One of the glitziest events on the global social calendar is just around the corner – so grab a last-minute deal and live life in the fast lane at the Monaco Grand Prix.
The world-famous car race, to be held on the Circuit de Monaco this year from 26 to 29 May, attracts the bold and the beautiful from all over the world to the millionaire’s playground.
Basking in permanent summer on the French Riviera, the pocket-sized sovereign state of Monaco makes up for its diminutive size with its insane wealth. Property prices here are the highest in Europe, with the cheapest one-bedroom apartments starting at around £800,000 – hardly surprising then, that the residents of Monaco comprise of Sheiks, celebrities and a handful of Formula 1 drivers, with many more calling the state a home away from home.
The 78 laps of the Grand Prix take place on the narrow, curved streets of Monte Carlo and La Condamine and wind past the famous Casino, through the tunnel and around the port, which is littered with billionaires’ yachts. If your budget doesn’t quite stretch to watching the event from your yacht in the Monte Carlo harbour, check out the action from the grandstand, or from a circuit-side hotel terrace. One of the most exciting spots to watch from is close to Formula One’s most famous corner, the Loews Hairpin, where drivers slow right down, then emerge at great speed from the tunnel.
The first Grand Prix – organised by Antony Noghes, the founding president of the Automobile Club de Monaco – was held on 14 April 1929, and was won by William Grover-Williams driving a Bugatti. Since then, the average speed has risen from a tame 50mph to 88mph. Last year’s winner was Mark Webber, who drove his Red Bull car into the history books, becoming the first Australian to win the Grand Prix since Sir Jack Brabham in 1959.
Despite its size, Monaco’s buzzing nightlife is worthy of a much larger metropolis, with trendy bars, nightclubs and the glam Monte Carlo Casino attracting supermodels and A-listers from all over the world. During the Grand Prix, the night-life will be even more super-charged, as visitor numbers swell and high rollers put their spending powers into overdrive.
If you fancy a break from the billionaires, the Jardin Exotique, a garden packed with 7000 species of exotic flowers, is a little piece of paradise, boasting stunning views across Monaco and Monte Carlo. Best of all, tickets are affordable on anyone’s budget at £6. Visit www.jardin-exotique.mc to read more.
