You don’t have to stay in an expensive hotel or gamble at Monte Carlo to enjoy Monaco. I spent one night there in August 2023, staying across the border in France, swimming in the sea, exploring Monaco-Ville, and watching fancy cars pull up outside the casino. My favorite parts had little to do with spending money.
If you’re thinking about visiting Monaco on a budget, the biggest decision is whether to stay overnight or make a day trip from Nice. A nearby room gave me somewhere to rest and let me enjoy the evening, but it was also easily the biggest expense.
Getting there wasn’t especially glamorous. The train from Nice was so packed that I almost got off. People were trying to get bicycles out while more passengers pushed in, and there was nowhere for anybody to move.
When I finally arrived, I walked through the station tunnel and stepped into the sunlight. My jaw actually dropped. The buildings, the water, the streets, everything looked freshly washed. It was one of the most beautiful places I had ever seen, and I was excited to walk around and check it out.
When I searched for accommodation, the hotels I was finding in Monaco cost hundreds of dollars a night. I booked Hotel Forum in Beausoleil, across the border in France, for US$174.
That was the cheapest room I found for my dates. It was still a substantial expense for one person, but it was less expensive than the alternatives I was looking at.
The prices in this article are what I paid in August 2023, not current quotes. The hotel now operates as Alfred Hotels Monaco; I stayed there under its former name.
Finding it involved an uphill walk and winding streets. I arrived sweaty, and later, after more walking in the August heat, I went back for a nap. Having somewhere nearby to rest was huge. I could branch out and go back for some rest.
Beausoleil is worth including in your hotel search, but look at the walking route as carefully as the price. A room can look close to the station on a map without being an easy walk with luggage.
If you already have a hotel in Nice, consider keeping it and visiting Monaco for the day. You can leave your bags behind and avoid paying for another room. If staying through the evening matters to you, compare that convenience with the cost of accommodation.
Taking the train from Nice to Monaco
I had spent the previous night in Nice and was continuing toward Italy, so Monaco fit naturally between stops. Taking the train meant I could arrive, explore on foot, and leave the next morning without needing to rent a car.
SNCF Connect lists direct trains from Nice to Monaco–Monte-Carlo, with journeys taking roughly 25 minutes. Check the times and fares for your travel date, including the return journey if you want to have some dinner in Monaco.
Despite the crowded journey, I would take the train again. It works incredibly well for moving along the coast, especially with smaller luggage. You can see the previous stop in my 24 Hours in Nice guide.
Swimming at the Solarium
After my nap, I went down to the Solarium for a swim. By then, getting in the sea sounded much better than spending the rest of the afternoon walking in the heat.
The photograph gives you a better idea of what to expect than the name “Solarium Beach.” Concrete terraces run beside the water, with places to sit and access to the sea. This isn’t a sandy beach where you gradually wade out from shore.
The Solarium is for strong swimmers. The Monaco government’s swimming guidance describes deep water where you cannot stand on the bottom, no lifeguard supervision, and a ban on swimming when the sea is rough.
Make time for Monaco-Ville
After swimming, I walked uphill along a pathway to get a better view and found Monaco-Ville. Below me were these beautiful yachts, tall buildings, and the waterfront. Up here were narrow streets, small shops, and places selling cheap pizza. It reminded me of old towns I’d enjoyed in Italy.
This was the part that made me fall in love with Monaco. I liked the contrast, and I liked having streets to explore beyond the expensive cars and boats.
There were plenty of tourists, but I was happy walking around, stopping for some lunch, and looking down over Fontvieille. That view in the photograph near the beginning of this article was one of the highlights of my visit.
If you’re deciding what to do in Monaco, give the old town enough time for more than a photograph. Walk through the streets, stop at all the viewpoints, and get something to eat when you get hungry. Monaco-Ville would be high on my list even if I had no interest in the casino.
Seeing Monte Carlo without gambling
Outside the Casino de Monte-Carlo, I stood watching the cars arrive and the people getting out. Expensive clothes, beautiful cars, people dressed up for the evening. I looked like a homeless dude.
I did think about gambling.
I’m not a big gambler, but playing in Monte Carlo seemed like something I might do just to say I had. That’s cool, right?!
When I encountered an admission charge for the gaming area, I reconsidered. I wasn’t interested enough to pay to enter and then spend more money gambling, so I skipped it. Watching the activity outside had already been totally worth it.
If the casino is one of your reasons for visiting, make room for it in your budget and check the operator’s current entry conditions before you go.
You can enjoy this part of Monaco without making gambling part of your trip. I left the casino area and went to find something delicious for dinner.
Where I chose to spend more
I ended up at Crazy Pizza by the waterfront, where my dinner cost €40. The pizza had salami, Gorgonzola, and Kalamata olives, and I loved it. I’d seen some unimpressed reviews before eating there, but I would happily have ordered that pizza again. Or pretty much anything else on their menu.
The food took about an hour and fifteen minutes. At one point I felt a little awkward sitting alone, wondering whether people thought I was lonely. I was enjoying myself, though. I had nowhere else I needed to be, and sitting quietly over dinner is something you don’t realize you will love until it happens.
Look at the current Crazy Pizza Monte Carlo menu if you are thinking about stopping here. My €40 bill describes that evening in 2023, and I bet prices have gone up!
How I’d plan another visit
For a first visit on a smaller budget, I’d stay in Nice if I already had a room there and take the train to Monaco. I’d give Monaco-Ville and its views a good part of the day, walk by the waterfront, and spend some time around the casino. Swimming would depend on the conditions and whether the Solarium suited my ability.
Wear comfortable shoes, carry some water in the summer, and leave room for a break. The hills and August heat will slow you down, and resting helped me enjoy the evening.
Would I stay overnight again? Yes, if the room price made sense. I liked being able to swim, rest, go back out, and have dinner without planning around a train back to Nice.
The following morning, I had breakfast and caught the train onward to Finale Ligure in Italy. Monaco had cost me more than some other stops, but it had also become one of my favorites. The old town, the swim, and the views were what I remembered most.
You can see those places in my Monaco episode and trip guide, or browse my travel guides for other stops to build your trip around.
