A modern swimming facility featuring a clear pool and a spiral staircase leading up to a diving platform. Lush trees border a pathway where people stroll, with modern buildings lining the hillside behind them.
Monaco

Monaco: More Than Just a Race Track

Monaco rises steeply from the Mediterranean.
 Monaco, Monaco, October 2022

The moment I step onto Monegasque soil, I feel it: the air is thick with gasoline! This is sacred ground—the heart of Formula 1, the mecca of motorsport! My pulse quickens. Any second now, I expect a race car to scream past me at full throttle, but… nothing. Just an elderly man crossing the street with a shopping bag. Strange. Maybe there’s a Safety Car on track?

I rush to the casino, but instead of pit crews changing tires in record time, I see only sleek limousines pulling up, elegant people stepping out. None of them are wearing helmets. I briefly consider asking someone what lap we’re on but decide to move on to the legendary Loews hairpin instead. It has a different name now, but that doesn’t matter. Surely, they must be here! I position myself at the edge of the curve, camera ready—and wait. And wait. After what feels like an eternity, a taxi rolls past. Just a regular taxi. No sparks, no flying debris. I start to feel uneasy.

At the harbor, hope flickers! Yachts as big as team hospitality trucks! Of course—these must be the drivers’ paddock boats! I scan the decks for Verstappen or Leclerc, but all I see are unfamiliar faces holding champagne glasses. Odd.

My heart races again as I make my way to the Swimming Pool Chicane. But here, too—no curbs, no roaring engines. Just a quiet public pool. Doubt creeps in. This is Monaco, isn’t it?

Determined, I climb up to the palace, hoping for a glimpse of race action from above. But all I see is the peaceful panorama of the city. Where’s the smoke from burning rubber? Where are the daring overtakes? I wander through the narrow streets toward the cathedral, and slowly, a terrible realization dawns on me:

There’s no race this weekend.

Map of Monaco
Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco: An ornate historic facade features intricate statues, decorations, and a large clock tower.
The Casino de Monte-Carlo is the heart of Monaco’s high-stakes glamour. Built in 1863, it’s more than a gambling hall—it’s a symbol of wealth and prestige. Designed by Charles Garnier, the architect of the Paris Opera, its ornate façade and lavish interiors have set the scene for everything from James Bond films to real-life fortunes won and lost.
A fountain bursts with water in vibrant greenery, with modern buildings and a hilly city skyline in the background.
A large, shiny oval sculpture stands on a round base, surrounded by people and green palm trees.
A large, elegant building view featuring a stylish facade, surrounded by trees and a red sunshade in the foreground.
An opulent building with large windows and intricate architectural details, featuring an entrance marked by Hublot signage.
The elegant facade of a Versace store featuring sculptures and a window balcony, reflecting the surrounding environment.
The impressive facade of a historic building with scaffolding, ascending steps, under a cloudy sky.
High-rise buildings and modern residences surround a winding road, with green plants and a construction crane in the background.
A winding road with a large roundabout, surrounded by green trees and buildings in Monaco.
This is Monaco’s famous Loews/Fairmont Hairpin, now "Grand Hotel Hairpin", the slowest corner in Formula 1. Every year, the world’s top drivers squeeze their cars through this tight curve, balancing precision and control. Off the track, it's a quiet residential area—until race weekend transforms it into a global spectacle.
Two large yachts are moored in the harbor, surrounded by modern buildings and trees under a cloudy sky.
A scenic waterfront promenade with several yachts and small boats, surrounded by modern buildings and a mountain in the background.
A modern swimming facility featuring a clear pool and a spiral staircase leading up to a diving platform.
The Stade Nautique Rainier III is more than just a public swimming pool—it's a Monaco landmark. Overlooking the harbor, this Olympic-sized pool transforms into part of the Formula 1 circuit each year, as grandstands rise around it. A place for both everyday swimmers and world-class events, it’s Monaco in a nutshell: luxury, sport, and spectacle.
Lush trees border a pathway where people stroll, with modern buildings lining the hillside behind them.
Monaco rises steeply from the Mediterranean, packing luxury apartments and high-rises into just over two square kilometers. Seen from this hillside path, the city’s dense skyline is a striking contrast to the green slopes beyond. Space is limited, but in Monaco, there’s always room to build higher.
A winding street lined with colorful buildings, surrounded by trees and lampposts, stretches under a clear sky.
Monaco isn’t just about glitz and fast cars. In the old quarter, streets like this wind past pastel-colored buildings, a reminder of the principality’s quieter side. Just a few steps from the palace, these residential blocks have stood for generations, overlooking a city that’s always changing.
A soldier in a white uniform stands before a grand archway, flanked by two lanterns and an ornate building in the background.
View of a historic building with tall windows and a tower, alongside old cannons on a square.
Three people are gazing at the city with modern buildings and yachts in the harbor, framed by mountains in the background.
View of the harbor with yachts, surrounded by colorful buildings and mountains under a cloudy sky.
harbor of Monaco: view of the harbor with yachts, surrounded by city buildings and hills under a partly cloudy sky.
From this hillside view, Monaco unfolds in layers—luxury apartments with terracotta roofs in the foreground, the yacht-filled harbor at the center, and modern high-rises rising against the mountainous backdrop. The deep blue Mediterranean stretches to the horizon, while low clouds brush the peaks above the city-state.
A narrow, quiet street lined with light yellow buildings featuring green shutters and a wooden door.
Cathedral of Notre-Dame-Immaculée in Monaco: An impressive stone façade with intricate architectural details and steps.
Monaco’s Cathedral of Notre-Dame-Immaculée stands as a striking example of Roman-Byzantine architecture. Built from white limestone from La Turbie, it serves as the final resting place of Monaco’s princes, including Princess Grace.
A large, bright church featuring high vaulted ceilings and rows of wooden benches. An altar and a golden dome are visible in the background.
The interior of Monaco’s Cathedral of Notre-Dame-Immaculée is marked by towering stone arches, a grand mosaic of Christ above the altar, and rows of wooden pews with red cushions. Sunlight streams through narrow stained-glass windows, highlighting the Romanesque-Byzantine architecture.
A view of the tall ceiling of a church featuring impressive arches, colorful stained glass windows, and a large organ in the background.
The grand organ of Monaco’s Cathedral of Notre-Dame-Immaculée dominates the interior with its modern design. Installed in 1976 and updated in 2011, this instrument features nearly 7,000 pipes, making it one of the most remarkable in the region.
An impressive round stone facade with ornate details and large windows, surrounded by a winding staircase.
An elegant, historic building with a yellow façade, balconies, and a shop on the ground floor along a busy street.
A game stall with a pink sign reading Monte Carlo, surrounded by arcade machines and colorful plush toys, including two toy cars.