How to experience the Monaco Grand Prix from the most incredible vantage points
We put our newest F1 travel consultant Alex in the shoes of an Altitude Luxury Travel guest, to experience her first Monaco Grand Prix from the most incredible vantage points. Here’s her story...
Wednesday
The atmosphere hit me straight away when I arrived at Nice Airport on Wednesday.
Everywhere I looked there were F1 fans dressed in team caps and colours, getting ready for what must be the most exciting motorsport event in the world: The Formula One Monaco Grand Prix. And here I was, ready to experience it in person for the first time.
For Altitude Luxury Travel guests on our inclusive packages, we provide transfers throughout the weekend and I soon spotted a friendly face waiting for me in the arrivals hall. My driver, Faris, was one of seven drivers on our transportation team at Monaco. Faris is a real F1 expert – he used to drive the Sky Sports presenters around, at locations all over the world – and he was a perfect guide for this trip. The Mercedes Vito I shared with other guests was a stylish way to make my first journey through Nice, too.
After a quick change, I was driven up to the medieval village of Èze. All I can say is, what an incredible way to spend your first night on the French Riviera! The village itself is perched on the top of a tall hill, like a fort, and the views of the Mediterranean and surrounding countryside are incredible.
Walking around its lantern-lit streets in the evening was like being in a fairy tale. It’s a calm and quiet place too, with a handful of good restaurants – I ate at a lovely little Italian. It was a perfect evening of relaxation before the excitement of the Grand Prix began
Wednesday
The atmosphere hit me straight away when I arrived at Nice Airport on Wednesday.
Everywhere I looked there were F1 fans dressed in team caps and colours, getting ready for what must be the most exciting motorsport event in the world: The Formula One Monaco Grand Prix. And here I was, ready to experience it in person for the first time.
For Altitude Luxury Travel guests on our inclusive packages, we provide transfers throughout the weekend and I soon spotted a friendly face waiting for me in the arrivals hall. My driver, Faris, was one of seven drivers on our transportation team at Monaco. Faris is a real F1 expert – he used to drive the Sky Sports presenters around, at locations all over the world – and he was a perfect guide for this trip. The Mercedes Vito I shared with other guests was a stylish way to make my first journey through Nice, too.
After a quick change, I was driven up to the medieval village of Èze. All I can say is, what an incredible way to spend your first night on the French Riviera! The village itself is perched on the top of a tall hill, like a fort, and the views of the Mediterranean and surrounding countryside are incredible.
Walking around its lantern-lit streets in the evening was like being in a fairy tale. It’s a calm and quiet place too, with a handful of good restaurants – I ate at a lovely little Italian. It was a perfect evening of relaxation before the excitement of the Grand Prix began
Above: The medieval village of Èze
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Thursday / Practice
Thursday, practice day, was when my Monaco Grand Prix experience really got off the grid.
A speedboat took me over to where I’d be watching the practice session today – the deck of a yacht moored next to the Nouvelle Chicane, a left-right-left that’s known for overtaking, but which has also been the scene of many accidents.
The yacht decks also have great views of the cars coming out of the tunnel, and down the straight after the chicane.
Thursday, practice day, was when my Monaco Grand Prix experience really got off the grid.
A speedboat took me over to where I’d be watching the practice session today – the deck of a yacht moored next to the Nouvelle Chicane, a left-right-left that’s known for overtaking, but which has also been the scene of many accidents.
The yacht decks also have great views of the cars coming out of the tunnel, and down the straight after the chicane.
Above: Yachts moored at the Nouvelle Chicane
Was watching F1 at Monaco on a luxurious yacht as good as it sounds? Yes, and a big reason why was the atmosphere and people. I was there with fellow Altitude Luxury guests, and other F1 fans from all over, and everyone was ready to chat and share the excitement.
So I watched two 1.5-hour practice sessions under glorious sunshine, among friendly people and helpful staff. And in between those practice sessions were other events like the Porsche Supercup and Formula 2 racing. There was always something to see on the track.
The exhibition between Nico Rosberg in a modern F1 car, and his dad Keke who was driving a classic from his era, was a big highlight.
So I watched two 1.5-hour practice sessions under glorious sunshine, among friendly people and helpful staff. And in between those practice sessions were other events like the Porsche Supercup and Formula 2 racing. There was always something to see on the track.
The exhibition between Nico Rosberg in a modern F1 car, and his dad Keke who was driving a classic from his era, was a big highlight.
Above: Nico Rosberg and his dad Keke Rosberg
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It was just a truly incredible experience. By the time I left, my face literally hurt from smiling so much!.
Practice and the other events were over by 7pm, but my day wasn’t. While many of my fellow F1 fans took the speedboat back to Fontvieille, I stepped off the yacht and onto the empty circuit. It’s open for anyone to look around in the evening, and I walked over the fresh tyre marks where my heroes had been driving at 200 mph minutes earlier.
The track also becomes a social space at night, where the bars and restaurants that line the street circuit reopen and set up outdoor seating and beer stands on the tarmac. Music, parties and fans having a good time are everywhere.
Friday / Porsche Supercup & Pit Lane Walk
Friday at Monaco is a half-day where the only racing is the Porsche Supercup, a competition that travels alongside the F1 season. But that didn’t stop me exploring the circuit and filling the day with some of the best moments of my trip.
The Porsche Supercup on Friday is ideal for trying different grandstands, because you don’t need a ticket. It’s also not too busy, so you can find a seat wherever you want.
I started out early at Grandstand B in Casino Square, then made my way back to the harbour. Here are my notes on the grandstands I tried:
Grandstand B at Casino Square has fantastic and iconic surroundings and looks out onto slower corners, making for great views of the cars. This small stand fills up quick, so book early.
Grandstand K includes a few different seating areas, of which K1 was my favourite. You’ll see the cars coming out of the tunnel and the chicane and then off towards Monaco’s famous pool section.
Grandstand L has views of the cars exiting the pool corner, and of the pit lane – two of the best scenes of the race. As the cars are flying around the pool, there’s a good chance of seeing someone (like Verstappen) lose control here. I found the views great here.
Grandstand T is opposite the pits. You see into the team garages from here, which is great for F1 aficionados.
A view of the pits is worth it because you can see how long pitstops take, you see the mechanics working and the teams celebrating, and you see damaged cars limping home. You feel very close to the action.
Starting at 2.30pm, the pit lane walk is open to anyone with a full weekend ticket. (I recommend arriving early to avoid crowds.) And it had me shaking with excitement!
The walk begins at the starting grid, and the teams and cars I’ve watched so many times were right there in front of me. It was a thrilling moment.
There were lots of photo and autograph opportunities – the best spot for this was the FIA garage. Drivers I met included Sergey Sirotkin, Mark Webber, Lance Stroll, Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen. I saw Fernando Alonso with his bodyguards, and I even got a photo with Daniel Ricciardo who would go on to win the Grand Prix!
Practice and the other events were over by 7pm, but my day wasn’t. While many of my fellow F1 fans took the speedboat back to Fontvieille, I stepped off the yacht and onto the empty circuit. It’s open for anyone to look around in the evening, and I walked over the fresh tyre marks where my heroes had been driving at 200 mph minutes earlier.
The track also becomes a social space at night, where the bars and restaurants that line the street circuit reopen and set up outdoor seating and beer stands on the tarmac. Music, parties and fans having a good time are everywhere.
Friday / Porsche Supercup & Pit Lane Walk
Friday at Monaco is a half-day where the only racing is the Porsche Supercup, a competition that travels alongside the F1 season. But that didn’t stop me exploring the circuit and filling the day with some of the best moments of my trip.
The Porsche Supercup on Friday is ideal for trying different grandstands, because you don’t need a ticket. It’s also not too busy, so you can find a seat wherever you want.
I started out early at Grandstand B in Casino Square, then made my way back to the harbour. Here are my notes on the grandstands I tried:
Grandstand B at Casino Square has fantastic and iconic surroundings and looks out onto slower corners, making for great views of the cars. This small stand fills up quick, so book early.
Grandstand K includes a few different seating areas, of which K1 was my favourite. You’ll see the cars coming out of the tunnel and the chicane and then off towards Monaco’s famous pool section.
Grandstand L has views of the cars exiting the pool corner, and of the pit lane – two of the best scenes of the race. As the cars are flying around the pool, there’s a good chance of seeing someone (like Verstappen) lose control here. I found the views great here.
Grandstand T is opposite the pits. You see into the team garages from here, which is great for F1 aficionados.
A view of the pits is worth it because you can see how long pitstops take, you see the mechanics working and the teams celebrating, and you see damaged cars limping home. You feel very close to the action.
Starting at 2.30pm, the pit lane walk is open to anyone with a full weekend ticket. (I recommend arriving early to avoid crowds.) And it had me shaking with excitement!
The walk begins at the starting grid, and the teams and cars I’ve watched so many times were right there in front of me. It was a thrilling moment.
There were lots of photo and autograph opportunities – the best spot for this was the FIA garage. Drivers I met included Sergey Sirotkin, Mark Webber, Lance Stroll, Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen. I saw Fernando Alonso with his bodyguards, and I even got a photo with Daniel Ricciardo who would go on to win the Grand Prix!
Above: Max Verstappen signs autographs during the pit lane walk
Last to come out were Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton. I didn’t quite get a photo of Lewis, but one of my fellow Altitude guests did. It was amazing to see them all up-close, among the F1 cars, with the engineers laughing and chatting while working.
The atmosphere was just fantastic. It was busy in the pit lane, but I managed to see everything I wanted to see. And I got talking to people from all over the world – Swiss fans, Aussies and many more.
I stayed for 3 hours in total – which might sound like a long time, but there wasn’t a dull moment. Then, at 5.30pm, I headed back to Nice for dinner – and started to look forward to watching qualifying from three amazing hospitality suites the next day.
Saturday / Qualifying
The Formula One weekend really hots up on Saturday, qualifying day, and I was lucky enough to have tickets to watch it from three exceptional vantage points: the Panorama Building, Ermanno Palace Apartments and the Shangri La Roof Garden Terrace. All had excellent panoramic views across the harbour.
The atmosphere was just fantastic. It was busy in the pit lane, but I managed to see everything I wanted to see. And I got talking to people from all over the world – Swiss fans, Aussies and many more.
I stayed for 3 hours in total – which might sound like a long time, but there wasn’t a dull moment. Then, at 5.30pm, I headed back to Nice for dinner – and started to look forward to watching qualifying from three amazing hospitality suites the next day.
Saturday / Qualifying
The Formula One weekend really hots up on Saturday, qualifying day, and I was lucky enough to have tickets to watch it from three exceptional vantage points: the Panorama Building, Ermanno Palace Apartments and the Shangri La Roof Garden Terrace. All had excellent panoramic views across the harbour.
Above: Panoramic views across the harbour
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Panorama Building
The Panorama Building is one of many high-rise office and apartments buildings that are used as hospitality suites for the Monaco Grand Prix. The 15th floor views were great. You can see two big sections of the track from one spot, including the first corner, the climb up the hill towards Casino Square, and then the section of circuit along the harbour front from the Nouvelle Chicane through to Tabac. There was also outdoor seating, so you can enjoy the excellent catering in the sunshine without missing the action.
Ermanno Palace
My jaw hit the floor as I stepped outside onto the balcony of the Ermanno Palace Apartment. It has an amazing view of the tunnel exit, Chicane, Tabac Corner, swimming pool section, start/finish straight, Sainte Devote Corner, Beau Rivage climb and the giant harbour TV screen - as well as a stunning view of the harbour itself. I’d never imagined a view like it, it was just insane!
The suite is also right above the exit of the pit lane. The view straight down from the balcony is so good, you can take aerial shots of the cars and even see the drivers’ legs working the pedals. I’d say you can probably see about 70% of the track from the Ermanno. And with its chrome and white interiors, it’s a beautiful place to be.
Shangri La Roof Garden Terrace
I watched the last part of qualifying at the Shangri La Roof Garden Terrace, which is directly above the starting grid. Where the view from the Ermanno ends, Shangri-La begins: you can see the starting grid, the swimming pool section, the main straight and the tight right-hand corner La Rascasse. It also had a good view of the corner where Max Verstappen had crashed in practice.
The Panorama Building is one of many high-rise office and apartments buildings that are used as hospitality suites for the Monaco Grand Prix. The 15th floor views were great. You can see two big sections of the track from one spot, including the first corner, the climb up the hill towards Casino Square, and then the section of circuit along the harbour front from the Nouvelle Chicane through to Tabac. There was also outdoor seating, so you can enjoy the excellent catering in the sunshine without missing the action.
Ermanno Palace
My jaw hit the floor as I stepped outside onto the balcony of the Ermanno Palace Apartment. It has an amazing view of the tunnel exit, Chicane, Tabac Corner, swimming pool section, start/finish straight, Sainte Devote Corner, Beau Rivage climb and the giant harbour TV screen - as well as a stunning view of the harbour itself. I’d never imagined a view like it, it was just insane!
The suite is also right above the exit of the pit lane. The view straight down from the balcony is so good, you can take aerial shots of the cars and even see the drivers’ legs working the pedals. I’d say you can probably see about 70% of the track from the Ermanno. And with its chrome and white interiors, it’s a beautiful place to be.
Shangri La Roof Garden Terrace
I watched the last part of qualifying at the Shangri La Roof Garden Terrace, which is directly above the starting grid. Where the view from the Ermanno ends, Shangri-La begins: you can see the starting grid, the swimming pool section, the main straight and the tight right-hand corner La Rascasse. It also had a good view of the corner where Max Verstappen had crashed in practice.
Above: Views from the Ermanno Palace
While I preferred the Ermanno Palace in qualifying, I’d recommend the Shangri-La for watching the actual race – just because so much happens around the starting grid on race day. And at the Shangri-La, you’re literally looking straight down on it all.
Overall, it’s hard to separate these suites. All had fantastic views, great catering, very helpful staff, and a friendly atmosphere. And because Monaco allows you to buy individual day tickets for any stand or suite, you can mix and match as you please. What a way to watching qualifying at Monaco. And as a RedBull fan, I was glad to see Daniel Ricciardo take pole position in qualifying.
Sunday / The Grand Prix
The morning of race day came, and my seat was in a hospitality suite at the Fairmont Monte Carlo. It’s positioned right on the Circuit de Monaco’s hairpin bend – possibly the most famous motorsport corner in the world.
Fairmont hospitality is one of very few places you can get this view from. A hospitality suite gives you front row seats at this extremely tight and slow bend, where almost anything can happen.
Overall, it’s hard to separate these suites. All had fantastic views, great catering, very helpful staff, and a friendly atmosphere. And because Monaco allows you to buy individual day tickets for any stand or suite, you can mix and match as you please. What a way to watching qualifying at Monaco. And as a RedBull fan, I was glad to see Daniel Ricciardo take pole position in qualifying.
Sunday / The Grand Prix
The morning of race day came, and my seat was in a hospitality suite at the Fairmont Monte Carlo. It’s positioned right on the Circuit de Monaco’s hairpin bend – possibly the most famous motorsport corner in the world.
Fairmont hospitality is one of very few places you can get this view from. A hospitality suite gives you front row seats at this extremely tight and slow bend, where almost anything can happen.
Above: Views from the Fairmont Monte Carlo
In the Formula Renault event earlier in the day, two cars got away from a three-car pile-up, while the third had to be airlifted away. You see the cars slowing right down up the hairpin, watch them glide around it, then accelerate away towards the tunnel – which actually goes underneath the Fairmont.
I was in a fifth floor suite, which felt very close to the cars. The Fairmont is a stunning hotel, and the food was amazing. (Some Fairmont suites are catered by the hotel, some by Nobu, and others by Nikki Beach.) Since I was busy watching the race, a waitress offered to bring me a selection, and I enjoyed a delicious selection of sushi and sashimi. Fairmont suites are shared by 12 people each, which is great for groups of family and friends and has an exclusive feel.
The view is very different to the elevated suites I’d experienced the previous day. You see less of the track, but you get to see each car for longer because they’re travelling slowly and very close to each other. Because you’re so close, and because of the hairpin’s reputation, you feel like anything could happen right in front of you – it’s very, very tense. It’s so close to the track that the hotel included earplugs in my goodie bag. But it wasn’t too loud to chat.
At the start of the day I had a great view of the drivers’ parade and formation lap, and the action never stopped from that point. Because Monaco is a short track, there’s almost always a car in view. And seeing Max Verstappen climb up the grid from 20th to 9th had me digging my nails into my hand as I clasped my lucky mascot. Daniel Ricciardo also did a fantastic job to hold on for the win with two gears missing.
I was in a fifth floor suite, which felt very close to the cars. The Fairmont is a stunning hotel, and the food was amazing. (Some Fairmont suites are catered by the hotel, some by Nobu, and others by Nikki Beach.) Since I was busy watching the race, a waitress offered to bring me a selection, and I enjoyed a delicious selection of sushi and sashimi. Fairmont suites are shared by 12 people each, which is great for groups of family and friends and has an exclusive feel.
The view is very different to the elevated suites I’d experienced the previous day. You see less of the track, but you get to see each car for longer because they’re travelling slowly and very close to each other. Because you’re so close, and because of the hairpin’s reputation, you feel like anything could happen right in front of you – it’s very, very tense. It’s so close to the track that the hotel included earplugs in my goodie bag. But it wasn’t too loud to chat.
At the start of the day I had a great view of the drivers’ parade and formation lap, and the action never stopped from that point. Because Monaco is a short track, there’s almost always a car in view. And seeing Max Verstappen climb up the grid from 20th to 9th had me digging my nails into my hand as I clasped my lucky mascot. Daniel Ricciardo also did a fantastic job to hold on for the win with two gears missing.
Above: Daniel Ricciardo celebrates winning the Monaco Grand Prix
I stayed until the podium (there are screens in the suite so you don’t miss anything) and flew home Sunday night, after being picked up from The Fairmont by my driver. He’d already collected my bags.
My first trip to the Monaco Grand Prix was an incredible experience. I can’t wait to do it all over again next year.
Click here to see our inclusive Monaco Grand Prix packages »
My first trip to the Monaco Grand Prix was an incredible experience. I can’t wait to do it all over again next year.
Click here to see our inclusive Monaco Grand Prix packages »
