Monaco is a pearl on the azure coastline, a metaphor that anyone who has been to this “pocket kingdom” will agree with.
The name of the Côte d’Azur comes from a poem published by the famous French poet Rielle in 1887, which was “Côte d’Azur”, which was well-known in Europe and the world at that time. From the military port city of Toulon in southern France to the border town of Manton on the border between France and Italy, this section of coastline with a total length of about 200 kilometers is collectively known as the Côte d’Azur, which is a recognized holiday destination in Europe and even the entire Western world. For them, the mention of the Côte d’Azur means golden sunshine, azure waters, clear skies and romantic and poetic holidays.
Nice, Cannes, Toulon… These are all beautiful cities on the blue coastline, but only Monaco is a real independent country.
Of course, as a country, Monaco is simply too small. It is about 3 kilometers long from east to west, and the narrowest point is only 200 meters from north to south. The entire land area is less than two square kilometers and the population is less than 30,000. It faces the sea on one side and borders France on three sides. It is a small country in the world that is only bigger than the Vatican. Monaco is famous for hosting the annual UEFA Super Cup, but its stadium has one goal at home and one abroad. However, it is such a small country that is hard to find on a map, but it is one of the richest countries in Europe and even the world. According to reports, Monaco’s per capita luxury car ownership ranks first in Europe, and luxury yachts are second to none in Europe. The king’s annual salary of 20 million US dollars ranks first among the heads of state in the world. And all Monaco citizens do not pay taxes. What’s more interesting is that I heard that there is also a 15-person prison in Monaco, and there is a high-level gym in the small prison.
Feel the opulence and sophistication of Monaco after a thrilling itinerary. That day we set off from Nice, France, heading east along the coast to Monaco. At first, everyone was in a good mood. The blue Mediterranean sea outside the car window was full of blue water, and everyone in the car was laughing and laughing. But after driving for about half an hour, everyone’s hearts were suspended, and it turned out that the car had entered the world-famous cliff road. On the left is a thousand-mile cliff, and on the right is an abyss. The car goes uphill and downhill for a while, either passing through long tunnels or crossing high bridges connecting canyons one after another, giving people a feeling like It is like riding a crazy roller coaster, full of thrills and excitement. Especially at a corner, when the tour guide told us that the 27th Oscar winner and Princess of Monaco, Grace Kelly, fell from the cliff and died, everyone’s heart was even more nervous.
Fortunately, such a tense time is not long. When the car came out of a long tunnel, everyone in shock suddenly felt that their eyes lit up, Monaco had arrived.
Monaco is truly a godsend. In front of it is the blue sea, which is open and magnificent; in the back is the rolling hills and the weather is majestic. Between the green hills and the blue sea, Monaco is poetically situated on a wide sloping land. On the opposite hillside, rows of elegant and delicate buildings stand from bottom to top, like overlapping dense forests, covering the entire hillside. Those buildings with different shapes, novel styles, bright colors and unique charm, immediately swept away the tension we had just now. In particular, the castle-like building located on the top of the cliff on the promontory attracts our attention like a Penglai fairyland. Coupled with the world-famous cars in the waterfront parking lot, and the beautiful yachts in and out of the busy harbor, a beautiful and wealthy pocket kingdom is unfolded in front of our eyes.
Although Monaco is small, it has a lot to offer. In addition to the world-famous Monte Carlo Casino and Aquarium, the Royal Palace built in 1215 is also a must-see. The Royal Palace is the center of political power in Monaco and a must-see for tourists. Of course, due to the small size of the country, the scale of the Royal Palace of Monaco is not as tall and majestic as the palaces we have seen in other European countries, but it is very delicate. Visiting the Royal Palace is like taking a journey through the centuries, from the medieval papacy to the reign of Napoleon. In this luxurious and exquisite palace, you can see the Louis XV drawing room, the Massalan drawing room, the throne room, the Italian gallery, the Palatine Chapel and the tower of San María. According to the tour guide, a small but solemn traditional changing of the guard ceremony is held in front of the palace gate every noon for a century. Unfortunately, we arrived at the wrong time that day and therefore missed this rare opportunity.
The platform in front of the gate of the Royal Palace is the best place to overlook the panoramic view of Monaco, where the view is wide and unobstructed. A close-up view is the Mediterranean Sea with blue and white sails, and a distant view is the majestic and rolling Alps. Breathing in the fresh air and bathing in the moist sea breeze is undoubtedly refreshing. On the platform that day, I stood for a long time, watched it for a long time, and thought about it for a long time. Indeed, the national primary school has the advantages of the national primary school. Every place can be watched carefully, and every place can be carefully carved. I think the reason why Monaco can create a wealthy country on a steep cliff as large as a fingernail is the envy of the world, in addition to its unique natural climate and geographical environment, the most fundamental reason is that the people of Monaco are day after day, year after year. A year of careful crafting and hard work.
Monaco is just like that, attracting people with her beautiful surroundings and inspiring people with her high affluence. She really deserves to be a bright pearl on the blue coastline.
