Monaco in 5 Days on a Budget (With Daily Costs)
Five days: Monaco, Nice, Eze and Menton
Five days nests the 4-day plan and adds Menton, an easier, flatter day trip than Eze’s climb. Drop back to the 4-day plan if that’s a day too many, or keep going with the 6 and 7-day versions for the rest of the Riviera.
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 for the harder-to-plan day trip.
- Check hotel rates in Beausoleil , a walkable, cheaper alternative to sleeping inside Monaco itself.
| 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 5 | Menton day trip | ~11-12 min train | Train ~EUR3-4 each way |
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, about EUR5 to EUR7 one way. Walk up to Monaco-Ville and start at the Prince’s Palace: the Changing of the Guard happens free, daily, at 11:55am. 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, adult entry about EUR22.50, then finish at La Condamine market (roughly 6am-2pm daily) for a EUR10-12 barbagiuan and socca plate.
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; gaming from 2pm onward is a separate EUR20 ticket, strictly 18+. Confirm current terms on montecarlosbm.com . Walk down to Larvotto, Monaco’s only public beach, a free stretch of fine gravel, then Port Hercule’s yacht rows, also free.
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
The train to Eze-sur-Mer takes about 7 minutes, but the perched village sits well above that station, so budget 20 to 30 minutes more for the infrequent connecting bus, or climb the Chemin de Nietzsche on foot instead, also steep and about 20-30 minutes. The village and the Fragonard perfumery’s free guided tour cost nothing once you’re up there.
Day 5: Menton, the flatter option
Menton trades Eze’s climb for an easier, flatter old town, about 11-12 minutes from Monaco-Monte-Carlo by train, roughly EUR3-4 one way, with somewhere between 46 and 66 trains a day. It’s the last French town before the Italian border, known for its lemon-themed Belle Epoque seafront and a gentler pace than either Monaco or Eze. The old town and seafront cost nothing to wander.
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, not a shopping perk. visitmonaco.com has the principality’s own current visitor essentials.
Should you pick Eze or Menton if you can only add one?
Eze if a classic perched-village postcard view and the free Fragonard tour matter most, accepting the slow bus. Menton if you want an easier, flatter old town with less connection hassle and a genuine, if smaller, beach scene. This 5-day plan is really built for doing both without rushing either.
Book the museum ticket and the Nice-Eze-Monaco tour before you land; Menton’s old town, like most of this list, is free and walk-up once you arrive.