Once crossed, you proceed quickly towards the port, which offers a suggestive glimpse with thousands of boats, masts and rigging standing out against the blue, with the inevitable cruise ships docking and the yachts of VIPs and magnates that usually moor there. Place du Casinò and Place Beaumarchais have retained the charm of their origins and offer views of great architectural and cultural interest. On the first stands the Hotel Hermitage, the most beautiful of the Belle Epoque hotels. It was built in 1890 with refined lines, sculptures, and an original Jardin d’Hiver, covered by a glass dome, with patches of ferns and Mediterranean flora on which coquettish wrought iron balconies overlook. The Café de Paris was for decades the most fashionable meeting place, a symbol of Monte Carlo VIP life. It was built in 1865 and in the twenties was embellished with art déco interiors. The pastel-colored façade, completed by a beautiful fan-shaped porch, invites one to become familiar with the atmosphere of the interior rooms, covered with floral mosaics and designs on stained glass.
The Hotel de Paris overlooks a wonderful view, marked by the sea, the lush gardens of the Casinò, and the peach and cream façade of the Café de Paris. It was built in 1864 and boasts vaguely rococo lines, shaping domes, rotundas, and porticos. The interiors are very elegant and the rooms are furnished with pieces from the English nineteenth century. Through a special elevator and a secret passage, wanted by Aristotle Onassis when he was the owner of the Casinò, guests can directly access the gaming rooms. And precisely the Palais du Casinò is the inevitable attraction center of the Principality. Built in 1878 by Charles Garnier, the same architect of the Paris Opera, it has seen entire generations of the rich and less rich, aristocrats and notables from every continent at its tables.
All more or less lucky. From the marble-clad lobby, adorned with 28 Ionic columns, you can directly access the so-called Salle Garnier, which regularly hosts concerts and international art events. The environment is decorated with frescoes and bas-reliefs, dominated by red and gold tones. Overall, the Casinò boasts a sumptuous belle époque style, with domes and stained glass windows, bronze lamps, and beautiful sculptures. Announcing so much splendor is also a spectacular garden with fountains and water features, palms, jacarandas, ferns, and magnolias. Entry to the slot-machine room and the Salle Americane is free; in all others it is paid and strictly jacket and tie required.
