Minx

Monte Carlo, the chicest quartier of the tiny Principality of Monaco, is impossibly glamorous. Every car, every outfit, every person you’ll encounter seems to have been ripped from the pages of luxury lifestyle magazines. Even cruise day-trippers can’t quash the elegant, cosmopolitan vibe - it’s a force unto itself. There’s a reason why the most popular James Bond film in history was set here.

And the best part is that it’s not manufactured by the travel industry or marketing firms - it’s the real deal. Bring your haute couture, your MINX bikini and you’re a game, because you’re in the big leagues now.

Monte-Carlo Beach Hotel is exclusive enough to have secured its own bit of coastline, and we’re not just talking beach cabanas. They have an entire cove for their guests with a truly private beach, a heated saltwater pool, secluded bungalows, beachside massages, personalized meal service and more.

Everything in Monaco seems to be over-the-top glamour, personified in the beach amenities of the Fairmont Monte Carlo. They have no less than four - yes, four - private beach clubs for their guests, each with a different feel. Whether you choose the casual Tiki vibe of Le Neptune or the billowy white cabanas of La Note Bleue, your beach concierge will arrange reservations, transportation and even gift you with a beach tote.

And finally, we don’t normally mention public beaches here at MINX, but Monte Carlo may be the only place on the French Riviera where a day at the beach is more glittering than the red carpet at Cannes. Far from being the daylong party that has come to define St-Tropez beaches, Monte Carlo’s Lavrotto Beach is where the real glamour is - the women here wear bikinis, diamonds and little else. Choose your best MINX bikini and join the show!

This is one destination where your MINX bikini should be left back at the hotel when stepping out for the night. In fact, in Monaco you need to bring your fashionable best, or you’ll be turned away at the city’s top spots. Even Jimmy’z, the historic den of debauchery, has been known to turn away the casually dressed.

But Jimmy’z is where you should go later, so you can dance ‘til dawn with whatever A-listers are in town (unless you pop over to The Living Room for a quick minute to see what’s happening there). Start off in the late afternoon at the Crystal Bar at the Hermitage, always a scene at any time of day, or on L’Horizon Deck at the Fairmont Hotel after a hard day at the beach.

After that, it’s to the sea for you at Zelos, where you can grab a bite to eat as the sun sets on yet another perfect Mediterranean day, or stop by Buddha Bar for Zen chic and Asian-inspired snacks; or hit up Moods for a bit of tapas to go with your live music.

Any one of these places are perfect for an evening out, but the busy social bees of Monte Carlo usually flit from venue to venue throughout the night. That is, of course, unless they’re all down at the port. Head there and crash the parties happening nightly on the mood-lit mega yachts. Just follow the thumping DJ beats and look for the one making the most waves!

No visit to Monaco is complete without a visit to the Casino de Monte-Carlo. Wear your most sublime outfit and watch world-class gambling, or move among the rarified guests and spot the international men of mystery.

MINX Recommends: Annabelle-White