/ Boasting the highest per-capita income, Monaco is the world's richest and most-densely populated country, second-smallest, after the Vatican, just under one square mile, half the size of New York's Central Park. There are only 30,000 residents and they don't pay any income taxes, which is why most of them live here. It is a sovereign country with full membership in the United Nations. The head of government is appointed by the monarch from a list of candidates provided by France. So ultimately, France has significant control over the government, but the monarchy runs the economy. Monaco has done a magnificent job with all its money, building wonderful structures and creating an extremely well-planned community.
If coming by train, you will arrive in one of the cleanest train stations in Europe, carved into the rocks deep underground with a small mountain overhead. Choose your way out of the station carefully, depending on where you want to go first, for there are three exits that lead to each of the town's three main destinations: train-level exit marked "Condamine" for the harbor, "Fontvieille" leading to the palace, or the upper exit for the casino.
Take the harbor exit from the train station for a wonderful first impression of Monaco, with its exclusive marina filled with opulent yachts and circled by fancy shops and cafes. La Condamine is the adjacent shopping zone with several pedestrian lanes including Rue Princesse Caroline. You can visit inside the palace, museum, cathedral and aquarium, perched on the cliff above in the oldest part of town with a medieval labyrinth of pretty shopping lanes and plazas.
For most visitors, the main highlight is the famous Monte Carlo casino, designed in the belle époque style by Charles Garnier, architect of the Paris Opera. To look inside you have to pay $15, plus another $25 to enter into the roulette area -- but the magnificent front lobby is free. Next door is the Hotel du Paris, one of the world's most deluxe 5-star hotels that is so exclusive you are not even allowed inside unless you are a guest. That would be a great place to end your three days on the Riviera, complete with dinner at their 2-star Louis XV restaurant run by Alain Ducasse, perhaps the world's most famous chef.
Dennis Callan is president of the Hawaii Geographic Society and frequently leads tours through Europe, Canada and the USA. He produces the "World Traveler" television series, shown at 7:00 p.m. Tuesdays on 'Olelo, channel 53. He writes a Star-Bulletin article the first Sunday of each month explaining how to get the most out of the world's great places.