Monte Carlo

A treasure trove of glitz and glamour awaits on an exclusive two-mile coastline along the Mediterranean Sea. High-rollers, professional athletes and international stars flock to Monaco in droves. Although packed with flashy sports cars, luxury apartments, super-yachts and unlimited entertainment, this rocky promontory does not lack for culture and history. The sovereign family ensures that the principality’s distinguished heritage is preserved and appreciated. And its over-the-top opulence is merely equal to its charm. The newly designed Foster + Partners Yacht Club de Monaco stands in stark contrast to the monumental baroque building housing the Musée Océanographique de Monaco. The Nouveau Musée National de Monaco, which showcases the latest in contemporary art, is a complete 180 compared to the Prince’s Palace of Monaco, which dates to the twelfth century. Yet it all exists harmoniously within two hundred hectares of land.The list of Monaco regulars reads like the guest list to the ultimate private party: Charles Leclerc, Grace Kelly, Sir Roger Moore, Tyra Banks, Frank Sinatra, Rudolf Nureyev, Bjorn Borg and Ringo Starr, to name a few. Whether enticed by the top-tier competitions (Monaco Grand Prix, Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters), can’t-miss events (Ballets de Monte-Carlo, Monaco National Day), iconic Société des Bains de Mer properties (Monte Carlo Casino, Hôtel de Paris Monte Carlo, Monte-Carlo Beach) or Michelin-star restaurants (LeLouis XV, Rampoldi, Pavyllon Monte-Carlo), the world’s celebrities continue to return again and again. With exclusive images from the palace archives and a foreword by Prince Albert II of Monaco, Monte Carlo offers readers a front-row seat with VIP access to the jewel of the French Riviera.

A man and a woman on jet skis off the coast of Monte Carlo, Monaco, 1956. (Photo by Slim Aarons/Getty Images)

The swimming pool of a villa in Monte Carlo, Monaco, August 1970. (Photo by Slim Aarons/Getty Images)

Friends board a Riva boat in Monte Carlo, Monaco, 1975.What do Brigitte Bardot, Anita Ekberg, Kirk Douglas, Richard Burton, and Sophia Loren have in common? Answer: they were all devotees of the Riva speedboats of the 1950s and 60s. Adding George Clooney, Prince Rainier of Monaco, Justin Timberlake, Monica Bellucci and many more to that list.The Riva Tritone was founded in 1842. Riva first became associated with glamour in the 1920s, moving from transportation into the far sexier realm of speedboats, winning national and international competitions throughout the 20s and 30s. Carlo Riva took over the family firm in the 1950s, kicking off a golden age of boat design that established the distinctive polished hull, lithe lines and chrome de­tailing that has become as synonymous with the Venice waterways as the gon­dola. From 1950 until 1964, the Tritone was the most prestigious boat in Riva’s line-up, with twin engines and tanks large enough for it to be a serious sea-crui­ser, respected and coveted throughout the Mediterranean.

An aerial view of the beach at Monte Carlo, with skyscrapers rising behind, August 1981. (Photo by Slim Aarons/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)