MONACO / MONTE CARLO OVERVIEW

Glorious sunshine, gleaming white yachts, and Lacoste, a lot t-shirts on suntanned bodies, this small Mediterranean principality closes its streets and opens her heart to you... Monaco is really just one big town, but likes to think of itself as four separate areas. Monaco Ville is the old town, built on the rock. It offers excellent views of the harbour and its usual armada of luxury yachts below. Monte Carlo is the glitzy array of casinos and gaming rooms, the most famous of which is the Grand Casino; La Condamine is the port itself; and Fontvieille is an area south-west of the port, most famous for its Princess Grace Rose Garden with more than 150 varieties of rose, Zoological Terraces and the Museum of Stamps and Coins.

Although it's more a pre-breakfast stroll than a country, Monaco packs a lot of living into a little land. Most of the people who live here come from somewhere else, drawn by the sun, glamorous lifestyle and - most importantly - tax-free income. This is the playground of Europe's elite, a country where lady luck might clean you out at the casino one day and put you on the Grimaldi's guest list the next.

Monaco's exceptional location, between mountain and sea; its gardens; its medieval houses, palaces and vaulted passageways, best experienced on foot; a ‘magic circle’ of 5 convention centres in Monte Carlo City, fitted out with state-of-the-art technical equipment; its athletic and cultural events... make it the ideal destination for a romantic vacation or an unforgettable conference.

La Condamine is the best place to look for hotels (unless you fancy the top-dollar luxury of Monte Carlo), and this is also a good area for restaurants. The old town also has some pleasant eateries, with the added advantage of atmospheric alleys and sea views.