The world’s second-smallest country is carved out of French territory on the Mediterranean Sea. But how did Monaco come into existence and has it ever been part of France?
Monaco was initially inhabited by the Ancient Greeks, and was part of France until 1215 when it became a colony of the city-state of Genoa. By 1419 the ruling Grimaldi family had acquired full control of Monaco from the Aragon family, and, since then, it has been under the protection of Spanish, Italian and Sardinian protection at various points throughout its history.
To this day Monaco is known as a protectorate, and is ruled by its own royal family. Prince Albert II is the current ruler, taking over from Prince Rainier III in 2005. Rainier was credited with attracting the international jet set that made Monaco the glamorous destination today.
From the superyachts in the harbor to the annual visit of the Formula 1 car race, Monaco is all about glitz and glamour. For a backpacker, things can be expensive, so it might be worth popping in on a daytrip before retreating to somewhere more affordable to spend the night.
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