MONACO - GENERAL INFORMATION
OVERVIEW
Monaco is second only to the Vatican as the smallest independent state in Europe . Set on the Mediterranean coast of France just a few miles from the Italian border, the principality is a constitutional monarchy and relies largely on foreign currency for an economic base. Its principal industry is tourism. The country is a narrow ribbon of coastline backed by the Alpes-Maritimes mountains, creating a natural amphitheatre overlooking the sea, with the population centred in four districts. Monaco-Ville is set on a rocky promontory dominating the coast. The Palace is the home of the Grimaldi family, the oldest ruling house in Europe . For Formula one fans Monaco also features the historic Circuit de Monaco F1 racing circuit.
CAPITAL
Monaco-Ville
THE PEOPLE
32,000
LANGUAGE
French is the official language, but there are many regional dialects. Monegasque (a mixture of French Provencal and Italian Ligurian), English and Italian are also spoken. Native Monegasques make up only a minority of Monaco 's population.
RELIGION
91 % Roman Catholic ( Monaco has a Catholic Bishop), with Anglican minorities.
CLIMATE
Monaco has a mild and great Mediterranean climate throughout the year, the hottest months being July and August, and the coolest being January and February. Rain mostly falls during the cooler winter months and there is an average of only 60 days of rain per year , with an unbelievable average of nearly 300 days per year of sunshine.
TIME
GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
The passport and visa requirements for persons visiting Monaco as tourists, are the same as for France , and you have to travel through France to get into Monaco .
Passports: Passport valid for three months beyond the length of stay, are required by all visitors, except for Nationals of EU countries, Andorra, Lichtenstein, San Marino and Switzerland holding valid national ID cards, who are exempted from this requirement.
Visas: France is a signatory to the 1995 Schengen Agreement and therefore requires a uniform Schengen visa. All nationals except those listed under the passports section above, require a Schengen visa to enter France and therefore also Monaco . CURRENCY
The Euro is now the official currency of the12 EU member states (including France/Monaco).
Notes are in denominations of 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 euro.
Coins are in denominations of 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cent.
CREDIT CARDS AND TRAVELLER'S CHEQUES
American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa, as well as Traveller's cheques are widely accepted. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in Euros, US Dollars or Pounds Sterling.
BANKING HOURS
Mon-Fri 09h00-12h00 and 14h00-16h30.
Some banks close Monday and some are open Saturday. Banks close early (12h00) on the day before a bank holiday.
WATER
The drinking of bottled water is advisable.
EATING IN MONACO
Restaurants in Monaco offer a wide choice of food. Service and standards are excellent. Cuisine is similar to France , with some delicious local specialties. There are many restaurants and bars with late opening hours. Specialties include: barbagiuan , a type of pastry filled with rice and pumpkin; fougasse , fragrant orange flower water pastries decorated with nuts, almonds and aniseed; socca , chick-pea flour pancakes; and stocafi , dried cod cooked in a tomato sauce.
NIGHTLIFE
The world-famous Monte Carlo Casino is a perennial attraction. The building also houses the Casino Cabaret and the Salle Garnier , the delightful gilded Opera House offering a winter season of ballet, opera and music. There are further gambling venues in the Monte-Carlo Grand Hotel and the Monte Carlo Sporting Club and the Café de Paris. There are also numerous nightclubs, cinemas, discos and variety shows.
SHOPPING
During the Grand Prix weekend numerous F1 related stores are erected offering a great variety of formula one team and other products. Other products, which Monaco is well known for, include perfume, chocolates, ceramics, clothing, hosiery, shoes, books, jewellery and embroidery. Handcrafted items are sold at Boutique du Rocher, a charity of the late Princess Grace.
SHOPPING HOURS
Mon-Sat 09h00-12h30 and 14h00 – 17h00.
Food shops are open 07h00-18h30/19h30. Some food shops (particularly bakers) are open Sunday mornings, in which case they will probably close Monday.
