Monte Carlo

Of the four quarters comprising Monaco, Monte Carlo is easily the richest, due primarily to its famous casinos, which regularly draws in high rollers and celebrity figures from all over the world. Residents of Monaco are free from having to pay taxes, however, they are also forbidden to enter the gaming rooms.

Monte Carlo: A History of Wealth
Back in 1873, Joseph Jagger, an engineer based in Britain, earned the title of "The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo" by exploiting a bias he found inside one of the casino's roulette wheels. In this particular case the ‘bank' was the actual casino. According to some sources, Joseph Jagger is also an apparently distantly related to the Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger.

Monte Carlo was also the setting for Ian Fleming's initial James Bond book "Casino Royale" back in 1953. Forty-two years later, in 1995, Golden Eye, another 007 novel also took place in Monte Carlo.

Casinos with Class
The magnificently designed Casino de Monte-Carlo is easily Monte Carlo's most notable gaming venue. Inside this majestic casino players can indulge themselves in the main hall, the "Salle Européene" (European Room) where, for as little as 8 Euros you can enter and pleasure yourself at any of the very cool table games like European roulette, blackjack (vingt-et-un/twenty-one), and Trente et Quarante (30 & 40). If playing the slots is more your thing, there are countless machines to be enjoyed in the Salle Blanche (White Room) and Salon Rose (Pink Salon).

For you high stakes players, you will find the Salles Privées - meaning ‘Private Rooms - most inviting. Here, for an additional15 euro, you can place minimum wagers of 80 euros. To enter these exclusive back rooms, men are obligated to sport a tie and jacket. Doors open at 3:00 in the afternoon. Also, the minimum age for gambling legally in Monte Carlo is 21, thus you might want to carry your passport with you.

Another all-time favorite is the Sun Casino situated inside the Monte Carlo Grand hotel. Literally next door to the waterfront convention centre, here visitors can help themselves to a selection of over 400 slot machines, plus roulette Américaine (American roulette), and - of course - blackjack, craps & baccarat.

The waterfront is also the location for the Salle des Palmiers located inside Le Sporting - an entertainment centre which opens in the summertime only. Here you'll find all the popular European games including Chemin de Fer and English roulette.

At the rear of the lovely Café de Paris dining room players will find rows upon rows of slot machines, plus all the usual favorites such as American roulette, blackjack, craps, and more.

Europe's Favorite Games
Anxious for some new action? Bored with the Vegas scene? Then Monte Carlo might be just the gambling locale for you. Here you'll find a number of games hard to come by in the USA, if at all. For example, players can choose between American, European & English roulette. Or how about testing your luck at, Chemin de Fer, Punto Banco, Banque à Deux Tableaux, or Trente et Quarante. Of course, all the regular classics such as craps, baccarat, blackjack, and poker can be enjoyed here as well.

Restaurants
Guests in Monte Carlo can bet their last euro they'll have no trouble satisfying their appetites as there's no shortage of fine dining establishments and cafes here as well. Restaurants serve up everything from fine Italian cuisine to sushi. And, not all restaurants in Monte Carlo will cost you an arm and a leg. There are tons of sandwich bars too where you can pick from delicious toasted breads like bruschettas, paninis and focaccia.

Fun & Games (aside from gambling)
Had enough casino excitement for the time being? Monte Carlo also promises a wealth of entertainment such as the Monte Carlo Opera, Monte Carlo Ballet, the Philharmonic Orchestra, museums, plus tours throughout Monaco. And when you're all toured out, indulging in any one of Monte Carlo's outstanding spas will be just what the doctor ordered.

Beyond having earned a reputation over the years for being a fabulous place to spot the rich and famous, Monte Carlo also hosts a number of top-notch events like the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix, and the Monte Carlo Rally, believed to be the longest-running auto rally race in the world.

Hotels
Monte Carlo promises an excellent array of fine hotels from which to choose. Following is just a partial list of the most popular ones:

Balmoral Hotel
Hotel de Paris
Hotel du Louvre
Hotel Mirabeau
Hotel Hermitage
Alexandra Hotel
Monte Carlo Beach Hotel
Monte Carlo Grand Hotel