• At Monte Carlo's spiritual heart is Monaco-Ville (old town) where the Place du Palais houses the Prince’s Palace and State Apartments. Built around 1215, the palace’s focal points are the Throne Room and the Main Courtyard with its horse-shaped marble staircase, adorned with millions of geometric patterns. Attend the Changing of the Palace Guard (admission free), which takes place daily, just before noon (1155).

• There are a number of museums of varying degrees of interest located in the Old Town, including the Oceanographic Museum and Aquarium, whose grandiose facade rises spectacularly out of the sea and houses a world-renowned collection of marine fauna and interactive exhibits. Other museums and attractions include the Museum of Napoleonic Souvenirs and Collection of the Palace’s Historic Archives, which exhibits thousands of objects relating to the First Empire (Napoleon I) and provides a colourful history of Monaco; the Wax Museum of the Princes of Monaco, Monaco’s answer to London’s Madame Tussaud’s; and the Monte Carlo Story, a multivision show about Monaco’s history.

• Chill out at the serene and sea-facing Saint-Martin Gardens (also in the Old Town), which inspired the poet Guillaume Apollinaire between 1887 and 1889.

• Alternatively, visit the Japanese Gardens, right next to the sea; the National Museum of Dolls and Clockwork Exhibits of Yesteryear; the Exotic Garden from where excellent views of Monte-Carlo's harbour and its usual armada of luxury yachts can be enjoyed; the Observatory Caves and Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology (located in Moneghetti); and the Condamine Market, a covered market next to one of Monaco’s best shopping districts (the pedestrianised Rue Princesse Caroline and the Rue Grimaldi).

• In the Fontvieille area, discover more than 180 varieties of rose at the Princess Grace Rose Garden. The Museum of Stamps and Coins features rare philatelic items from the postal history of the Principality. The permanent exhibition of Prince Rainier III’s Private Collection of Classic Cars, with over 100 classic cars, is nearby. The Naval Museum and the Zoological Terraces are also located here.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.