Casino de Monte-Carlo
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Sky Mirror at Casino Square
Public Atrium inside Casino de Monte-Carlo
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Roulette tables inside Casino de Monte-Carlo
Lounge Bar inside Casino de Monte-Carlo
Casino de Monte-Carlo
Café de Paris at Casino Square
Monte Carlo Casino from Casino Gardens
Monte Carlo Casino from Casino Gardens
HISTORIC BUILDING
Casino de Monte-Carlo and Place du Casino form the best-known scene in Monaco. The grand casino stands opposite Hôtel de Paris and Café de Paris, with palm trees, luxury cars and Anish Kapoor’s Sky Mirror in the centre. Many people come mainly to take photographs, but you can also enter the public atrium or buy a ticket to see more of the building.
The casino opened in 1863 as part of Prince Charles III’s plan to develop Monaco as an international resort. Its success helped turn the surrounding area into Monte-Carlo, which soon became famous for gambling, elegant hotels and wealthy European visitors. The opera house attached to the casino was designed by Charles Garnier and opened in 1879.
For most tourists, this is not a long sightseeing stop. Around 30 minutes is enough for the square and atrium. Allow more time if you want to see the decorated rooms, walk through the nearby gardens or return after dark when the buildings are illuminated.
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Place du Casino brings together Casino de Monte-Carlo, Hôtel de Paris, Café de Paris and the newer One Monte-Carlo development. At the centre, Anish Kapoor’s polished Sky Mirror reflects the casino façade, palm trees and sky. The open area in front of the entrance gives some of the clearest photographs of the building.
The small Casino Gardens beside the square are easy to include at the same time. They have lawns, fountains, sculptures and subtropical plants, with several quieter viewpoints back towards the casino.
Tip: Stand on the side of Sky Mirror facing the casino to include both the sculpture and façade in your photograph.
You can enter the public atrium for free. It is only a small part of the building, but the marble, sculptures and ornate decoration give a good first look inside.
Before the gaming rooms open for play, the casino offers a paid morning sightseeing visit. This is not a guided group tour. You follow the rooms open that day at your own pace, with access to an interactive guide for your smartphone. The route can change, but you may see chandeliers, painted ceilings, gold details and traditional gaming tables. From 14:00, the same rooms begin operating as part of the working casino, with games such as roulette, blackjack, baccarat, poker and slot machines.
Tip: Choose the morning sightseeing visit if you are more interested in architecture and photographs than gambling.
The Opéra de Monte-Carlo, also called Salle Garnier, is attached to the casino on the side facing the Mediterranean. Charles Garnier designed its richly decorated red-and-gold auditorium, which still hosts opera, ballet and concerts.
It is not normally open every day as a walk-in tourist attraction, so most people simply see the exterior unless they have a performance ticket or visit during a special opening.
Tip: Check the performance calendar before your trip if seeing inside Salle Garnier is important to you.
Official Monaco Opera Website
Morning is the best time if you want to see the casino as a historic building. The sightseeing visit takes place before normal gambling begins, and photography is allowed in some of the rooms open to visitors that day.
Late afternoon brings more activity around the entrance as guests arrive at the casino and nearby hotels. After sunset, the façade, Hôtel de Paris and Café de Paris are illuminated.
Summer evenings and weekends can be busy.
Place du Casino and the nearby gardens are public spaces and do not require a ticket, although temporary restrictions may apply during special events.
The casino atrium is also free to enter during opening hours.
Morning sightseeing visits usually run from 10:00 to 13:00, with the final admission at 12:15. Tickets currently cost €20 for adults and €15 for visitors aged 13 to 17. Children aged 6 to 12 can enter free. The ticket includes access to an interactive guide for smartphones.
The gaming rooms open from 14:00. Standard admission currently costs €20 and includes a €10 voucher that can be used under the casino’s current conditions.
Not every room is open each day. Private events, maintenance and performances can affect access, so check the latest opening information before travelling.
Official Monaco Casino Website
Families can enter the atrium and join the morning sightseeing visit.
Only adults aged 18 or over may enter the active gaming rooms. You must show an original valid passport or national identity card with a photograph.
Photocopies, photographs of documents, digital identification and driving licences are not accepted. The same rule applies even if you only want to look around and do not plan to gamble.
There is no formal dress code for Place du Casino, the gardens or the public atrium. Normal clean clothing is suitable during the day.
Dress rules are more relaxed during the morning sightseeing visit. Smart Bermuda shorts, T-shirts and sports shoes are tolerated, but beachwear, sportswear, tracksuits, badly ripped or faded jeans, and men’s sandals or flip-flops are not allowed.
Smart attire is required once the gaming rooms are operating. Shorts, including Bermuda shorts, beachwear, sportswear, ripped or cut-out jeans, and men’s sandals or flip-flops are not allowed. Some rooms have stricter evening rules, so dress more formally if you plan to visit at night.
Personal photography is allowed in the public atrium, and the casino itself encourages visitors to take photographs there. You can also take normal personal photos around Place du Casino and the gardens.
During the paid morning sightseeing visit, photographs are permitted in some of the gaming rooms open to visitors. Temporary restrictions may apply, so follow staff instructions inside.
Once the gaming rooms are operating, cameras, recording equipment, mobile phones and other electronic devices are prohibited inside the active gaming areas. A free cloakroom is available for items that cannot be taken in.
Avoid photographing hotel guests or casino visitors from close range.
Allow around 20 to 30 minutes to see the square, take photographs and look inside the free atrium.
The morning sightseeing visit usually takes about one hour. Including the square and gardens, plan around 90 minutes.
An evening stop can be brief if you only want to see the atmosphere inside. People who plan to gamble, have a drink or spend time at the tables may stay much longer.
Place du Casino is mostly flat, unlike many other parts of Monaco. Accessible routes are available into the atrium and main casino areas, and staff can help with lifts or suitable entrances.
The rooms included in the morning visit can vary. Contact the casino before arriving if access to a particular area is important.
Nearby streets quickly become steep once you leave Monte-Carlo. Public lifts and escalators help connect the casino area with the railway station and lower parts of Monaco.
Monaco-Monte-Carlo railway station is the easiest arrival point for day trips from Nice, Menton, Cannes and other French Riviera towns.
Use the station exit marked for Monte-Carlo. Place du Casino is about a 10-minute walk from there. Leaving through a lower exit towards Sainte-Dévote or Port Hercule adds an uphill section.
From Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, you can travel to Monaco by airport bus, taxi, private transfer or helicopter. Reaching Monaco by train requires a connection from a station near the airport.
Everything immediately around Casino Square is close together. You can walk between the casino, gardens, Hôtel de Paris, Café de Paris and One Monte-Carlo in a few minutes.
The route becomes more demanding if you continue towards Port Hercule, Monaco-Ville or Larvotto. Monaco has many public lifts, escalators and covered passages, but they are not always easy to spot.
Follow local signs rather than choosing the shortest route shown on a map. A nearby street may be on a different level or reached by steep stairs.
Monaco bus line 1 stops at Place du Casino. Lines 5 and 6 also serve the area, while line 2 stops nearby at Monte-Carlo Tourisme or Terrasses du Casino, depending on the direction.
Buses are useful when travelling from Monaco-Ville, Fontvieille, Larvotto or Port Hercule. They can also save an uphill walk later in the day.
Routes and stops may change during the Monaco Grand Prix, rallies and other large events.
Monte-Carlo is the closest area to Place du Casino. It is convenient for an evening visit and has Monaco’s most famous luxury hotels, including Hôtel de Paris. Prices are usually high.
La Condamine is a good alternative near Port Hercule. It has more casual restaurants and is well placed for the railway station and several other Monaco sights.
Beausoleil is directly across the border in France and often has more apartments and mid-range hotels. Check the walking route before booking. Some properties look close to the casino on a map but sit much higher on the hillside.
Parking du Casino, also called Parking des Boulingrins, is the nearest public car park. It sits below the gardens and has direct access to the Monte-Carlo centre.
It is a convenient option for a short stop, although nearby roads can become busy in the evening and during special events.
For a full day in Monaco, Parking des Salines near the western entrance may be easier. Buses connect it with the centre, so you do not need to drive through Monaco’s tunnels and crowded central streets.
The Monaco Grand Prix, Historic Grand Prix, Monte-Carlo Rally and public celebrations can affect roads and public transport around the casino.
Barriers may appear around the square, some bus stops may move and normal walking routes can change. Train travel is usually easier than driving during these periods.
Yes. Monte Carlo Casino is the common English name, while Casino de Monte-Carlo is the official French name. Both refer to the historic casino on Place du Casino.
Casino de Monte-Carlo is the historic Belle Époque building with ornate gaming rooms and the attached opera house.
Casino Café de Paris is a separate venue across the square. It has a more modern atmosphere and a stronger focus on slot machines.
The Café de Paris brasserie is a restaurant in the same wider complex, which can make the names confusing.
Yes. You can enter the public atrium for free or buy a ticket for the morning sightseeing visit.
Adults can also enter the gaming rooms later without placing a bet. The normal ticket, identification and dress rules still apply.
No. Monegasque citizens are not allowed to gamble in Monaco’s casinos. The restriction dates back to the development of Monte-Carlo as a resort aimed mainly at foreign visitors.
Salle Garnier is not normally open every day as a separate tourist attraction. It may be accessible during selected cultural visits or special heritage events, but this is not guaranteed.
Booking a performance is the most reliable way to see the auditorium.
Yes. The Formula 1 route passes through the Monte-Carlo district and around Casino Square before continuing downhill towards Mirabeau.
During the race period, barriers and grandstands change the appearance of the area. Walking routes, buses and road access may also be affected.
