Practical Information for visiting Monaco

Monaco uses the euro, although it is not a member of the European Union — it has a monetary agreement allowing it to use the currency and to mint its own coins, which are collectable and occasionally turn up in change.

Cards are accepted universally and contactless is standard. Cash is rarely necessary.

ATMs are widespread. There is no departure tax or tourist tax of note, and VAT follows the French system at twenty per cent.

Tipping follows French practice: service is included by law, and rounding up or leaving a few euros for good service is appreciated but not expected. In the high-end restaurants and hotels, more generous tipping is the norm simply because the clientele does it.

Prices are high across the board. A coffee in Casino Square costs several times what the same coffee costs three hundred metres uphill in France.

Coverage for mobile networks is complete and excellent, with 5G throughout — Monaco was among the first countries in Europe to deploy it nationally, which is easier when the country is two square kilometres.

Monaco is not in the European Union, so EU roaming rules do not automatically apply and charges can be higher than expected. Phones also switch between Monégasque and French networks without warning, since the border is a few hundred metres away in every direction — a real source of surprise bills. Setting the network manually helps.

Free public Wi-Fi is available across much of the principality, including the harbour, the gardens and public buildings, and in essentially every cafe and hotel. Fixed speeds are high.

Monaco has one of the lowest crime rates in the world and is about as safe as a place can be. Police density is extraordinary and camera coverage is comprehensive.

• Petty theft exists but is rare, and concentrated where large crowds gather — the station, the casino square and the harbour during events. Normal precautions are sufficient.
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• Dress and conduct rules are enforced in a way visitors do not expect. Walking around shirtless or in swimwear away from the beach is an offence, as is lying on the grass in some public gardens.
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• Traffic. The roads are steep, tunnelled and busy, and pedestrians are best served by the marked crossings and the public lifts rather than by improvising.
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• Grand Prix week closes large parts of the principality, reroutes everything and fills every pavement. If you are not there for the race, be somewhere else.
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• Drug laws are strict and enforced.

Photography of the palace, the casino exterior and public areas is fine; the casino gaming rooms prohibit it entirely.

Healthcare is excellent. The Princess Grace Hospital is a modern facility serving the principality and the surrounding French communes, with a helipad and full emergency services.

EU and UK visitors are covered for necessary treatment with a valid EHIC or GHIC through the arrangement with the French system; others pay privately, and costs are high. Insurance is sensible.

Vaccinations: routine cover is sufficient; nothing special is required.

Summer heat and humidity are the most likely seasonal issue, along with a very high UV index on the coast — the combination of sun, sea reflection and white stone is stronger than it feels.

The terrain is the practical health consideration: Monaco is built on a cliff, and anyone with limited mobility should plan around the public lift network rather than the map. Most lifts are step-free.

Pharmacies operate an out-of-hours rota posted on the door. Tap water is safe and good.

Dress properly. Walking through the principality bare-chested or in swimwear is an offence and is enforced. The casino requires smart dress in the gaming rooms — no shorts, no sportswear, no flip-flops — and photographic identification.

Greet in French. Bonjour on entering a shop or restaurant and au revoir on leaving are not optional politeness; their absence is read as rudeness.

Monégasques cannot gamble in the casino, a rule dating from its foundation. Do not be surprised by the identification check at the door.

Public behaviour. Noise, littering and sitting or lying on public lawns where prohibited all attract attention from a police force with the capacity to notice.

Photography inside the casino gaming rooms is forbidden. Do not photograph residents or private yachts intrusively.

The principality is Roman Catholic and the cathedral is a working church; dress modestly and be quiet during services, particularly at the tombs of Prince Rainier and Princess Grace.

Emergency numbers: 112 works for everything. Locally, 17 is police, 18 is fire and rescue, and 15 is the medical emergency service. Response is very fast given the size of the territory.

Medical. The Centre Hospitalier Princesse Grace handles emergencies and serious cases and is the only hospital in the principality. Larger French hospitals in Nice are forty minutes away and are used for some specialist care.

Sea rescue is coordinated through 196 as in France, and the harbour authorities monitor the port.

Consular. Most countries cover Monaco from their embassy in Paris or their consulate in Marseille or Nice, though a number maintain honorary consuls in the principality. Check where yours is before travelling.

Keep an offline copy of your passport and insurance. Note that entry and exit with France is unmarked — there is no border control — but Monaco is outside the European Union, which occasionally matters for customs.