Practicalities
The gare SNCF is on avenue Prince-Pierre in La Condamine, a short walk from the main gare routiere on place d'Armes. Municipal buses ply the length of the principality from 7am to 8pm (8.50F/?1.30 single; four-trip card 21F/?3.20). Buses following the lower corniche stop at the gare routiere ; other routes have a variety of stations; all stop in Monte Carlo. Local bus #4 runs from the gare SNCF to the "Casino-Tourisme" stop, close to the tourist office at 2a bd des Moulins (Mon-Sat 9am-7pm, Sun 10am-noon; tel 92.16.61.66, fax 92.16.60.00, www.monaco-congress.com ). One very useful public service is the incredibly clean and efficient free lift linking the lower and higher streets (marked on the tourist office map). Bicycles can be rented from Auto-Moto-Garage, 7 rue de Millo, off place d'Armes (tel 93.50.10.80). The best areas for hotels are La Condamine and Beausoleil, just across the northern boundary in France, where you'll find the pleasant Villa Boeri , at 29 bd du General-Leclerc (tel 04.93.78.38.10, fax 04.93.41.90.95; 220-300F/?34-46), only a couple minutes' walk from Monte Carlo centre. In Monte Carlo itself you could try Cosmopolite , 4 rue de la Turbie (tel 93.30.16.95, fax 93.30.23.05, hotel-cosmopolite@monte-carlo.com ; 300-400F/?46-61), near the station, or its neighbour the Hotel de France , at no. 6 (tel 93.30.24.64, fax 92.16.13.34, hotel-france@monte-carlo.com ; 500-600F/?76-91). Another reasonable option is Helvetia , 1bis rue Grimaldi (tel 93.30.21.71, fax 92.16.70.15, hotel-helvetia@monte-carlo.com ; 400-500F/?61-76), a small and comfortable old hotel with en-suite bathrooms and a bar for guests. If you're aged 17 to 21, you may be able to get a hostel bed at the Centre de Jeunesse Princesse Stephanie , just north of the station at 24 av Prince-Pierre (tel 93.50.83.20, fax 93.25.29.82; midnight curfew); be sure to turn up early. Monaco has no campsite, and caravans are illegal in the state - as are bathing costumes, bare feet and bare chests once you step off the beach. Camper vans have to be parked at the Parking des Ecoles, in Fontvieille, and then only between 8am and 8pm. La Condamine and the old town are replete with restaurants , but good food and reasonable prices don't exactly match. The best-value cuisine is Italian, notably Le Pinocchio , at 30 rue Comte-F.-Gastaldi (tel 93.30.96.20; closed Wed out of season & Dec to mid-Jan), with a 110F/?16.78 lunchtime menu. Alternatively, try L'Orangeraie , 42 quai des Sanbarbani, Fontvieille (tel 92.05.67.37), which has good seafood, and a menu at 135F/?20.59, or Castelroc , in the old town on place du Palais (tel 93.30.36.68; closed Sat & Dec-Jan), which has a generous 125F/?19.06 menu. You can also eat a decentish 80F/?12.20 menu at La Cigale , 18 rue de Millo (tel 93.30.16.14; closed Sat & Sun & Aug). It's really not worth going upmarket in Monaco unless you're prepared to hit 900F/?137.25-a-head bills, in which case head for the Belle Epoque glory of the Louis XV (closed Tues, Wed & Oct; 500F/?76.25 lunch menu) in the Hotel de Paris . Your best bet for non-casino nightlife is the large Stars 'N' Bars on the quai Antoine 1er, packed out on Fridays and Saturdays, with a lively club upstairs where drinks will cost you 60F/?9.15. Otherwise you might like to try out Cherie's Cafe , near the casino at 9 av des Spelugues, which serves food throughout the night and has regular live bands.
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