Best of both worlds

Visiting Monaco is like taking a trip back in time - and a trip into the future

Flying from Nice airport into Monaco by helicopter only takes seven minutes but it's enough time to make anyone feel like an A-list celebrity. As the chopper sets off, it skims so close to the Mediterranean that you can see sunbathers lying on the super-yachts below. It then tracks the craggy coastline giving an up-close view of the mega-mansions high up the hills. That's all before you even arrive.
From the air, Monaco's sweeping shore hardly seems to have changed since it featured as the backdrop in the 1955 Hitchcock heist movie To Catch A Thief. Set into a hillside, the tiny country is crammed with towering condominiums. At their foot, shiny white boats bob on the sparkling water in Monaco's world-famous harbour whilst the Hotel de Paris sits in the middle of town like a giant cream-coloured wedding cake with its ornate arches and balustrades.
Contrary to popular belief, Monte Carlo is not a city within the country but simply one of its four quartiers. It is the most famous one as it covers the beaches and the centre of town - but you'll feel like a prince wherever you are in Monaco.
Marble public pathways lined with palm trees and fountains are the norm and make it seem like you've been transported to the golden age of Hollywood. After a few minutes, you almost expect a director to leap out calling 'Cut!'. But before there's a chance for that to happen, you'll come across high-tech steel and glass skyscrapers and a convention centre that looks like a beached space ship. Monaco's biggest selling point may be its history but it has also moved with the times.
Its fairytale history began in 1297 when Francois Grimaldi seized a Genoese fortress on the mountain which now towers over the town. It shot to super-stardom in 1956 when his descendent Prince Rainier married Hollywood starlet Grace Kelly who was tragically killed in a car accident 26 years later. His son Prince Albert now rules over Monaco and you're never far from his gaze.
Monaco is like an adults' theme park and even has its own castle, the Grimaldi family palace which is perched at the top of the mountain. Albert's face is proudly displayed on a photo in the window of every shop and, for film fans, there's a walking tour guided by numbered road-side panels with faded pictures showing the public duties that his mother performed at that spot.
It soon makes you an expert in Monaco's history and after only an hour, I knew that Grace Kelly got married in the cathedral on the mountain, walked her children to school just minutes away and danced with Spanish tenor Placido Domingo on the opening night of Monaco's most renowned night spot Jimmy'z in 1974.
Even a short walk in Monaco can be tiring though and the best advice is to bring a well-worn pair of shoes. As it's built into a hill, paths can be extremely steep, so before heading to any attractions, it is worth picking up a map to locate the public elevators or escalators (yes, there are even public escalators in Monaco).
Streets aren't usually some of the most flattering aspects of a country but Monaco's are an exception. Trees are wrapped in fairy lights, public gardens are automatically watered and even the streets seem to shimmer. After being there for over a week, I spotted only one piece of rubbish on the streets and it wasn't there for long, as littering is a strict no-no in Monaco - along with walking around bare-chested, without shoes or sandals, or letting your dogs out without a leash. Prominent panels remind visitors of these and other state rules and with over 600 CCTV cameras in Monaco, it's no surprise that they are followed.
It takes around an hour to cross Monaco on foot and, if you're a racing fan, it's a must. Formula One's most famous race weaves through its streets and some of their red-and-white kerbs are stained with rubber from scuffles during the Grand Prix. There are photo opportunities aplenty as many of Monaco's monuments have become world-famous thanks to F1. The most well-known of them all is the hairpin next to the Fairmont hotel where a conveniently-located sign proclaims that it is the "world's most famous bend".
A short walk from there are several public beaches and a charming Japanese garden which is a haven of tranquility next to a busy road. There are stone lanterns, a pond with koi carp and, of course, bonsai trees. Like much of Monaco, it seems frozen in time as the garden looks like it has been ripped out of feudal Japan. It makes for some surreal photos of pagodas and cherry blossom with skyscrapers in the background.
There's an even bigger surprise just down the road. If you think that hotels in Monaco are all about Baccarat and Belle Époque architecture then think again. Before you set foot in the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel, it's clear that it's different from its rivals. Monaco's newest hotel looks like it would be more at home in Las Vegas with its terracotta-coloured art deco towers and an avant-garde fountain outside choreographed to classical music.
Inside, you are met by serene scenes dripping with glitzy touches. Its soaring lobby is connected to a palm tree-lined conservatory bar which has the smell of oranges piped in. There's a sea motif throughout, from wall carvings of wave shapes to swirls on the carpets and even exotic plants which resemble seaweed. The rooms are modern and minimalist with wooden floors, cream cushions and a balcony which is so wide that a sofa fits down the side of it. The sea theme flows into the bathrooms as each comes with a rubber duck but that's nothing compared to what's outside.
The Bay boasts a pool - which is more like a water park. Lined with arches, olive and cypress trees, it looks fit for a Roman emperor. The hot tub is so big that it has its own atrium and it sits in the middle of a series of lagoons, which are connected by water channels with jets to effortlessly glide swimmers along. The most exotic touch isn't easy to see, as the whole water complex has sand on the bottom - which is the closest you can get to the experience of swimming in the sea without having to brave open waters.
Sitting in the huge hot tubs, watching the mist roll down the hills behind it, is a truly mesmerising experience. At night, it's even more relaxing as the hotel's indoor pool even has star-shaped lights in the ceiling to add to the atmosphere.
The Bay is part of a group of four hotels, assorted restaurants, a spa and even a tennis club nestled in the hills. There are shuttles to ferry guests there and they can charge spending to their room. It makes Monaco more like a club. For the ultimate high life, book dinner at Le Grill which sits atop the Hotel de Paris. With a deep blue carpet, pearled ceiling and bow tie-wearing waiters, it has the air of a luxury cruise liner and an open fire for authentically smoked dishes.
Before dusk sets in, head up to the palace for the most spectacular views in Monaco. It's a bit of a trek as getting there involves walking up a path that winds up the mountain. But even the walk is worth it, as you pass under stone battlements, turrets and through ancient wooden gates. Canons at the top point to the coastline, which can clearly be seen curving from Italy to France with Monaco in between.
To make the most of walking all the way up there, visit the oceanographic museum which is home to a giant aquarium with a reconstruction of a coral reef. It gives visitors a unique fish eye's view with an elevated walkway. Looking up, you can see sharks circling the water's surface while, below, all manner of exotic fish swim by.
As I walk back to the hotel under the twinkling street lights, there's an electricity in the air when cameras flash from crowds of people surrounding the supercars outside the Hotel de Paris. It gives another taste of the James Bond lifestyle and that is what Monaco is all about.
wknd@khaleejtimes.com