Having been a tour operator for many years, I got to travel all over the world. One of my favourite destinations would have to be Monaco, which gets flung into the limelight annually during the Monaco Grand Prix.
My initial experience of the city was during one of the Monaco GP packages I was to promote. I had gotten it into my head that many people would want a package specifically tailored around Formula 1 and coinciding with the Monaco Grand Prix. Thus my company’s Monaco GP packages were born and I was the guinea pig.
What a wonderful city. To say that the excitement was palpable almost seems like a cliché but that is really the best way to describe it. My experience of Monaco GP packages was one of periods of absolute, frenzied excitement which lulled to a background buzz but never fully dissipated.
I had to stay a week – the four days of the Monaco Grand Prix and a couple of extra days to explore. I arrived the day before the Grand Prix in order to settle in and decided to watch the action from the balcony of my hotel – it was the ideal spot – I could look out over the city and the harbour and see a great deal of the track. Apparently it takes six weeks to erect the Circuit de Monaco but I defy anyone looking at it to say that it looks as though it is out of place. Thinking about the Monaco GP packages, I was initially concerned that it would be very jarring to see the city converted to a race track but, on the whole, it lends itself to this purpose nicely.
The weather was pleasant, even though this was autumn and I remember thinking that it would never get extremely cold there. I vowed to come back in the summer following my Monaco GP packages so that I could fully experience all the wonderful beaches and water sports on offer.
I found myself enchanted by the quaint historic buildings and was especially captivated by the Pink Palace. It made me remember my childhood dreams of meeting Prince Charming and being swept off my feet. Sadly, for me this had not yet happened – I had been too busy kissing frogs and missed out on my prince.
Still, to get back on topic, Monaco has a special charm all of its own. I dare you not to love this city.
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