Monaco

Only two square kilometers in size, Monaco really comes up trumps when it comes to sustainability and environmental protection. Those who pay a weekend visit to the principality on the Mediterranean will experience green glamor at its finest!

Train, bus or would you prefer a sleek electric limousine with a chauffeur? Whichever you choose, the journey from Nice airport to Monaco, 30 kilometers away, is not only extremely sustainable, but also very comfortable. But it is not only in terms of transport that the dwarf state is exemplary: the luxurious hotels also play their part in a sustainable lifestyle. Almost 90 percent of them have strict eco-certificates, which attest to their resource- and environmentally friendly actions. One successful example is the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort, a luxury retreat on the waterfront with solar panels and a vegetable garden that supplies the hotel's own Michelin-starred restaurant with fresh greenery.

Fancy a first exploratory tour? For the ride up to Monte-Carlo, we recommend the electric monabikes, which can be easily rented and returned at 35 stations. Once at the top, the Jardin de la Petite Afrique is just as attractive as the casino and the legendary Carré d'Or. The exotic park is the starting point for a walk along the "Heritage Tree Trail", which connects Monaco's most beautiful gardens. Our tip: make a culinary stop at the Marché de la Condamine on the way! If you don't want to sample the local specialties at the market stall, take a seat in one of the adjacent "Restaurants Engagés" instead and enjoy a plate of barbajuan. The chard-filled ravioli are considered a Monegasque favorite and are not prepared as deliciously anywhere else.

Prince's Palace, cathedral, National Council building - the sights are strung together like pearls on a necklace high up on the old town cliff. For sea lovers, a visit to the Musée et Institut océanographique, which has been dedicated to protecting the oceans for more than 100 years, is a must. Not only are the 6,000 exhibits here spectacular - the location high above the sea is also breathtaking. If you want to enjoy a unique view while dining, we recommend the Elsa restaurant on Monte Carlo Beach. It was the first "organic restaurant" in Monaco to be awarded a Michelin star and serves exclusively wild-caught fish and organic ingredients.

Award-winning cuisine with high standards of sustainability

For an almost magical walk the next morning, head to the Jardin Japonais not far from the hotel. Opened in 1994 by Prince Rainier III and created by landscape architect Yasuo Beppo, it serves as a zen-inspired place of power in the middle of the city. The route then continues through the famous Grand Prix tunnel to Port Hercule with its coral reef in the Tombant des Spélugues underwater protection zone. The best way to cross the port is on the solar-powered "water bus", which takes passengers past mighty yachts to the Quai Antoine I. The Parc Paysager de Fontvieille, located on the other side of the old town cliff, is just a short (e-)cab ride away. Once in the green oasis, you can stroll in the shade of olive trees and cypresses and watch the ducks swim. For a final touch of "La vie en rose" before finally heading back to the hotel or airport, we recommend a detour to the Princess Grace Rose Garden, which Prince Rainier once had built in memory of his wife. Around 6,000 roses here bear witness to great love - and to Monaco's commitment to greenery. It goes without saying that, as in all green spaces in the country, only purely organic plants are grown here.

More info: www.visitmonaco.com