Monaco / Cap d’Ail

Known internationally as a symbol of glamour and luxury, the Principauté of Monaco with its 473 acres (2 sq km), is the world’s second smallest country just after the Vatican City. Located just a few minutes’ drive from Italy, surrounded by France and facing the beautiful Mediterranean Sea, it has been governed by the same dynasty- the famous Grimaldi family- for over 700 years. This tiny state is divided from west to east into 3 districts: Fonvieille, host a marina, a nice shopping center and a heliport. Monaco Ville (or le Rocher) is the lovely medieval town, topped by the palace, the cathedral, and the Oceanography Museum. La Condamine, the newer quarter officially known as Monte Carlo is home to Port Hercule, numerous designer shops, luxury hotels, restaurants and the famous Casino. The Principauté de Monaco is a sovereign state, with its own red-and-white flag, national holiday (19 November), telephone area code (377), license plates and forgiving tax system. It even has its traditional dialect, although French is the official language and there are no border formalities crossing to and from France. Being built on a cliff, Monaco’s different parts of town are linked together with convenient elevators and stairs and the government had to claim some land on the sea in order to expand the domain area. This gleaming territory is also one of the safest places on earth, thanks to video controls and large although discreet police presence. Monaco is home to many brokers, yacht agents, exclusive services and Superyachts. The adjacent French town of Cap d’Ail, hosts a large and popular marina complex. Sovereign Prince Albert II is very conserved about the environment and dedicates a lot of his time to his foundation, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation: www.fpa2.mc