Monaco Entertainment

When people think of Monaco, images of dashing men in tuxedoes and beautiful women rolling dice in casinos come to mind. It’s true that Monaco is the real deal when it comes to high rollers throwing lots of money around, but it also has more contemporary bars and clubs catering to the young, but still wealthy. Monaco loves to party during the high season and offers everything from dancing to gambling, but bring your wallet because it won’t be cheap.

Nightlife

Whether or not you like to gamble, the casinos in Monaco have always been at the centre of nightlife in the principality. The Monte Carlo Casino is by far the most famous, grandest and popular with kings, celebrities and heiresses. In addition to the gaming, the world-class theatre here presents opera and ballet. The casino has a mild entry fee and after 21:00 the staff will insist that men wear jackets and ties to enter any of the private gaming rooms. Monaco’s other casino is the more casual Sun Casino, in the Monte Carlo Grand Hotel. It’s open from 17:00 until 04:00 and has no entry fee.

For the real partying, you will need to go to one of the chic clubs scattered around the city. There are plenty to choose from and almost all of them cater to the jet-setting international crowd. The Legend and Le Box are places to go for drinking and dancing with the young and the restless. Le Living Room is a bit more sedate and caters to more chilled patrons in their late 30s. Piano bars have a big following in Monaco. Le Sass-Café, Zebra Square Café and the ultra-posh Jimmy’s all have classy piano players, resplendent atmosphere and expensive cocktails. The biggest nightclub in town is Le Karement, a sprawling venue with two bars inside and a third outside on a terrace overlooking the sea. Most of the clubs open around 22:00 or 23:00, stay open until 04:00 and charge a steep cover fee.             

Theatre and music

Those looking for more sedate or cultured nightlife can enjoy opera, symphony music, live bands and ballet. Several clubs have cabaret shows including the Casino Gardens at the famous Monte Carlo Casino and at Les Folies Russes, which offers a nice dinner show. The Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra, established in 1863, is one of the best in the world and often performs at the Monte Carlo Casino. When not on tour, the world-famous Opera of Monte Carlo can also be heard at the casino’s theatre. Princess Grace helped revive ballet in Monaco and the Monte Carlo Ballet now performs at the highest levels, also in the casino. The Little Singers of Monaco is an interesting departure from normal vocal ensembles. Started in the early 18th century, this choir of 26 boys travels the world singing for peace. If you are lucky, you can catch them while in Monaco.

The Fort Antoine Theatre was once an 18th century fortress, but is now used as an outdoor theatre. With a dramatic setting on the tip of the Rock, only 350 spectators can enjoy each special performance, which is always of the highest quality. Live music can also be enjoyed during the summer at the exclusive Monte Carlo Sporting Club. Almost every summer night, this outdoor venue hosts some of music’s biggest names for magical concerts under the stars.

Festivals

Despite being a really small country, Monaco has a few nice festivals which cater to the type of people who frequent this kind of world. 

• The Monaco International Dog Show is considered one of the most prestigious events of its kind in Europe and brings some of the most well-bred and beautiful dogs from all over the world to compete against each other over the course of a week (March).
• The Spring Arts Festival is Monaco’s premier cultural event, which invites talented artists from around the world to perform their art, music, theatre and dance. The renowned Monte Carlo Ballet Company and Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra are always featured (April).
• The Formula 1 Grand Prix race at Monaco is one of the most exciting on the circuit. More than 3,000 seats are available to watch the F1 cars speed through the narrow, winding roads of Monaco (May).
• The Monaco Yacht Show takes place in the lovely Port Hercules, where nearly 100 of the world’s most amazing yachts are on display. The event usually unveils about 30 new boat models each year (September).
• The Monte Carlo International Circus Festival showcases the greatest big top performers in the world. Each year hundreds of acts apply to be included in this premier week-long circus event (January-February).