Jardin Exotique de Monaco
A half-hour walk (uphill!) west from the palace brings you to this garden, where the views of the coastline are spectacular and an amazing variety of cacti and succulents clings to the sheer rock face. Indeed, the garden, which opened in 1933, traces its roots back to when Monaco's near-tropical climate nurtured plants that visitors from the northlands would have found exotic.
Also on the grounds—or actually under them and down 300 steps—are the Grottes de l'Observatoire, amazing grottoes and caves filled with stalagmites and spotlit with fairy lights. In addition, the on-site Musée d'Anthropologie has exhibits on general prehistory and regional Paleolithic discoveries. Note that the garden has been undergoing a multiyear restoration that's slated to be complete in 2025; before visiting, check to be sure that it has reopened and to confirm hours and admission fees. You can hop on the No. 2 Jardin Exotique Bus (€2 onboard) in front of the tourism office or board one of Monaco’s 79 elevators (perhaps at Bd. de Belgique, Av. Pasteur, or Av. Hector Otto) to take you up, up, and away.
