Monaco in 4 Days on a Budget (With Daily Costs)
Four days: Monaco itself, then Nice and Eze
Four days nests the 3-day plan and adds Eze, the perched village whose infrequent connecting bus turns it into a full extra day rather than an add-on afternoon. Cut back to the 3-day plan if Eze doesn’t interest you, or keep going with the 5 , 6 and 7-day versions for more Riviera time.
Book these before you go
- Book the Oceanographic Museum ticket in advance, EUR22.50 adult.
- Book the full-day Monaco, Monte-Carlo and Eze tour from Nice if you’d rather not manage Eze’s connecting bus yourself.
- Compare Nice hotel rates on Booking.com ; it’s the practical base for both today’s day trips.
| Day | Focus | Travel time | Cost today |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Monaco-Ville, Le Rocher, Oceanographic Museum | - | Museum ~EUR22.50; lunch ~EUR10-12 |
| Day 2 | Monte-Carlo, Casino, Larvotto Beach | - | Casino heritage visit ~EUR20 (optional) |
| Day 3 | Nice day trip | ~22 min train | Train ~EUR5-7 each way |
| Day 4 | Eze day trip | ~7 min train + 20-30 min bus/hike | Train ~EUR5-7; Fragonard tour free |
Day 1: Monaco-Ville and Le Rocher
Arrive via the Monaco-Monte-Carlo train station, fully underground since 1999. From Nice, the ride is roughly 22 minutes on the SNCF TER coastal line, about EUR5 to EUR7 one way, with around 60 trains a day. Walk up to Monaco-Ville, the old town on Le Rocher, and start at the Prince’s Palace: the Changing of the Guard happens free, daily, at 11:55am, no ticket required. If the State Apartments are open (seasonal, 30 March to 15 October 2026, check current dates on palais.mc ), the interior tour runs about EUR13 adult. The Cathedral (Notre-Dame-Immaculee) next door is free and holds Grace Kelly’s tomb.
Spend the middle of the day at the Oceanographic Museum, founded in 1910 by Prince Albert I, adult entry about EUR22.50. Finish at La Condamine market (roughly 6am-2pm daily): the Halle gourmande food court sells barbagiuan and socca plates for about EUR10-12.
Day 2: Monte-Carlo, the Casino and Larvotto
The Casino de Monte-Carlo’s Atrium is free, no ticket, no dress code. A morning heritage visit of the historic gaming rooms (before 2pm) runs about EUR20 adult; actual gaming from 2pm onward is a separate EUR20 ticket, strictly 18+. Check current terms on montecarlosbm.com before you plan around either tier. Walk down to Larvotto, Monaco’s only public beach, a free stretch of fine gravel, then Port Hercule’s yacht rows, also free to walk.
Day 3: Nice, the Riviera’s budget base
The same EUR5-7, 22-minute train that brought you in runs about 60 times a day, and a Nice hotel room costs a fraction of Monaco’s roughly EUR550-650+ nightly average. Spend the day on the Promenade des Anglais, Vieux Nice’s alleys, and the Cours Saleya morning market. See the 3-day Nice itinerary or the pebble beaches guide for more.
Day 4: Eze, the perched village
Eze looks close on a map and is close by train, about 7 minutes to Eze-sur-Mer at sea level, but the actual clifftop village sits well above that station. The connecting bus up the hill runs infrequently, so budget 20 to 30 minutes total beyond the train ride, or climb the Chemin de Nietzsche on foot, also about 20-30 minutes and genuinely steep. Once up top, the village itself costs nothing to wander, and the Fragonard perfumery runs a free guided factory tour, roughly 30 minutes, no charge.
Is Monaco actually duty-free?
No. Monaco sits inside France’s VAT and customs territory, so the roughly 20% French VAT applies to everything bought here. What Monaco actually offers is no personal income tax for most residents, a rule dating to 1869, funded originally by casino revenue, not a tourist shopping perk. visitmonaco.com has the principality’s own current visitor essentials.
Is Eze worth the infrequent bus?
Yes, for the views and the free perfumery tour, but only if you budget the connection honestly. The train itself takes 7 minutes; it’s the bus or the steep uphill walk on top of that which decides whether Eze fits comfortably into a single day. Pair it with Nice on the same day if you’re short on time, since both run through the same Monaco-Monte-Carlo station.
Book the Nice-Eze-Monaco tour or the museum ticket before you land; the Palace ceremony, the Casino Atrium and Eze village itself are all free once you’re there.