Travelling to the Monaco Yacht Show 2026

Flights, hotels and simple advice for visiting Monaco from London

The Monaco Yacht Show returns to Port Hercule from 23 to 26 September 2026, bringing together many of the world’s leading yacht builders, brokers, designers, owners and suppliers.

If you are planning to visit from the UK, there is still time to organise the trip. Flights from London remain relatively straightforward, although accommodation in Monaco becomes considerably more expensive during show week.

A little planning can make a significant difference.

Flying from London

For most visitors travelling from London, the simplest route is London Heathrow to Nice Côte d’Azur Airport.

British Airways operates direct flights between Heathrow and Nice, with several departures available on many days. The flight takes around two hours, making it perfectly possible to travel to the Côte d’Azur on the day before the show opens.

For visitors planning to attend the whole event, travelling on Tuesday 22 September and returning on Sunday 27 September is a sensible option. It gives you four full days at the show without requiring an additional Monday away from work.

Economy fares vary considerably as the departure date approaches. Allowing somewhere around £150 to £300 return is a reasonable planning figure, although cheaper fares can sometimes still be found.

If possible, choose a flight arriving in Nice during the afternoon rather than late in the evening. It makes the onward journey to Monaco considerably easier.

Getting from Nice Airport to Monaco

Nice Airport is around 30 kilometres from Monaco.

The easiest option is a pre-booked car or taxi. Journey times depend heavily on traffic, particularly during Monaco Yacht Show week, but approximately 40 minutes to an hour is a sensible allowance.

There are also regular public transport connections. One economical approach is to travel from the airport into Nice and take the TER train from Nice to Monaco Monte-Carlo.

The train journey itself takes around 20 to 25 minutes.

For visitors travelling light, it is a perfectly practical way of reaching Monaco.

There is also the helicopter.

The flight from Nice Airport to Monaco takes only a few minutes and is certainly the most memorable way to arrive. It is considerably more expensive than the train, but for anyone who has always wanted to arrive in Monaco by helicopter, Monaco Yacht Show week provides a fairly good excuse.

Where to stay

Accommodation is usually the largest expense.

Staying in Monaco gives you the easiest access to Port Hercule and allows you to walk back to your hotel after dinners and evening events. The convenience comes at a price during Yacht Show week.

Hotels including Port Palace, Novotel Monte Carlo and Fairmont Monte Carlo are all well positioned for visitors to the show.

Port Palace is particularly convenient because it overlooks Port Hercule. Novotel Monte Carlo provides a useful balance between location and price, while the Fairmont offers the full Monte Carlo hotel experience.

Expect central Monaco hotel prices during the show to run into several hundred pounds per night, with luxury properties considerably higher.

For a five-night visit, accommodation can easily cost £1,800 to £5,000 or more.

Consider Beausoleil

You do not actually need to stay in Monaco.

The French town of Beausoleil sits immediately above and alongside Monaco, and in places the border is little more than a line on the pavement.

Hotels and apartments can be significantly cheaper while remaining within walking distance of the show.

Properties such as Aparthotel Adagio Monaco Monte-Cristo and Aparthotel Adagio Monaco Palais Joséphine are worth checking.

When comparing accommodation, look at the walking route rather than simply the distance.

Monaco and Beausoleil are built on steep hills. A hotel that appears extremely close to Port Hercule on a map can involve a substantial climb at the end of the day.

Fortunately, Monaco has numerous public lifts and escalators connecting different levels of the city. Learning where they are can save both time and tired legs.

Staying in Nice

Nice is another realistic option, particularly if Monaco hotel prices have become prohibitive.

There is a much larger choice of hotels and apartments, and prices can be considerably lower.

If you choose Nice, stay close to Nice-Ville railway station.

Regular TER trains run along the coast to Monaco Monte-Carlo, with the journey taking around 20 to 25 minutes.

Thousands of people commute into Monaco every day, so travelling by train is not unusual. During Yacht Show week it can also be considerably more predictable than sitting in road traffic.

Allow extra time in the morning because trains will be busy.

How much should you budget

A Monaco Yacht Show visit does not necessarily require a Monte Carlo hotel budget.

Someone travelling from Heathrow, staying in Nice or Beausoleil and booking carefully could reasonably aim for around £800 to £1,200 for flights and five nights’ accommodation.

Staying in central Monaco moves the likely cost closer to £3,000 to £5,000, depending on the hotel.

Luxury hotels, premium flights, private transfers and the better restaurants can take the cost considerably higher.

Food and drink should also be included in your planning. Monaco has some exceptional restaurants, but eating every meal around Casino Square soon becomes expensive.

There are supermarkets, cafés, bakeries and casual restaurants throughout Monaco and neighbouring Beausoleil. Mixing those with one or two special dinners makes a longer visit much more reasonable.

Getting around Monaco

Monaco is small enough to walk across, although the hills make distances deceptive.

Comfortable shoes are probably the most useful thing you can pack for the Yacht Show.

The show itself is large and you will spend much of the day walking around Port Hercule, climbing on and off yachts and moving between exhibition areas.

Taxis are available but demand increases significantly during the show. Walking and Monaco’s public lifts are often faster for short journeys.

The local bus network is also useful if your hotel is farther from the port.

Plan yacht visits before you arrive

If there are particular yachts you want to see, do not assume you can simply walk aboard.

Many yachts at Monaco are available for viewing by appointment, particularly larger brokerage yachts. Brokers will often want to understand whether someone is a prospective buyer, charter client, owner representative or industry professional before confirming a viewing.

Arrange important appointments before travelling and leave gaps between them.

Walking from one end of Port Hercule to another takes time, particularly when the show is busy.

Four or five properly planned yacht visits can make for a very full day.

Do not over-plan

Some of the most useful conversations at Monaco happen unexpectedly.

Allow time to explore the docks, speak with builders and brokers, visit the exhibition areas and stop for coffee with people you meet.

Trying to schedule every 30 minutes usually becomes frustrating once the show gets busy.

If you are attending for more than one day, use the first day to understand the layout and concentrate important appointments across the following days.

Restaurants and evenings

Monaco becomes exceptionally busy during Yacht Show week.

If there is somewhere you particularly want to eat, book before you travel.

Restaurants around Port Hercule, Monte Carlo and Larvotto fill quickly, especially on Thursday and Friday evenings.

Beausoleil and nearby French towns can provide good alternatives if you want something quieter.

Nice also has an enormous choice of restaurants and bars if you are staying there.

What to wear

The Monaco Yacht Show is smart but generally less formal during the daytime than newcomers sometimes expect.

A lightweight shirt or polo, smart trousers or chinos and comfortable shoes work well for most visitors.

September on the Côte d’Azur is usually warm, although evenings can be cooler and occasional rain is possible.

Bring a lightweight jacket and something suitable for an evening reception or dinner.

Avoid shoes that are difficult to remove. You may be asked to take them off when boarding yachts.

Give yourself enough time

If you are genuinely considering buying or chartering a yacht, attending for several days is worthwhile.

One day gives you a taste of Monaco.

Two days allows you to see considerably more.

Three or four days gives you enough time for yacht appointments, meetings, shipyard visits and the inevitable conversations that develop once you are there.

Arriving on Tuesday 22 September and leaving on Sunday 27 September is therefore a good option for anyone wanting to experience the whole show.

Flights are still relatively accessible.

Accommodation requires more searching.

And staying a few hundred metres outside Monaco can save a surprisingly large amount of money.

The Monaco Yacht Show can appear intimidating from the outside, but visiting it does not need to be complicated.

Book your flight, find somewhere sensible to stay, wear comfortable shoes and give yourself enough time to enjoy it.

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