friends & family | MONACO
Pure Indulgence Wealth and well-being set the stage for a memorable getaway in Monaco. BY KRISTY ALPERT POSH PORT:
Monaco harbor PHOTO: © MARCEL DE GRIJS | DREAMSTIME.COM
66
MONACO IS THE LAND OF THE GLITTERATI, where helicopter transfers from the airport are equally as common (and affordable) as taxi rides. The principality’s sparkling shoreline and glamorous offerings make it an exciting place to bring the girlfriends while in town for business. The entire country is roughly half the size of New York’s Central Park, but it’s packed with opportunities for unwinding and indulging alongside your closest girls in the same fashion as Grace Kelley, the American actress-turned-princess who once called Monaco home. The principality is the second-smallest country in the world, located along a sliver of the French Riviera where the sun shines 300 days each year and the year-round
globaltravelerusa.com
JUNE 2018
temperature averages around 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Despite being tucked tightly between France and Italy — and being home to a diverse population of 38,000 representing more than 125 nationalities — the country maintains a distinct Monegasques identity where the same royal family, the Grimaldis, has ruled for more than 700 years. Monaco’s status as a tax haven (zero income taxes and low business taxes) made it an attractive destination for businesses and individuals to work, play or live. The country regularly hosts some of the world’s leading events and summits, including the annual Monaco Yacht Show and the Monaco Grand Prix, drawing in businesses and tourists from around the world who expect nothing less than the best from this glitzy principality. The standard for excellence is exceedingly high in Monaco, so much so the poverty rate continues to chart in as the lowest in the world while the country regularly reports the highest number of millionaires and billionaires per capita each year. The country has always been known for its glitz and glamour, with its most legendary landmarks setting the stage for cinematic masterpieces like Casino Royale and Grace of Monaco, but recently the monarchy expanded its luxurious offerings even more as its destination marketing organization became the first to join the Wellness Tourism Association. The new focus is fitting, as wellness has always been ingrained in the culture around Monaco, where locals can frequently be seen on foot, walking to and from work or the shops. The best way to get around while in town is actually by foot, as every part of the town