Once crossed, proceed quickly towards the port, which offers a picturesque glimpse with thousands of boats, masts, and rigging standing out against the blue, with the inevitable cruise ships docking and yachts of VIPs and magnates habitually stationed. Place du Casinò and Place Beaumarchais have retained the charm of their origins and offer glimpses of great architectural and cultural interest. On the former opens 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 give out. The Café de Paris has been for decades the most fashionable meeting place, symbol of the Monte Carlo VIP. It was built in 1865 and in the twenties was adorned with Art Deco interiors. The facade in pastel tones, completed by a beautiful fan-shaped porch, invites one to become familiar with the atmosphere of the inner rooms, lined with floral mosaics and colored glass designs.
The Hotel de Paris commands a wonderful view, punctuated by the sea, the lush gardens of the Casinò, and the peach and cream facade of the Café de Paris. It was built in 1864 and boasts vaguely rococo lines, which shape domes, rotundas, and porticos. The interiors are very elegant and the rooms are furnished with pieces from nineteenth-century England. Through a special elevator and a secret passage, commissioned by Aristotle Onassis when he owned the Casinò, guests can access the gaming rooms directly. And it is precisely the Palais du Casinò that is the inevitable attraction hub of the Principality. Built in 1878 by Charles Garnier, the same architect of the Paris Opera House, it has seen at its tables whole generations of the rich and less rich, aristocrats, and dignitaries from every continent.
All more or less lucky. From the marble-clad lobby embellished with 28 Ionic columns, it is possible to access directly the so-called Salle Garnier, which regularly hosts concerts and artistic events of international level. The environment is decorated with frescoes and bas-reliefs, dominated by tones of red and gold. Altogether, the Casinò boasts a sumptuous belle époque style, with domes and stained glass windows, bronze lamps, and beautiful sculptures. Announcing such splendor is also a theatrical garden with fountains and water features, palms, jacarandas, ferns, and magnolias. Entry to the slot-machine room and the Salle Americane is free; paid and strictly in jacket and tie in all the others.
