Monaco, 2 December 2025 –  Monaco isn't just about superyachts, celebrity soirées and sun-soaked terraces (though there is plenty of that). In 2026 it is evolving into a new playground that looks effortless, yet is impossibly curated for a younger generation of high-net-worth travellers.

Here is why the Principality should be at the top of your list this year.

1. A Circuit of Drama & Glamour

From 5–7 June 2026, the Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco finally shifts into the official summer season to tear-through the very heart of the city. The streets and the rubber-burnt edge of racing with all the glamour of celebrity and glinting yachts remain familiar, but elevated with a unique nuance. Things may be less frenzied, expect more curation and above, live a summer down the Riviera like never before.

2. Culture That Isn't an Afterthought

Beyond engines and cocktails, Monaco is sharpening its cultural edge. On 16 March 2026, Monaco hosts the MICHELIN Guide France & Monaco awards at the Grimaldi Forum, a historic first in 120 years that reflects its exceptional culinary stature. Monaco already holds the award for the highest number of Michelin stars per 1000 inhabitants, an unmatched density that places it directly under the global gastronomic spotlight.

This signals a subtle yet decisive shift. The Principality is no longer home to legendary dining rooms; it is emerging as a Riviera incubator for modern, sustainable gastronomy. With 2026 distinctions still under wraps, anticipation is growing around Riviera-born concepts, chef residencies, and 2025 openings now evolving into must-visit tables.

3. New Restaurant Openings, New Attitudes

Monaco's dining scene is entering a new chapter, led by a trio of 2025 openings that are already shaping the Principality's culinary identity for 2026. Jondal à La Vigie, perched on the rocky edge between sea and sky, has reimagined Riviera dining with its barefoot-luxury spirit, natural wines, Mediterranean fire-cooking, and long lunches that turn, almost magically, into candlelit dinners suspended above the waves. Over in Mareterra, Marlow brings a refined yet playful British-club energy to Monaco's newest waterfront district, complete with soul-infused evenings, all-day brunch culture, and that irresistible “where the cool people go” quality.

And for those who chase culinary intimacy, La Table de Marcel by two star Michelin chef Marcel Ravin offers one of the most coveted dining experiences on the Riviera: an eight-seat chef's table where Creole heritage meets Monaco sophistication, plated with the precision only Ravin can deliver. Together, these openings signal a shift, Monaco is still immaculate, still glamorous, but now its restaurants carry a fresher pulse, a younger rhythm, and a sense that dining here in 2026 is less about reservations and more about revelation.

4. The Sport–Business–Lifestyle Fusion: Padel Best Village

If there is one sport currently seducing the global jet-set, it's padel. Fast, social, addictive, and conveniently suited to those who like their athleticism paired with sunshine, Champagne, and a well-curated playlist, padel continues its rise as the sport of the stylishly competitive. In 2026, Monaco cements itself as one of Europe's most desirable padel hubs as Padel Best Village returns to the Grimaldi Forum. Think of it less as a sporting event and more as a Riviera micro-cosmos: part championship, part art fair, part fashion showroom, part investment summit. Across its three-day takeover, indoor courts become high-energy stages. Elite international players face off just metres from pop-up concept stores, avant-garde design installations, and lounge areas.

And here's the quiet joke: in 2026, the truly in-the-know traveller may well trade the Rolex Masters clay courts for padel's new Riviera playground. Tennis hasn't changed in a century; padel, meanwhile, serves spontaneity, community, and a crowd that treats sport as social currency. And who knows, this might just become the place to be in a few years. But you'll get to say you were courtside before everyone else caught on.

5. Style, Sea & Self-Expression

This is not your parents' Monaco. Yes, the Lamborghinis and lap-of-luxury hotel stays remain (they always will!), but today the mix is far more varied: sun-drenched yacht days, discreet beach club rendez-vous, high-touch wellness escapes, and late-night performances in venues where anything feels possible. The new generation of affluent travellers isn't chasing status alone; they're chasing stories. And Monaco delivers them; in grande-époque theaters, intimate cellar tastings, and club nights where the real after-party only starts at midnight!

Why Monaco Works for 2026

Compact yet complete, Monaco is the rare destination where you can arrive by helicopter, settle into a palatial style hotel, enjoy lunch at an acclaimed and starred restaurant, sip cocktails on a yacht, and still make it to a rooftop club before sunset. Ever glamorous yet wonderfully intimate, the Principality remains globally relevant while preserving the thrill of personal discovery at every turn.

Monaco speaks to a new generation of high-net-worth travellers who want their luxury to feel spontaneous yet flawlessly executed, a balance the Principality has perfected for more then 160 years. And with its evolving calendar; from Michelin milestones to sporting re-inventions, Monaco is shaping trends rather then following them. In 2026, the world's most iconic square mile becomes more unmissable then ever.