Ep. 34 - Monte Carlo, Monaco
Run around the entire country in under a day? Definitely a possibility with the second smallest country in the world. In our 34th adventure, jet off to the incredibly small and unique country that is rich in both stories and well... Riches! The billionaires paradise: Monte Carlo, Monaco.
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Transcription:
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Hi there friends! This is episode 34 of The Friday Take Five, the best five minute podcast for history and adventure lovers. I’m Mark Moran, the host of the show, and I do my best to help you relive awesome travel memories, or give you the inspiration to book your next adventure. Every episode, we discover a new destination and a new story. With that, let’s discover, destination 34.
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The 34th Take Five adventure is whisking us away to one of the smallest countries out there, and while it’s not the smallest, it’s a pretty freaking small country. A whopping .8 square miles, 2.1 square kilometers, or 514 square acres, this country doesn’t really have cities to it so much as it does administrative districts or wards. Today, we’re highlighting Monte Carlo, an administrative district in the fantastically small Monaco.
Though it’s tiny, the country has a big personality. The GDP per capita, is hilariously nearly $100,000 higher than other more formal countries like Ireland and Luxembourg that top Forbes’ list of richest countries. Moreover, with a population of roughly 38,000 and such small land mass, the country/city state ranks as the most densely populated country in the world.
Though the strategic importance of the Monaco area unsurprisingly goes back to the Roman era, the story of Monaco as an independent and sovereign destination really begins with the Grimaldi dynasty.
The Grimaldis seized Monaco in 1297 as their own and resided as a sovereign Genoese state. 700 years later, the Grimaldi’s are still in power. Though there were brief periods of time in which it became either a protectorate or a victim of occupation of a neighboring country, for the most part Monaco got to do its own thing.
This freedom is undoubtedly what has led to some of its more interesting modern history, and the success of areas within the country like Monte Carlo.
Prior to the mid 1800s, growth of Monte Carlo moved at a snail’s pace. However, with the addition of railways, favorable tax structures, and the increasingly famous Casino of Monte Carlo, it wasn’t long before the ward became a great destination for the rich and famous to wave their cash around.
Along with the casino, Monte Carlo is home to the world famous Monaco Grand Prix and it is increasingly becoming a more and more popular European resort destination.
Movie stars and celebrities have come from the world over to this tiny ward, and also made their mark on other parts of the tiny country.
Perhaps one of the most famous that actually ended up becoming part of the royal family was American movie star Grace Kelly, who married prince Rainer III of the Grimaldi family in the 1950s, which helped make this land of opulence even more famous.
Monaco is definitely an interesting part of the world. In my short time there I saw traces of the richest of the rich. Fancy cars, super massive yachts, and the luxurious Monte Carlo casino.
Though it might not be the most budget friendly travel destination, it offers a look into the lens into a life of luxury and for me anyway, it was a unique and fascinating experience.
If you do make it out to Monaco, be sure to check out the awesome boats in the Monaco Harbor to see what you you could buy if you had a billion dollars. I’m joking, but it is pretty cool to see all of the awesome boats out there. The famous yacht show, which brings in superyachts from all over Europe, is running through September 30th of this year, so if you’re in Monaco tomorrow, check it out and let me know what you think!
For the rest of you, there’s always next year, but I highly recommend you take the time, if only an afternoon, to check out this highly unusual country. I’ll keep an eye out for you the next time we’re there. See you soon.
*Transition music*
Hey there! Thanks for listening to another episode of The Friday Take Five. If you haven’t already, be sure to give us a 5 star rating on podcasting platforms, and share this episode with a friend. Have your own stories about Monte Carlo, or really any part of the tiny country of Monaco, feedback or recommendations on places or stories for us to cover? Well, we’d love to hear it all, so follow us and DM us on socials @FridayTakeFive or email us at thefridaytakefive@gmail.com. Stay curious, stay adventuring, and have a great weekend!
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