We decided to make the most of Brian’s recent work trip to France by tacking on some personal travel before and after his tradeshow.

He’s been watching Formula 1: Drive to Survive on Netflix, which is a documentary series about Formula 1 (F1) racing, so Monaco has been top of mind. We’ve never been, but it turned out a quick flight from Paris to Nice and a quick train ride from Nice to Monaco would get us there for a weekend of exploring prior to his week of customer visits.

While I came across a number of things to do in and around Monaco, the top two recommendations were always the same – walk the F1 circuit and visit the casino.

I’m not into racing and we don’t gamble, but I ultimately enjoyed both of these activities and would recommend them to anyone else visiting Monaco. Here’s what to expect if you add these experiences to your itinerary.

Walking the F1 Circuit

Essentials: Bring comfortable walking shoes and sun protection, and be ready for some hill climbs, uneven sidewalks, and even spectator fencing, depending on what time of year you visit.

What to Expect: We were in Monaco a few weeks before the annual Grand Prix, which made it a very exciting time to walk the circuit – everything was already being put in place for the race! Huge stadium seating was under construction, massive yachts were taking their places in the marina, and tourists in fancy rental cars were attempting to drive the route, which helped me envision what everything would look like during the actual race.

In addition to walking the circuit, we enjoyed stopping at some of the racing statues, viewpoints, and cafes along the route.

Touring the Monte Carlo Casino

Essentials: I scoured half the Internet trying to understand the Monte Carlo Casino‘s dress code for individuals visiting prior to gambling hours. Their instructions are very clear for the afternoon and evening but non-existant for those visiting in the morning. As it turns out, anything goes – we saw people in sportswear, athletic shoes, casual attire, etc. That said, many of those people only entered the main lobby for a few pictures – they didn’t purchase the audio guide and actually tour the casino. We were dressed in business casual and that definitely felt appropriate as we were wandering around the various rooms.

What to Expect: Anyone can wander around outside the casino and enter its impressive lobby, but you have to pay to enter the gambling areas, even if you’re visiting in the morning / prior to gambling. We rented the audio guide tour and enjoyed learning the history of the casino – which was built in 1865 – stories of some of its more interesting patrons, and details about each of the rooms.

If you don’t want to pay for the tour, you can still experience the lobby and its decor. During our visit there were card suite-inspired statues in the main hall as well as the jellyfish art dangling from the high ceilings.

You can also take advantage of the clean toilets downstairs. Note: they are pay toilets and the change machines were not working – make sure you have some euro coins on hand!

The main salon was one of my favorites – so elaborate. I loved the purple domed ceiling, diamond studded bar, elegant chandeliers and the betting tables ready for patrons to enter.

The side salons also had amazing architecture and art, but the modern gambling stations with their electronics and lights threw me off – they were in such contrast to the look and feel of this historic building.

While we enjoyed many other experiences while we were in Monaco, I would have to agree with others who said that walking the F1 circuit and visiting the casino should be on every tourist’s list. Both are important to Monaco’s past and present and more than likely will remain relevant into the future.

If you’re still unsure, consider that each experience only took us a few hours – we did both in a single morning – leaving plenty of time for other activities, even during a quick visit. Enjoy!