Amongst the towering buildings, there are plenty of beautiful flowers to be found right in the heart of the city. Monaco’s green spaces are real treasures created and maintained with great care. Each garden has its own character, and we invite you to discover them.
Although Monaco is a city of abundance, it lacks in space. With a total area of two only square kilometres, Monaco has always taken special care of its treasured green spaces. Gardens emphasize the scenery, like punctuation in the poetry of the landscape. The following are five gardens that the Principality of Monaco is most proud of.
1. Princess Grace Rose Garden
Princess Grace Rose Garden is located in the Fontvieille and includes numerous species of plants from around the world. It was inaugurated on 18 June, 1984 by Prince Rainier III in honour of his wife. Here you can find more than 300 different kinds of roses across 5,000 m² of spacious gardens. This fragrance temple is dedicated to one of the most romantic flowers. Enthusiasts can walk between the two paths and get to know the flowers created specifically for the Princely family. But the Grimaldi family is not the only one to have its own rose petals. Here you can find roses dedicated to Charles Aznavour, Brigitte Bardot and Louis de Funes.
2. Exotic Garden
As soon as we enter the Exotic Garden, “the whole world becomes a cactus,” as Dutronc sang. Succulent plants that are adapted to the dry climate are growing freely in the area of 11,500 m². More than 23,000 plants of different kinds grow along the stone paths that lead to the Observatory Cave. The cave is an ideal place for underground adventure lovers. And, if you find yourself tired, there are a lot of secluded places for relaxation. Also, the area opens to stunning panoramic view of the Principality. The best photos of Monaco are often taken in the Exotic Garden.
3. Japanese Garden
As you walk toward the beaches of Larvotto, you will suddenly come upon serene silence. The Japanese Garden paradise is hidden by the shadow of the Grimaldi Forum. The Garden covers an area of 7,000 m² and strictly follows the rules of Asian Art. Rocks, water and plants are combined in peaceful harmony. Some people come here to meditate and enjoy the healing sound of the flowing water, or simply to feel the exotic atmosphere. The garden was established on 7 May, 1994 by Prince Rainier III, at the request of Princess Grace. Before construction began, the area was blessed by a priest from Dazaifu Temple in Japan to rid the garden of evil spirits. In a small lake you can watch the swimming ducks and colourful Koi. You can visit the Zen garden and the Pagoda, where tea ceremonies are held to Japanese traditions.
4. Princess Antoinette Park
A curtain of bougainvillea flowers adorns the majestic Princess Antoinette Park. This garden provides numerous opportunities to amuse its younger guests with swings, exercise equipment and a variety of accessories and games that children love. Also, the park is home to the ancestral inhabitant of the Mediterranean—the sacred olive tree. Many of the trees here celebrated their centenary a long time ago.
5. St Martin Gardens
Perched on the cliff just west of the Oceanographic Museum, the St Martin Gardens look out over the glistening Mediterranean. The gardens were established in 1830. Here you can walk along narrow paths lined Mediterranean plants and shaded from the hot sun. There are also works of classical art and a small pond in the gardens, not far from the bustling city. Every year in late July, there is the feast of Saint Roman, where the Monegasque eat vegetable soup and other traditional delicacies to the soothing sounds of the orchestra.
