Monaco Grand Prix // Trip & Event Guide

Planning a Monaco Grand Prix trip takes more thought than most races, and that's part of the appeal. The circuit runs through the streets of a principality barely two square kilometres in size, which means limited tickets, limited beds and a weekend that sells out a long way ahead.

It's also the most glamorous event on the Formula 1 calendar, and the one most fans put at the top of their list. This guide covers where Monaco is, when the race takes place, how to get there, where to stay, how to watch and what to expect once you arrive.

The Monaco Grand Prix takes place in Monaco, a sovereign city-state on the French Riviera, tucked between the Mediterranean and the Alpes-Maritimes on France's south coast. It sits about 20 minutes east of Nice by train and a short drive from the Italian border.

Monaco covers barely two square kilometres, which makes it the second-smallest country in the world. There's no permanent racetrack. Instead, the circuit runs through the working streets of Monte Carlo and La Condamine, climbing from the harbour past the Casino, dropping back down through a tunnel, and running along the edge of Port Hercule. The barriers go up each spring and come down again once the racing finishes.

The next Monaco Grand Prix runs from 3 to 6 June 2027, with the race on Sunday 6 June, subject to approval by the FIA World Motor Sport Council. The 2026 edition ran from 4 to 7 June and was won by Kimi Antonelli.

Monaco held a late May slot for decades. From 2026, it moved to the first weekend in June, part of a calendar reshuffle grouping races by region. The weekend opens on Thursday with support series practice, then F1 practice on Friday, qualifying on Saturday afternoon and the race at 15:00 local time on Sunday.

Dates are confirmed about a year in advance on the Automobile Club de Monaco calendar.

The next Monaco Grand Prix runs from 3 to 6 June 2027, with the race on Sunday 6 June, subject to approval by the FIA World Motor Sport Council. The 2026 edition ran from 4 to 7 June and was won by Kimi Antonelli.

Monaco held a late May slot for decades. From 2026, it moved to the first weekend in June, part of a calendar reshuffle grouping races by region. The weekend opens on Thursday with support series practice, then F1 practice on Friday, qualifying on Saturday afternoon and the race at 15:00 local time on Sunday.

Dates are confirmed about a year in advance on the Automobile Club de Monaco calendar.

Monaco has no airport of its own, so all Monaco Grand Prix travel runs through Nice Côte d'Azur, around 30 kilometres west. Flights from most UK airports take roughly two hours, and Nice is well served across the race period.

From Nice you have three routes in. The train from Nice-Ville to Monaco-Monte Carlo takes around 20 minutes and runs every 20 to 30 minutes through the day, which is the option most visitors take. The drive along the coast takes 30 to 45 minutes outside race traffic and considerably longer during it. The helicopter transfer takes seven minutes and is the way most of the paddock arrives.

Book flights early. Fares climb steeply as the weekend approaches.

Walk. Monaco is small enough to cross on foot in half an hour, and road closures make everything else difficult from Thursday onwards. Private vehicles without accreditation can't reach the circuit zone.

Monaco-Monte Carlo station sits underground in the centre of the principality, minutes from the circuit gates. The public lifts and walkways that connect the different levels of the city are free and save you a great deal of climbing. Inside the circuit, bridges and pedestrian tunnels link the sectors, though these close once sessions are running.

Staying in Monaco itself is the most convenient option and the most expensive. Hotels in the principality book up around a year ahead and charge accordingly across race week, with minimum-night stays common.

Nice is where most visitors base themselves. It has the widest choice of hotels and apartments, prices are a fraction of Monaco's, and the train puts you at the circuit in 20 minutes. Beausoleil sits directly above Monaco on the French side of the border and is walkable to the gates, which makes it popular and quick to sell out.

Cap d'Ail and Menton are worth looking at as quieter alternatives, both a short train ride along the coast.

There are three ways to watch. Public grandstands run along the circuit, from Sainte-Dévote at turn one through Casino Square, the harbour and the swimming pool complex. There are around 37,000 seats in total, which is small for an event of this profile, and the best of them sell out within weeks of release. General admission standing is available on the Rocher hillside above the final corners.

Terraces and balconies on buildings along the circuit offer elevation and catering. Yacht hospitality in Port Hercule puts you inside the circuit itself, with the cars passing metres from the deck. Our Monaco Grand Prix yacht hospitality packages cover that option in full.

Race week transforms the principality. Superyachts fill Port Hercule from the Tuesday; the harbour becomes the centre of everything, and the bars and terraces around the Casino run late every night.

Drivers live locally and move around openly, so celebrity sightings are part of the weekend rather than a rare event. Expect crowds through the middle of the day, long queues for food inside the circuit, and heat. June on the Riviera is warm, and most viewing positions have no shade.

Evenings are the best part. Once the track reopens, you can walk the circuit itself before dinner.

Book everything as early as you can. Hotels go a year out, the best grandstands go within weeks of release, and hospitality goes earlier still.

Budget above what you expect. Monaco carries the second-highest ticket prices on the calendar, and food, drink and transport all cost more than they do elsewhere on the coast.

Pack light and pack for heat. Bag restrictions apply at the circuit, and sun protection matters more than it sounds.

Take the train rather than driving, and give yourself time on Sunday morning, because the gates get busy hours before the race.

Monaco rewards planning, and it's a weekend worth getting right first time. Whether you want a grandstand seat for qualifying, a terrace above the circuit or a day on board a superyacht in Port Hercule, we'll build the trip around your dates and your group.

Our Monaco Grand Prix hospitality packages include race viewing, catering and access to the events that make race week what it is, with hotels, transfers and private jet or helicopter travel arranged alongside. Corporate groups can take a private yacht for the weekend.

Tell us what you're after and we'll come back with options. Speak to our team on +44 (0)1737 301860.