Known for its lush, natural landscapes and commitment to protecting the environment, the Principality of Monaco is home to many gorgeous gardens. What better way to spend an afternoon than in the cool, calm ambience of these special Monaco gardens? From the Monaco Zoological Gardens to the Casino Gardens Monaco and the lavish Monaco Palace Gardens, just to name a few, there are so many parks to enjoy, each with its unique features. Keep on reading to learn more about Monaco’s gardens.
Fontvieille
Monaco Zoological Gardens
Visitors will be delighted to find hippopotamuses, primates and reptiles among the 300 animals at one of the last royal menageries in the world. Unlike other zoos, all of the animals at the Monaco Zoological Gardens were donated, found abandoned, or recovered by Customs. Situated on the Rock of Monaco in Fontvieille, with a view of the port, there are also several levels of gardens and a children’s playground.
Princess Grace Rose Garden
This garden in the Fontvieille Park, honouring the memory of Princess Grace, the wife of Prince Rainier III, resembles an English garden in its layout but includes hundred-year-old Mediterranean olive trees, as well as 6,000 rose bushes. Roses of many hues and varieties flourish throughout 5,000 square metres and are a treat for the senses.
Aux Canards (Duck) Garden
A shaded trail winds around and crosses a large pond where various ducks paddle happily and spray from a fountain sparkles in the sun. Get in touch with nature and wildlife in this elegant little Monaco garden in the Fontvieille Park, next to the Monaco Heliport in the Fontvieille district.
L’Exotique
Monaco Gardens : LE JaRDIN Exotique
These exotic gardens host 1,000 cacti and other succulents on the side of a cliff overlooking the cityscape and the Bay of Monaco. The 1.2-hectare Monaco Gardens L’Exotique is bordered by Fontvieille, La Condamine and Les Moneghetti and feature winding pathways, unobstructed views and a prehistoric cave to explore. The nearby Princess Antoinette Park offers play areas, a skateboard park, volleyball courts, and a “mini-farm” for the young ones, with goats, sheep, chickens, and rabbits.
Monaco-Ville
Monaco Palace Gardens
No visit to Monaco is complete without a tour of the Prince’s Palace of Monaco, one of the largest and most impressive palaces in all of Europe. The stunning Monaco Palace Gardens on the Rock of Monaco, next to the Oceanographic Museum, are a quiet, hidden treasure and a respite from the busy city centre.
St. Martin Gardens
For those who love to walk but enjoy a challenge, these Monaco gardens offer a series of paths that wind steeply up and around the southwest face of the Rock of Monaco. There are plenty of places to rest along the way, including beside a pond or at the bronze statue of Prince Albert I, known as “the navigator prince,” as well as spectacular views.
Monte-Carlo
Casino Gardens
The Boulingrins Gardens, as they are also known, have been redesigned by renowned French landscape architect Michel Desvigne. Highlights include subtropical species, ponds, and sloping terraces leading to the famed casino, opposite.
Larvotto
Japanese Garden
This peaceful garden in the Larvotto ward is an oasis of serenity with its Zen design. It features ponds, a waterfall, bridges, lanterns, and a tea house. Bamboo hedges imported from Japan coexist beautifully with Mediterranean pine, olive, and pomegranate trees.
In addition to discovering these beautiful Monaco gardens, it’s also worth exploring Monaco real estate, where spectacular views, natural landscaping, and sustainable living are property highlights.
