The Monaco Grand Prix has got to be one of the most iconic motorsport events in the world, alongside the Le Mans 24-Hour Race and the Nascar Daytona 500.
The Formula One race cars hurtle through the streets of Monte-Carlo at 200 miles per hour in front of a worldwide television audience.
Few of us get to participate in such feats of endurance, but in Monaco, there are Formula One tour that deliver an appreciation of the challenges of the track and an understanding of why it is so popular with drivers.
Several F1 tours in Monte-Carlo cater to all levels of interest in motorsports.
There is an opportunity to walk the 3.3 km (just over 2 miles) circuit with a local guide or even take the passenger seat of a supercar.
Here’s our guide to getting under the skin of the most glamorous Grand Prix.
BEST F1 TOURS MONACO
Where to Book Your F1 Tour in Monaco
The best way to see the circuit is on the ground, on foot.
Yes, I know, walking pace isn’t how the stars of F1 see the track, but before they drive it, there’s a good chance a driver-in-training might want to do it on foot first.
- I’d check out my neighbors on tour, just in case one looks like a future World Champion!
- Book a tour here but make sure you do it well in advance as preferred dates and times get sold out quickly.
- In the weeks before the race, which runs at the end of May in the F1 GP Tour Calendar, places get snapped by fans getting a high-octane hit before the main event!
- A walking tour takes about two and a quarter hours to cover the entire circuit so make sure you can fit it in with other plans.
As well as giving you the inside track on the Monaco F1 route, the tour also takes in many of the landmarks that put the tiny Principality of Monte-Carlo on the world map.
Tours are timed, so make sure you are at the departure point, the Prince Rainier Car Collection, in good time.
Make sure to wear comfortable shoes. The pavements are hard and hot in the summer. Leave the pool slides and flip-flops behind, or you might get left behind too!
The tour price includes a copy of Inside Track Magazine and a bottle of water so you stay hydrated over the two miles distance.
The track is not level! Monaco is famous for its inclines, so be prepared to work those calf muscles.
If you have specific mobility issues rest assured that the route is accessible to most mobility equipment users.
- Wheelchairs, strollers, and mobility scooters are all accepted on the tour. The F1 race cars don’t do stairs, and nor will you.
- The F1 Monaco Tour runs from mid-April through to mid-September only.
BEST F1 TOURS MONACO
2023 Monaco Grand Prix Details
Going to Monaco for the Grand Prix and watching World Champions battle it out through the twists and turns on the streets of Monte-Carlo is a not-to-be-missed extravaganza of motorsport.
Security is high and the health and safety of spectators is paramount, which makes it almost impossible for independent travel.
However, there are professional packages that have it covered, from transfers to hotel accommodation to getting the best views of the action.
If you want to guarantee a grandstand experience with the perfumes of petrol and champagne mixing in their own volatile manner, then it’s a good idea to let the professionals do the heavy lifting.
BEST F1 TOURS MONACO
Monaco Grand Prix Options
Get up close and personal to the race action for just $2,500 with a three-star hotel in Nice and transport to and from the Grand Prix, food, drink & grandstand seating included. Excellent views of the first corner at ground level and almost touching distance! Car transfers from the airport to the hotel.
Upgrade for superb views of the first corner and at least 30% of the entire circuit from the Prince’s VIP Terrace during Saturday’s qualifying for $2,885. An all-inclusive package that gets you to the heart of the Grand Prix action.
Go Trackside for Friday’s practice sessions and watch Saturday’s qualifying laps and Sunday’s race from the Prince’s VIP Terrace. $4,255 buys you this plus a superb luxury Nice hotel minutes from the beach. Ideal for chilling after a high-octane day at the race!
Up the Ante and stay in a chateau once owned by the Prince of Sweden! For $8,165 you can spend four nights in the exclusive Chateau d’Eze, and watch the qualifying laps from a 47-meter superyacht! Travel to and from Monaco in a chauffeur-driven car for the Royal treatment.
Stay in Monaco for three nights with a $7,605 package that includes a city-center hotel and viewing from the Shangri-La and the Prince’s VIP Terrace for the Sunday track battle itself. Just ten minutes from the VIP hospitality you can unwind afterward in the Casino!
Go Diamond and see the drivers run their cars through their paces on Friday as they get to know the circuit while you watch from the deck of a superyacht moored in the harbor right by the starting grid. Arrive by helicopter transfer from the airport in Nice to your luxury four-star hotel, then watch the race from the Shangri-La. Priced from $14,455 this will put the action front and center.
Be Exclusive and hang out on a superyacht all day Saturday and Sunday from $21,310 with views from Shangri-La on practice day this is possibly the most glamorous way to catch the race of the year. Helicopter transfers are included to and from Nice. The Monaco Grand Prix Tour of a lifetime!
Prices do not include flights to Nice Airport from your location. It is advisable to check and book connecting flights, etc well in advance as, for obvious reasons, the F1 Monaco Grand Prix does mean that availability may well be restricted!
BEST F1 TOURS MONACO
Fancy a Ride? Luxury Car Drives in Monaco
If you can’t make it to the Grand Prix then there are other ways to tour the track and see the race from a driver’s eye view. Accompanied driving tours, Monaco F1 Tours, and luxury car rentals are all available in and around Monte Carlo.
Tour Tip: Drive the Circuit in a Ferrari
What? A Ferrari? Yes.
A Ferrari California T to be exact, with a full-on five-star driving experience booked direct from the entrance to your Monte-Carlo Hotel.
As part of this tour, you get to enjoy a ride in a gorgeous convertible Ferrari and carry out practice laps of the Monaco GP circuit.
Just kidding! These will be public roads when you get out there, but they are still the same roads that the Grand Prix uses for the race.
The guide will take you up and out of the city to fabulous overlook viewpoints, so you can see the city of Monte-Carlo from fantastic locations, and also through the windshield of a Ferrari.
An additional rear seat means this experience can cater for up to two people, however, there is a height and weight limit in place!
Single or Group Sports Car Experience
If you are visiting Monaco with a group of friends or with family, then this is a great way to share a driving experience, with all the Riviera glamour.
- Hire a Ferrari or Lamborghini either with or without a chauffeur.
- For $205 take a supercar through the bends of the high corniche between the village of Eze and the Principality of Monaco.
- Full-day hires are by negotiation, but the team has a wide range of vehicles, from a Ferrari Spider F1 to a Testarossa.
- For larger groups, there are other activities to enjoy while the driving turns are rotated, such as perfume making, quizzes, and petanque.
Individual Luxury Marque Rental
For those with a bigger, or perhaps more flexible budget to play with then Monte-Carlo Sports Car will be happy to help with every marque imaginable on offer.
- Go full-on James Bond and hire their Aston Martin DB11 Volante for just $1,847 a day.
- Get the wind in your hair for less with a Mercedes E-Class Convertible for just $410 a day.
- Play the high roller in a Rolls Royce Wraith for a mere $2,700 a day!
- Go Deutsch and cruise the highways in an Audi Q8 S Line for a sublime $810 per day.
