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Family Monaco

Sharks, guards, cars and the beach.

Distance
4.1 km
Walking
59 min on foot
With visits
about 6 h
Stops
7
Condamine Market1Prince's Palace2Oceanographic Museum3Prince's Car Collection4Port Hercule5Japanese Garden6Larvotto Beach7
Map : © OpenStreetMap contributors, tuiles OpenFreeMap

Stops

  1. Condamine Market

    Welcome to the Condamine Market, the Monegasque larder since the late nineteenth century. Under the plane trees, stalls of local fruit and vegetables stand beside cut flowers and Provençal herbs. The covered hall has been closed for works since January 2026, with completion planned for February 2027 according to the Monaco town hall; the traders remain on the Place d’Armes, where you can taste the local specialities.

    390 m to the next stop

  2. Prince’s Palace

    Here stands the Prince’s Palace, the beating heart of the Rock. The story begins in 1191, when Genoa acquired this headland and built a fortress to watch over the coast. On the night of 8 January 1297, so the tradition goes, François Grimaldi, nicknamed Malizia, the cunning one, knocked at the gate disguised as a Franciscan monk.

    480 m to the next stop

  3. Oceanographic Museum

    Clinging to the cliff, eighty five metres above the waves, this stone palace is devoted to the sea. It was the dream of Prince Albert I, known as the scientist prince. Passionate about oceanography, he led dozens of expeditions aboard his yachts, hauling unknown creatures up from the deep.

    820 m to the next stop

  4. Prince’s Car Collection

    This collection was born from one man’s passion: Prince Rainier III, a great lover of cars. From the 1950s onwards he bought and restored models that moved him, eventually gathering around a hundred vehicles. Long displayed on the Fontvieille terraces, the collection moved to Quai Antoine I, on the harbour, at the initiative of Prince Albert II.

    400 m to the next stop

  5. Port Hercule

    This is Port Hercule, a natural jewel box between the Rock and Monte Carlo. Its name comes from an ancient legend: the hero Hercules is said to have passed this way, and the Greeks and then the Romans called the anchorage Portus Herculis Monoeci. For centuries it was just an open bay exposed to storms.

    1.5 km to the next stop

  6. Japanese Garden

    Between the Grimaldi Forum and the sea lies a small world of serenity: the Japanese garden. Opened in 1994, it was designed by landscape architect Yasuo Beppu, winner of international awards, following the principles of Zen and Shinto gardens. Every element has meaning: water, which tumbles down a cascade and then calms in a pond where koi carp glide; stones, which stand for mountains; bridges, which invite you to pass from one world to another.

    540 m to the next stop

  7. Larvotto Beach

    This is Larvotto, Monaco’s big public beach, a short walk from the centre. Unlike many beaches on the Riviera, access is free, and this is where Monegasque families come for a swim. The beach was completely redesigned and reopened in 2021 with a new promenade, green spaces and restaurants.