Fabulously wealthy and gilded by history,
the Principality of Monaco lies on the French
Riviera in Western Europe.
Smaller than New York’s Central Park,
this graceful destination is bordered by France
and the sparkling Mediterranean sea.
With ancient streets full of exotic cars,
a natural harbour filled with super yachts
and a glittering royal legacy,
Monaco is a tiny relic of medieval Europe
that has made itself at home in the 21st century.
It draws the rich, the famous
and those seeking the kind of lifestyle
usually only found on the silver screen.
There is no glamour quite like the old world style
still to be found under the soaring chandeliers
of Monaco’s magnificent Casino de Monte-Carlo.
Although it is open for tours during the day,
the real James Bond magic begins here
as the sun goes down and the roulette wheels
start to spin.
This architectural masterpiece,
with its wickedly decadent Opera Hall
was dreamed up by the wife of 
Prince Florestan the first
in the late 19th century,
as the royal family teetered on the edge of
bankruptcy.
With gambling illegal in Italy and France,
the Casino became a triumph.
Known as a “health spa” to protect it
from church criticism,
the cream of European society flocked
to try their luck with lady fortune.
Times may have changed but not the nature
of Monte Carlo.
International visitors are still lured here
by the balmy weather and a calendar packed
with star-studded events.
Nearby streets in the Carré d’Or
remain a magnet for lovers of high-end fashion,
luxury jewellery and bespoke perfumes.
Follow ancient footfalls further back in time
down medieval alleyways into the old town.
This is where, 700 years ago,
Francois Grimaldi disguised himself as a monk,
murdered the guard and captured the fortress.
On that night, it became a Grimaldi stronghold
and a dynasty was born.
Intimately connected to the Grimaldis,
the fortress protected the family from foreign
powers for many generations
before being transformed into the luxurious
Princely Palace in the 16th century.
It remains the royal residence,
with a ceremony still taking place every morning
at the changing of the guard.
The Oceanography Museum, is a more recent
royal legacy.
It was created in 1910 by Prince Albert the first,
who was known as the “Prince of the Seas.”
Built into the side of The Rock of Monaco
and almost 90 metres above sea level,
this ground-breaking institute was set up
to share knowledge
and protect the earth’s fragile oceans.
It features many of the discoveries of Jaques Cousteau.
Head downhill to the harbor that for centuries
provided a natural barrier
that helped shore up Monaco’s uneasy alliances.
Today, Hercules Port is the place to watch
mega yachts jostle for space,
especially during the city’s most famous event,
the Monaco Grand Prix.
Although it is one of the most famous race
tracks in the world,
it is also one of the world’s most accessible.
When the formula one drivers aren’t in town,
anyone can experience the tight corners of
the street circuit.
But no legacy is quite as glamorous as that
of Grace Kelly,
the Academy award winning hollywood actress
who wrote her own story 
when she married Prince Rainier III
and became Princess of Monaco.
Princess Grace’s influence lives on throughout
the principality,
in the streets which were lined with crowds
on her wedding day in 1956
and in the neoclassical Monaco Cathedral where
the fairytale couple were married
and where they now rest together, forever.
For many visitors, Monaco’s magnetic attraction
lies in its chic reputation,
its A-list residents,
and its high-profile events but her magic
goes far deeper than that.
Small in size, but expansive in its vision
this is the perfect place to don your dark
sunglasses,
slip on your driving gloves
and step into the world of the powerful characters
whose stories have kept Monaco at the forefront
of the world’s imagination
for centuries.
