Day 6: Monaco
Today, Julie and I walked across an entire country and back. Despite that, it was our slowest day so far. We slept in until 9, then grabbed breakfast at a bakery and hopped on a bus from Nice to Monaco. It was a 45 minute ride with the most stunning view of the sea. The bus followed the coast for the most part and we were able to see glowing blue skies above the ports and beaches.
We arrived in Monaco around 11 and climbed up to the Palais Princier, the official residence of the Prince of Monaco since 1297.
The hill offered a great view of the Mediterranean, with France visible from one side and Italy on the other. The old quarter was also up there, as well as some nice gardens. We walked around the inner streets and got a crepe as we explored. We also sat down in Princess Grace's garden and wrote in our journals, enjoying the weather. Our walk around the hilltop took us past many small shops and restaurants, churches, and the Monaco Palais de Justice.
After lunch, we walked back down the hill and crossed the country, walking by the port and passing by the Monte Carlo on the way, which was by far the nicest-looking building in the Principality.
On the other side of the country, which took us half an hour to cross, we went around a Japanese garden for a bit. It was nice, but not the most traditional.
Overall, while I'm glad I got to see Monaco and have a new perspective on the lifestyle there, it was my least favourite place so far. It was definitely interesting to see how different the lives of the people there were, with yacht clubs, casual Ferraris, and Mercedes Benz taxis. It also offered a very nice view. However, the buildings were far more modern and I wouldn't be very interested in going back.
Following the garden, we walked back along the coast to catch the bus back to Nice, and we both fell asleep (standing) on the ride back. The rest of the afternoon was spent resting, getting food, doing laundry, and taking a stroll in the evening back to the central Nice squares and park, where we sat and wrote in our journals again as the sun went down.