Bonjour! I’m Tiffany, a 19-year-old third-year student at St. John’s University pursuing a B.S. in Legal Studies and International Studies alongside an M.S. in International Communication. This semester, I’m studying abroad in Limerick, Ireland; Paris, France; and Rome, Italy — an experience that has already pushed me far beyond my comfort zone. This is my first time living thousands of miles away from my family, and over these past few weeks, I’ve been figuring out how to navigate new cities, different languages, and the realities of adulthood on my own. While this all might sound scary, studying abroad has taught me that growth happens quickly when you say yes to new opportunities, especially when it comes to travel.
Every weekend feels like a chance to explore somewhere I may never have the opportunity to see again. One destination, though, has been at the top of my list for years: Monaco. Beyond its glamour and reputation as one of the most expensive places in the world, Monaco is home to one of the most iconic Formula One circuits in history. As a longtime F1 fan, the thought of walking the very streets that I have only seen in videos for years felt almost surreal. Even on a college budget, I was determined to make it work. I didn’t need to lounge on the luxury yachts or stay in the five-star hotels. I just needed one full day, a train ticket, my friends, and the excitement of finally experiencing Monaco for myself.
7:15 A.M.: Wake Up & Snooze
We all know the feeling. I woke up to my alarm blaring and hit snooze immediately. It’s a bad habit I’ve been trying to break, but after a few extra minutes of sleep, I finally got up feeling energized and ready for the day ahead.
7:30 A.M.: Get Dressed
Even though I’ve had this outfit planned for months, I still took my time getting ready. I wanted everything to be perfect. This was the day I had been looking forward to most of this weekend.
8:45 A.M.: Head To The Train Station
Being from New York, I didn’t expect how sleepy a town Nice would be in the morning. Many of the breakfast places were still closed, so instead of a proper meal, we bought our train tickets to Monaco and waited at the station. Not exactly the start we imagined, but we were too excited to care.
9:20 A.M.: Train to Monaco
For a Saturday morning, the train was packed with tourists heading to other parts of the French Riviera. Luckily, we managed to snag a good window seat, which made all the difference. The coastal views alone were worth the trip.
10:15 A.M.: Hike To Brunch
The moment we stepped off the train in Monte Carlo, I felt like a kid in a candy store. Walking those streets felt surreal. What I wasn’t prepared for, though, was how incredibly hilly Monaco is. We quickly realized that getting anywhere required a mini workout due to the amount of stairs and inclines we had to climb. We hiked up to La Combo in Beausoleil for brunch, and it was completely worth it. The food was incredible and surprisingly reasonable for the area.
11:15 A.M.: Japanese Garden
After making our way back down into Monaco, we stumbled upon the Japanese Garden. There were koi fish, quiet benches, beautiful plants, and my personal favorite, baby ducks. We also walked through Mareterra Monaco, a stunning man-made extension along the water, and took some time to just sit and admire the view.
12:00 P.M.: Walking the F1 Track
Google Maps is notoriously unreliable in Monaco, but honestly, getting a little lost is part of the charm. One of the best things to do in the city is simply walk around, look at cars, and take in the views. Basically, I took my unsuspecting friends on a full tour of the Formula One track through the city. We passed iconic spots like the tunnel, the Fairmont Hairpin, and the straight along the harbor. We paused in Casino Square, which might have been the most wealth I have ever seen in one place. We stood there gawking at the cars and storefronts, and of course, I had to stop for a photo in front of Tiffany & Co.
1:00 P.M.: Wandering the City
After walking most of the track, we stopped for coffee. My friends headed to Larvotto Beach, which they later claimed was the most beautiful place they had ever seen, while I continued along the rest of the circuit, taking my time and admiring the luxury shops.
1:30 P.M.: Prince’s Car Collection
This was the part of the trip I had been dreaming about. Near the start and finish line sits the Private Cars Collection of HSH Prince of Monaco in Port Hercule. The museum features vintage cars, vehicles from movies, and racecars. You can explore the whole collection in about an hour, but seeing an actual Formula One car in person for the first time, especially my favorite driver’s very first car? I needed more than an hour. So, I gave myself extra time to take it all in. Before leaving, I treated myself to a few F1-themed souvenirs for my family and me.
3:30 P.M.: Ice Cream Break
My friends and I met back up in La Condamine for gelato at a small shop near the harbor. I took the opportunity to practice my French while ordering. Since studying in France, I’ve realized I can manage basic questions and simple orders, and there’s no better way to improve than by just diving in and trying.
4:30 P.M.: Passport Stamps
One of the must-do activities we found while planning was getting a free passport stamp from the Tourism Office, since Monaco doesn’t stamp passports upon entry. Unfortunately, they were redoing the stamps ahead of the busy summer season. It was slightly disappointing, but we rolled with it and used the extra time to walk along the harbor and admire the yachts.
5:45 P.M.: Dinner
The disappointment over the passport stamp was quickly cured by pizza and pasta. We found a spot in La Condamine and finally sat down to regroup. When I checked the train schedule for later that evening, though, I noticed most trains after seven were canceled, and the remaining ones were delayed. Suddenly, the day felt less glamorous and more stressful. We adjusted our plans quickly, feeling grateful we wouldn’t be stranded.
6:30 P.M.: Running to the Train
As soon as we finished dinner, we headed straight to the station in case the delayed train arrived early. The sun had set over the principality, and I managed to snap a few last photos before heading underground to the platform.
7:22 P.M.: Making the Train
I don’t think I’ve ever been more relieved to stand on a train platform. The last train from Monaco arrived slightly later than expected, but when it finally started moving, we all let out a collective sigh.
8:00 P.M.: Back to Nice
We made it back to Nice a bit later than scheduled, but it had been such a full day that we barely noticed the time. We rested at the hotel for a while, though none of us felt quite ready to call it a night.
10:00 P.M.: Carnival
By pure luck, we happened to be visiting Nice on the weekend that its annual carnival ended. We caught the tail end of the celebration, complete with a fireworks display. It felt like the perfect, unexpected ending.
Overall, this trip somehow still exceeded my expectations, even with the hiccups. Travel rarely goes exactly as planned. There were definitely places in the city that I wanted to visit that we didn’t get to, like the prince’s palace, but that just gives me a reason to come back. If anything, this day taught me that the best memories often come from the moments you didn’t plan at all.