What’s on in Monaco
The main events of the year, with dates published by the organisers. When the next edition has not been announced yet, the usual period is given.
- January
Monte-Carlo Rally
21 to 24 January 2027
Founded in 1911, this rally is one of the oldest motor sport events still held. Each winter it opens the World Rally Championship season. Cars tackle the mountain roads of the hinterland, where snow, ice and dry asphalt can follow one another on a single stage. Choosing tyres becomes a real puzzle for the teams. In Monaco you will mostly enjoy the atmosphere around the cars, while the stages run in the nearby mountains.
Venue: Monaco and mountain roads of the hinterland
Tip: Stages take place outside Monaco: check the official programme for times and road closures. Bring warm clothes if you go up to watch a stage.
Places in the guide: Port Hercule
Feast of Saint Devota
27 January 2027
Saint Devota is the patron saint of Monaco. According to tradition, her body was placed in a boat after her martyrdom in Corsica and came ashore in the Gaumates valley, where her chapel stands today. Each year, on the evening before, a boat is burned in front of the church in the presence of the princely family, then fireworks light up the harbour. On 27 January a Mass is celebrated at the cathedral, followed by a procession with the relics through the streets of the Rock.
Venue: Saint Devota church, cathedral and the Rock
Tip: For the boat burning, arrive early near the church: space is tight and the crowd is dense. Check exact times each year.
Places in the guide: Church of Saint Devota, Monaco Cathedral, Prince’s Palace, Port Hercule
Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival
22 to 31 January 2027
Founded in 1974 by Prince Rainier III, a great circus lover, this festival brings together performers from all over the world each winter. Acrobats, jugglers, clowns and animal trainers compete before a jury for the Gold, Silver and Bronze Clowns. Shows take place under the Fontvieille big top. Alongside it, the New Generation competition showcases young talent. Princess Stéphanie presides over the festival today, which will hold its 49th edition in 2027.
Venue: Fontvieille big top
Tip: Book seats in advance, especially for the gala. The big top is a few minutes’ walk from Fontvieille harbour.
Places in the guide: Fontvieille Big Top, Fontvieille Harbour
- March
Monte-Carlo Spring Arts Festival
3 to 28 March 2027
This music festival, created in 1970 on the initiative of Prince Rainier III, offers a demanding and curious programme every spring. You will hear the great classical repertoire as well as contemporary works, early music and more unexpected forms. Concerts are spread across several venues in the Principality, sometimes in unusual places. Meetings with artists and talks complete the programme, for those who like to listen differently.
Venue: Several venues in Monaco
Tip: Venues vary by concert: check the address on your ticket. Booking on the official website is recommended.
- April
Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters
3 to 11 April 2027
This clay court tennis tournament is one of the men’s tour Masters 1000 events and opens the European clay season. It is played at the Monte-Carlo Country Club, whose terraced courts overlook the sea. The club actually stands in the French town of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, just across the border. For a week, the world’s best players compete in a setting many regard as one of the most beautiful on tour.
Venue: Monte-Carlo Country Club, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin (France)
Tip: Book tickets early, especially for the final weekend. The club is outside Monaco: plan on a bus or shuttle, parking is limited.
Historic Grand Prix of Monaco
late April or early May, in even years
Dates for the next edition not yet published.Every two years, Monaco’s street circuit welcomes vintage racing cars, from pre-war single-seaters to Formula 1 cars of the 1980s. These are not parades: drivers really race, in categories based on the age of the cars. For enthusiasts, it is a chance to hear engines long gone from modern grids and to see up close, in the paddocks, machines that wrote motor racing history.
Venue: Circuit de Monaco, around Port Hercule
Tip: Paid grandstands around the harbour. Some circuit streets are closed during sessions: allow for detours on foot. Next edition announced for 2028.
Places in the guide: Port Hercule, Sainte-Dévote corner, La Rascasse corner, Swimming Pool section, Tunnel exit and chicane
Art Monte-Carlo
22 to 24 April 2027
This modern and contemporary art fair brings together about thirty international galleries at the Grimaldi Forum each spring. Its deliberately small scale lets you take your time in front of the works and talk with the gallerists. You will see painting, sculpture, photography and design, from 20th century masters to today’s artists. The fair is held under the patronage of Prince Albert II.
Venue: Grimaldi Forum
Tip: Paid admission, tickets online or on site. The Grimaldi Forum is on the seafront, near Larvotto.
Places in the guide: Grimaldi Forum
Monaco Art Week
late April, alongside Art Monte-Carlo
Dates for the next edition not yet published.For a few days, Monaco’s galleries and auction houses coordinate their exhibitions and open their doors to the public. It is a pleasant way to discover the Principality’s art scene on foot, from one address to the next. The programme mixes openings, talks and installations. The week coincides with the Art Monte-Carlo fair, so you can combine the two visits.
Venue: Galleries and auction houses in Monaco
Tip: Access to galleries is usually free. Check the list of participating venues before setting off.
- May
Monaco E-Prix
1 to 2 May 2027
Monaco hosts a round of the Formula E World Championship, reserved for electric single-seaters. The cars use the Principality’s street circuit, in a layout close to that of the Formula 1 Grand Prix. Engine roar gives way to a high-pitched whine, which often surprises spectators used to combustion engines. In 2026, two races were held over the same weekend.
Venue: Circuit de Monaco, around Port Hercule
Tip: Paid grandstands around the harbour, circuit streets closed during sessions. Footbridges let you cross the track on foot.
Places in the guide: Port Hercule, Sainte-Dévote corner, La Rascasse corner, Swimming Pool section
Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix
3 to 6 June 2027
First held in 1929 by the Automobile Club de Monaco, this Grand Prix is raced through the city streets, between the harbour, the Casino and the tunnel. The narrow, twisting track leaves very little room for overtaking, so qualifying matters enormously. For several weeks the city is transformed, with grandstands, barriers and footbridges. In 2027 the weekend will include a sprint race for the first time.
Venue: Circuit de Monaco, in the city streets
Tip: Grandstand tickets must be booked well in advance. Circuit streets are closed during sessions and setup starts several weeks before. Hotels fill up and prices rise: book early or stay outside Monaco and come by train.
Places in the guide: Port Hercule, Sainte-Dévote corner, Mirabeau corner, Fairmont hairpin, Tunnel exit and chicane, Swimming Pool section, La Rascasse corner, Monte-Carlo Casino
Top Marques Monaco
early May
Dates for the next edition not yet published.Each spring this show gathers top-end cars, supercars and prototypes at the Grimaldi Forum, along with boats, watches and luxury goods. Several manufacturers present models there for the first time. The 2026 edition, the 21st, added an area devoted to car customisation. Even with no plan to buy, it is a chance to see up close cars rarely on view elsewhere.
Venue: Grimaldi Forum
Tip: Paid admission, buy tickets in advance. Busier at the weekend.
Places in the guide: Grimaldi Forum
- July
Pyromusical fireworks evenings
late July and early August
Dates for the next edition not yet published.For decades Monaco hosted an international pyromusical fireworks competition. Since 2025, the Town Hall has instead organised two festive evenings, without competition, on Quai Albert Ier. The displays, synchronised with music, are reflected in Port Hercule. Before the show there are activities for children, and a DJ set follows. In 2026 the two evenings took place on 25 July and 1 August.
Venue: Quai Albert Ier, Port Hercule
Tip: Free open access. Arrive early for a spot by the quay. In 2026 the Exotic Garden opened exceptionally in the evening to watch from above. Traffic is heavy late in the evening: walk if you can.
Places in the guide: Port Hercule, Exotic Garden
- September
Monaco Yacht Show
22 to 25 September 2027
Every late September, Port Hercule fills with large yachts moored along the quays, many of them over 40 metres long. This trade show is aimed first at buyers, charterers and shipyards, but it also opens its pontoons to ticket-holding visitors. The sight of the harbour packed with white hulls is worth a look from the quays and the heights. Visits on board, however, are generally reserved for clients accompanied by a broker.
Venue: Port Hercule
Tip: Paid ticket, buy online in advance; the first day is reserved for guests. Quays are partly closed to the public during setup, but the view from the Rock remains free.
Places in the guide: Port Hercule, Yacht Club de Monaco
- November
Monte-Carlo Jazz Festival
18 to 29 November 2026
Each autumn this festival settles into the Salle Garnier of the Monte-Carlo Opera, giving jazz an unusual setting. The line-up mixes major international names, young talent and forays into soul, gospel or rock. The 2026 edition celebrates its 20th anniversary with about ten evenings. Hearing a concert in this late 19th century hall, with its gilded decor, remains a special experience.
Venue: Salle Garnier, Monte-Carlo Opera
Tip: Seating is limited: book as soon as the programme is announced.
Places in the guide: Monte-Carlo Opera (Salle Garnier), Monte-Carlo Casino
Monaco National Day
19 November 2026
On 19 November Monaco celebrates its National Day, also called the Prince’s Day. The date is the feast of Saint Rainier, chosen during the reign of Prince Rainier III and kept since. The day begins with a Mass at the cathedral, then a military ceremony takes place on the Palace square. The princely family then appears on the balcony to greet the crowd. The streets are decked out in red and white.
Venue: Cathedral and Palace square
Tip: Public holiday in Monaco. Go up to the Rock early: the Palace square fills fast and some access points are controlled.
Places in the guide: Prince’s Palace, Monaco Cathedral
- all season
Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo
several programmes through the season
Dates for the next edition not yet published.The company, recreated in 1985 on the initiative of Princess Caroline, carries on the tradition of Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, based in Monte-Carlo in the early 20th century. Under the direction of Jean-Christophe Maillot, it has built a respected contemporary repertoire, including new readings of great ballets. Its programmes are performed mainly at the Grimaldi Forum and the Salle Garnier, alternating with tours abroad.
Venue: Grimaldi Forum and Salle Garnier
Tip: Dates change each season: check the official calendar and book early.
Places in the guide: Grimaldi Forum, Monte-Carlo Opera (Salle Garnier)