone],
www.balletsdemontecarlo.com ) offer performances at reasonable prices.
Getting Around Monaco
By Local Bus: Buses #1 and #2 link all areas with fast and frequent service (single ticket-
€2, 6 tickets-€10, day pass-€5, pay driver, slightly cheaper if bought from machine, 10/
hour, fewer on Sun, buses run until 21:00). You can split a six-ride ticket with your travel
partners (which is handy, since you're unlikely to take more than two or three rides in
Monaco). Bus tickets are good for a free transfer if used within 30 minutes.
By Open Bus Tour: You could pay €18 for a hop-on, hop-off open-deck bus tour
that makes 12 stops in Monaco, but I wouldn't. This tour doesn't go to the best view spot
in the Jardin Exotique (described on here ) and, besides, most of Monaco is walkable. If
you want a scenic tour of the principality that includes its best views, pay €2 to take local
bus #2, and stay on board for a full loop (or hop on and off as you please).
By Tourist Train: “Monaco Tour” tourist trains are an efficient way to enjoy a blitz
tour of Monaco. They begin at the aquarium and pass by the port, casino, and palace (€8,
2/hour, 40 minutes, recorded English commentary).