While usually associated with jet-setters and a glitzy social calendar, tiny Mediterranean principality Monaco has many attractions to offer in its own right. Patsy Yang joins the beautiful people to discover them.

Famed as a Mediterranean playground of the rich, Monaco has plenty to offer the visitors - and you don't need to be a millionaire to enjoy them.

From the moment you arrive at the tiny principality located between France and Italy, you feel the difference. Everywhere is stunningly clean; the roads are filled with luxury cars; private yachts line the harbors; good-looking people in the latest designer wear stroll down the streets.

Good manners are evident too. Put just a toe on the road and Monaco's polite drivers invariably stop and wait.

Monaco has long been associated with the super-rich. Under the control of the Grimaldi family as a self-governing principality for centuries, it has become a haven for film stars, pop stars, sports celebrities and royalty, among its rich and famous.

Some of the world's richest people have properties there, where they spend long vacations. And it's apparent why they love Monaco: it's a very accessible destination; enjoys 300 days of sunshine a year; is one of the safest places in the world; and it has a broad choice of leisure activities.

But May equals mayhem in Monaco, as this is the month when its Grand Prix takes place. The Formula One date is also the single biggest draw for tourists and celebrities. For a week Monte Carlo is completely closed to traffic and its roads used as a race track which is considered one of the most spectacular and difficult on the F1 circuit.

But there is an almost non-stop calendar of year-round amusement in Monaco: the Monte Carlo Rally and International Circus Festival in January; the Monte Carlo opera season from January to March; the Rose Ball in March; the Monte Carlo Spring Arts Festival and Rolex Tennis Masters in April; Historic Grand Prix and Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix in May; Concerts at the Prince's Palace in July; the Monte Carlo International Fireworks Festival and the Summer Festival at Le Sporting Club in summer; the Monaco Yacht Show in September; the International Marathon in November; before the Monaco Dance Forum rounds things off in December.

While there are many world-famous events bringing visitors to Monaco, don't underestimate the core appeal of the principality - the sublime Mediterranean climate; lively casinos; unique hospitality plus culture and history.

Monaco is so compact so you can walk the entire coastline in a couple of hours. And you don't have to be a member of the jet set to enjoy the tiny city state, as Monaco offers myriad little pleasures for everybody.

Monte Carlo

An ideal spot to start your Monaco sightseeing tour is Café de Paris Monte Carlo, in the heart of Monte Carlo, right on the legendry Place du Casino. Outside on the terrace, the Café de Paris immerses visitors in the authentic atmosphere of a Parisian bistro.

For a breakfast worthy of the name, the terrace is the ideal choice to sip an espresso and marvel at the legendary Casino de Monte Carlo and the most prestigious "Palace" - the Hotel de Paris Monte Carlo.

Inside the Hotel de Paris, low relief sculptures, marble colonnades and crystal chandeliers combine to create a sense of awe-inspiring grandeur. The hotel, opened in 1864, was a real marvel of its time, built with the intention of offering the very best that existed. With the arrival of the railway in Monte Carlo in 1868, the hotel became the essential meeting place for the era's beautiful people.

At the end of World War I, great names from the worlds of culture, the arts and politics began to meet there again, following the years of upheaval. And during World War II it became a haven for refugees fleeing the war. Today, having a drink in its Bar America is one of the surest ways of coming face to face with the rich and famous. Parked outside are their Porsches, Bentleys and Aston Martins.

The next stop is the neighboring Monte Carlo Casino, another architectural gem. Enter through the front door and fall under the spell of the charming atmosphere of yesteryear, combined with the contemporary approach to gambling. It only costs 10 euro (US$12.7) for a glimpse of even more luxury in the casino itself (appropriate dress required in the gaming rooms; proof of identity is compulsory, minimum age of 18). However, the real gem of the casino is the Salle Garnier, built by Charles Garnier, the architect who designed the famous Paris Opera House, and which opened in 1879.

Le Rocher

From Monte Carlo, it's just a 30-minute walk to Monaco's Le Rocher (the Rock), a towering 60-meter high rock that overlooks Monte Carlo and the Mediterranean beyond.

Discover the old town through the narrow alleyways and your feet will naturally guide you to the Place du Palais, where most tourists come to watch the ceremonial Changing of the Guard at 11:55am sharp. This showcases Monaco's royal pageantry as the guards parade on the palace's square to the sound of drums and trumpets.

The Palais Princier (the Prince's Palace), built in the 12th century and modified during the Renaissance, reveals to visitors some of its splendors, such as the main courtyard and Italian-style gallery.

The Museum of Napoleonic Souvenirs and Collections of the Historical Archives of the Palace contains more than 1,000 objects and documents and is a great way to discover the history of the principality.

The square of the palace offers picturesque views of the Mediterranean, dotted with luxury yachts. A few steps from the square you will find yourself in front of the impressive Monaco Cathedral. This edifice in La Turbie white stone, Roman-Byzantine in style, houses the tombs of the city state's princes and the simple white tomb of Monaco's beloved Princess Grace, who came to Monaco as Grace Kelly, the famous movie star who married Prince Rainier III in 1956.

Another marvelous building is the Oceanographic Museum. Opened in 1910, this exceptional museum is a masterpiece of monumental architecture, overlooking the sea on top of a sheer drop of 85 meters. Dedicated to marine science, the museum houses a stunning coral reef in its all-new shark lagoon. This 400-cubic meters structure features hammerhead sharks and majestic stingrays swimming before a reef populated by a multitude of tropical fish and living corals.

It can be exhausting to walk to the top of the rock, so taking a local bus is a pleasant alternative. A sightseeing walk (including museum visits) in Le Rocher takes about four hours.

Fontvieille

Modern Monaco extended its territory by reclaiming land from the sea and the district Fontvieille southwest of Le Rocher was created - where technology and art sit happily side by side. The existence of Fontvieille, and its many public works projects, are substantially due to the efforts of the late Prince Rainier III, who was known as "the Builder Prince."

Overlooked by most tourists, a morning walk along the coast of Fontvieille is an extremely pleasant escape from the hubbub. Don't miss the heart-shaped Rose Garden dedicated to Princess Grace. It is an area of calm and serenity where the scent of some 4,000 roses in 180 varieties hangs in the air.


If you go

Where to stay:

If money is not an issue, most people would love to indulge themselves at the legendary Hotel de Paris. However, if you want style, comfort and value at the same time, Columbus Monte Carlo hotel (23 Avenue des Papalins) is a great option.

It is a very special and secret world nestled in the quiet area of Fontvieille, with views of the sea, the Princess Grace Rose Garden and the mountains. Columbus Monte Carlo is a homely place to slow down, unwind and feel good about life. The interior style is contemporary Riviera chic featuring plenty of warm natural materials, such as leather, marble, wood, stone and linen. It has 181 guestrooms and suites and 76 parking spaces. Back in 2004, Conde Nast Traveller considered that Columbus had "the best bedrooms in the world." And they still manage to be impeccable and cozy at the same time.

There seems to be good luck about the place too. The winning drivers of the past four Monaco Grand Prix races were Columbus Monte Carlo residents at the time. Guests who took the chequered flag include Jenson Button in 2009, Mark Webber in 2010, Sebastian Vettel in 2011, and this year a repeat victory by Webber for the 70th Grand Prix raced on the most famous track in Formula 1.

The hotel has a free shuttle service to anywhere in Monaco and is only a two-minute walk from a bus station which offers shuttle buses to Nice International Airport. It is also equally close to a helipad.

Where to eat:

La Trattoria - Sporting Monte Carlo: Award-winning chef Alain Ducasse has three restaurants in Monaco, the first being the Michelin three-star Le Louis XV-Alain Ducasse opened in the Hotel de Paris 25 years ago. Located in the Sporting Monte Carlo, his contemporary new trattoria delivers full flavored Tuscan cuisine.



Brasserie Columbus Monte Carlo: Columbus Monte Carlo hotel is passionate about food and wine and chef Xavier Burelle likes matching south of France cuisine, rich in flavors and inventiveness, with Riviera cooking, the crossroads of the Provencale and Italian influences. Facing the Rose Garden, the brasserie's terrace provides an extremely pleasant location to enjoy a meal on a warm evening. You will feel immersed in the local community instead of a tourist spot. The daily business lunch starts at 25 euro (US$31.7).

How to get to Monaco

Airport: 20 kilometers from Nice's International Airport, with transfers by helicopter (7 minutes) from 105 euro. The helicopter trip provides a bird's-eye view of the Principality of Monaco and the Mediterranean.

Other options include trains, taxis and shuttle buses.