Tag: travel-tips

Affordable Monaco Travel Tips

by Saunter

”too expensive for me”. ”where would i stay if its £400 a night everywhere”. ”Im not the type of person that should be there”.

Everyone has the right to visit Monaco.

We all know that Monaco is famous for its hotels, yachts, and extremely high standards of living. Do not let this discourage you from visiting.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Where should i stay?

Monaco, on its own, is not some super entity inaccessible to the average visitor.

Stay in Nice, the south of France. We stayed there for 3 nights at £100 per night between 2. The Old Town is gorgeous, and the French food is abundant as you wind through the Mediterranean streets.

If you really want to stay in Monaco, be my guest. but..

Nice has tons to offer, that’s a conversation for another post. Back to Monaco.

Getting To Monaco

Step 1: Stop at the local cafe and get yourself an essential pack for the train ride.

All you need to do is get the train from Nice Ville to Monte Carlo. The train is €10.. £8.. $9… You’re under budget, and you’ve set yourself up to visit one of the most sought-after places on earth.

That’s £20 spent..

What do i do in 24 hours?

If you’re a solo traveler or/and on a budget. Don’t panic. Don’t be put off by the towering Balenciaga shops or endless Lamborghini lining the streets.

You get off the train at Monte Carlo. You have Monte Carlo town to your left up the hill. Monaco town is to your right.

Turn left and head up the hill into Monte Carlo.

First, we went for lunch. It was extremely affordable, and the food was top-notch. The salmon/pasta was €15, and the wine was €4.

You’re €45 in and have already had lunch and seen half of Monaco.

Maya Mia, Boulevard Princess Charlotte

The Sights

While you’re up in Monte Carlo. Check out the Hotel De Paris. One of the most famous in the world and for good reason. To your left, if you have your passport and you fancy it. The world famous casino.

You need your passport for this. Unfortunately i didn’t have mine. Who knows, I may have ended up joining all the high-end folks on their multi-million dollar yachts.

Back to reality..

On the way down the hill from Monte Carlo. You’ll snake down the dock where all the yachts are, and the views are incredible. There are bars all across the dock. It’s all pedestrian-friendly. There’s no need for a car in Monaco whatsoever.

You’ll pass the train station and head up the hill to Monaco city (aka old town). You’ll walk through the old town gardens. We stumbled across these public toilets. Only in Monaco would public toilets look better than my house at home.

The walk to the Old Town

As you approach the old town, you’ll come across another dock. The views are spectacular. It will cost you $0 to sit down, have a chat, and drink some water. Monaco is no joke and really lives up to its reputation.

The old town is situated next to the castle on the hill. Be sure to look down every winding street at the cafes and restaurants. The place is teeming with life and Easter eggs. It’s really like those car adverts.

The Gallery

Here’s the rest of the photos from Monaco, there’s nothing left to say but let the photos do the talking.

The Secret To Your First Few Weeks

by Saunter

Every day, there’s something, someone, and somewhere new. The fundamentals of travel never really change.

However, the first few days and weeks of your very first solo trip can be tough to navigate, but rewarding. All my friends at home have been somewhat confused yet inspired to travel alone. 

I always get tons of questions, and the ranking of most frequent go something like:

  1. Did you get bored alone? 
  2. Did you feel lonely? 
  3. How do you know where to stay? What if you don’t like it
  4. How does it feel knowing life is moving on without you at home don’t you feel like you’re missing out?  

After staying in a hotel in Italy on my first few days of my 2-month Europe trip, it was time to go into my first hostel I ever stayed in. I think I stood at the door for a solid 5 minutes, wondering if what I was doing was really for me. 

1 hostel became 2. 1 conversation led to fruitful friendships. 1 bus became the best place I’d ever seen before. Taking the steps you necessarily aren’t inclined to take are the ones you need to take. it’s the snowball effect, once you get it rolling the confidence will grow and so will you.

You can do this.

I had a plan for my trip, deciding where to go and what to see. Initially, I planned to travel solo, but I made lifelong friends along the way and ended up visiting most of my chosen destinations with them, many of which I have stayed in touch with and have seen since. The thing about travelling and meeting strangers is you find that you align with people who are meant for you. I am no psychologist, but we connect with some people more than others and that really shows when you travel and select people based on interests, connections, and comfort around them.

While I did spend some days alone, I enjoyed those moments just as much. it’s okay to be on your own and do things alone; you learn to be comfortable in yourself, and that’s a key step in being a well-rounded individual. I loved the freedom to make spontaneous choices, like deciding to go to Budapest on a whim after deciding 3 hours prior without anyone holding me back. Putting the headphones on in the bus, wondering what’s coming tomorrow, calling home and seeing if everyone’s okay. There is no feeling like it. Being free to do what you want, when you want.

The more people you try to meet and talk to, you’ll find they also have better ideas of what to do than you originally came up with. Do some research and ask around the best places to stay or have a look online at reviews. Can you imagine what it would have been like to travel 30 years ago? we have everything at our fingertips, it’s too easy.

convrsley, if you’re more of a relaxed person who simply wants to mind their own business. Check out what hostels are quiter and what are party hostels. It’s truly up to you what kind of experience you want to have

Staying in a room with strangers you can talk to, not knowing what tomorrow brings, Nights with no plans then ending up going out with a bunch of people. Hearing stories from people around the world makes four hours feel like just four minutes. When you’re reading this, just know your story is out there to be written, go write it.

The greatest advice I could give is no one knows who you are. You are not in the box you grew up in at home where people have pre-determined opinions or expectations from you. You create your path and decide where you go and who you want to be. Most of these people you will never see again, and being yourself leads to better connection to people that are right for you on your trip.

You’ll feel happy.

You’ll think about your life at home.

You’ll consider your professional situation.

You’ll wish it would last forever.

Some days won’t go as planned.

Other days will go just the way you want.

The first days will feel freeing, the first weeks will mean smiling with strangers, and then comes reflection towards the end.

In the end, you may not find yourself as others say you will, I dont believe in this notion. But you’ll become someone you never imagined you could be and develop a new appreciation for life.