Did You Know?

For visitors and residents alike, the Principality is the perfect place for families with its safe, quality environment. There are schools, parks and green spaces, beaches and leisure areas, all accessible with a level of safety you'll find nowhere else. All year round, Monaco hosts special moments and events for people of all ages and backgrounds, and every family is guaranteed an exceptional experience in this little corner of paradise. 

• Every year, the children of the Principality look forward with huge excitement to one of the most hotly anticipated events: Christmas at the Prince's Palace! Christmas comes just a little early for around 500 Monegasque youngsters aged between 5 and 12, who are invited to the Palace itself to receive their gifts from the Princely Family. H.S.H. Prince Albert II, his wife Princess Charlene, and Santa Claus himself are there to welcome the thrilled children of the Principality.
  
  
• Fancy catching a movie in the cool night air? Monaco has had an open-air cinema since the mid-20th century. In the district of Monaco-Ville, in an unusual location just a short distance from the terraces of Monaco's prison facility, the Open Air Cinéma screens movies from mid-June to mid-September. With 500 seats, a giant screen over 200 m², an enchanting setting and all films shown in their original language version with French subtitles,  the Esplanade des Pêcheurs and its cinema look forward to welcoming you for an amazing summer evening's entertainment!
  
  
• If you're a fan of sport, there's no shortage of things to do in Monaco! Just a stone's throw from the Open Air Cinéma, you can test your scooter, roller-blading and roller-skating skills at the Skate Park in Monaco-Ville, open to ages 8 and over. Not far from there, the Esplanade des Pêcheurs has an indoor electric karting circuit (open in winter only) for speed-lovers. For something more relaxed, head to Princesse Antoinette park to enjoy a round of minigolf or a quick game of basketball between the olive trees and the Mediterranean!
  
  
• Over 5,000 m², or the size of an American football pitch. That's the total amount of space devoted to children's play areas in a Principality of just 2 km²! From the Jardin de l'Ane playpark by the Stade Louis-II in Fontvieille to the playground on Place des Moulins, Monaco is scattered with play areas that are perfect places for parents to unwind while their little ones have fun. 
  
  
• Ready for a family adventure, with an exciting mission, head-scratching puzzles and intriguing mystery? Try the escape games organised by Iris Game for ages 14 and over. From an investigation in 1920s New Jersey to the case of a bloody trunk in Monaco or a strange train in the south of France, get ready for a unique and fun experience that will test your powers of deduction.
  
  
• From painting to oceanography and anthropology, Monaco offers a whole host of creative, fun and cultural workshops for anyone who wants to learn a new skill. The workshop run by Belgian artist Jean-Michel Folon at the port of Monaco has a range of activities, including techniques for giving depth to your drawings and watercolour classes, each one a fine opportunity for some special artistic family moments. The Oceanographic Museum also invites inquisitive youngsters to join its Snapper Club, where they can learn all about the ocean. A week-long course of activities organised during every school vacation teaches children about the marine world and unveils a host of secrets! Meanwhile, over at the Grimaldi Forum, youth workshops are held every summer on the theme of the venue's main summer exhibition, offering the perfect blend of culture, learning and fun. As part of its exhibitions, including a permanent installation titled "A Mammoth in Monaco", children can learn while they play at the Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology, where there are a number of different activities to try: games, mystery puzzles, colouring, etc. While at the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco (NMNM), the Villa Paloma and Villa Sauber run free 45-minute workshops for families, on two Sundays every month.  
  
  
• When it comes to spectacle and shows, the Principality has plently going on. The annual programme of the Monte-Carlo Philarmonic Orchestra always includes something for younger audiences, with special concerts for ages 4 and over providing the perfect opportunity for a family outing to the Rainier-III Auditorium to enjoy an original work, a movie or a musical. The Théâtre des Muses, in the Moneghetti district, offers improvisation classes and stages special performances aimed at children. Finally, in the early summer, the F(ê)aites de la danse festival is a chance for all ages to get their dancing shoes on as the Place du Casino is transformed into a giant dance floor just for one evening.
  
  
• To discover Monaco as a family from a different angle, remember the Monaco Green Days! Organised by the Tourist and Convention Authority every summer, Monaco Green Days is an awareness-raising event that aims to promote environmentally-responsible tourism in Monaco. The programme includes tours of gardens and the Principality, on foot or by bike, as well as workshops for children. 
  
  
• "We should do nothing here as it is done elsewhere” … so said the founder of the Casino de Monte-Carlo, François Blanc. Step into a world of legend in truly breath-taking surroundings, and visit this Belle Époque style architectural jewel built in 1863. While the gaming tables and slot machines at the Casino de Monte-Carlo open daily from 2 pm, families are welcome between 10 am and 12.15 pm to admire the sublime buildings designed by Charles Garnier.