A sunny late afternoon in Stade Louis II must be the complete opposite of a cold, rainy night in Stoke. The ideal pastime after a day of strolling along the yachts and Ferraris in the harbour of Monaco. And there are always tickets available.
There are few places that appeal more to the imagination than Monaco. The Grand Prix, the casino, the harbour; the paradisiacal microstate, between France and the Mediterranean Sea, attracts movie stars, musicians and top athletes from all over the world. The street scene full of Ferraris, luxurious yachts and tower blocks between the rocks makes Monaco a unique place.
Unique is something you can say about AS Monaco, undeniably a top team - both in terms of achievements and finances - through a mix of good policy, an outstanding academy and the attraction of the rich and the famous. However, it doesn't 'feel' like a top team, because of the relatively small fanbase and the stadium that always seems empty. Still, the place where Thierry Henry and Kylian Mbappé made their first steps in professional football has got some sort of charm.
In tiny Monaco, the Stade Louis II, in Fontvieille, is never far away. Back in the day, the stadium was directly next to the sea, but because of the limited space in Monaco, they have reclaimed a piece of land. Stade Louis II almost perfectly blends in with the surrounding buildings, because of the similar architecture. What you don't see on TV: the pitch is eight meters above sea level and has a big sports complex beneath it.
Eye-catchers are the nine elegant arches that keep the stadium 'open' at one side, which gives a beautiful view from the inside of the stadium towards the mountains and the sea. The biggest downside to Stade Louis II is the running track, which means you're sitting quite far from the pitch.
If you are standing behind the stand with the arches and take ten steps out of the stadium, you're suddenly in the French town of Cap d'Ail. Take the stairs up and you'll find another football pitch, with a special name: Stade Didier Deschamps. The most successful man in French football - a world champion as a player and manager - lives here already since the time he managed AS Monaco, almost twenty years ago. After the French world title in 2018, the tiny stadium was named after him. Even though it's not really something special and there aren't any big matches either, the 'stadium' does give you the best view of the arches of Louis II.
Every year at the end of August, the whole football scene comes together at the Avenue Princesse Grace in Monte Carlo, in the Grimaldi Forum. The UEFA Awards for best players of the previous season are handed out and the draws of the European club tournaments are held. For a couple of years, behind the building is a beautiful boardwalk called 'The Champions Promenade', an impressive walk of fame where the best football players the world has ever seen have literally left their footprints.
The heart of Monaco is Monaco-Ville, the oldest part of the principality on top of a rock. From here, you have a panoramic view of the whole microstate. At the Place du Palais you'll find the Prince's Palace, the residence of Prince Albert II, the monarch of Monaco. He's not only the head of state of his country but also a big fan of AS Monaco. In 2017, the squad was invited to the palace when they managed to win Ligue 1, against all odds. Walk on the Place du Palais towards the left, and from under the trees you'll have an amazing view of the Stade Louis II.
High in the mountains above Monaco is the village of La Turbie. Here, at the Avenue du Cap d'Ail, is the beautiful training complex of AS Monaco situated, surrounded by the rocks.
On the Rue du Portier 17 you'll find Pulcinella, an Italian restaurant very popular among footballers of all generations. Don't be surprised if you bump into Sir Alex Ferguson, Marco van Basten or Ousmane Dembélé here. The wall is filled with pictures of famous people who have dined here. The food is good and - especially for Monegasque standard - very affordable.
Those who like to drink something in sportive surroundings can't miss Stars 'n' Bars. This sports bar in the harbour of Monaco has been visited by many sporting greats, and almost all of them have left a souvenir at the bar. Mostly motorsport greats, but hey, the bar at Quai Antoine 1er 8 is almost directly next to the Formula 1 circuit of Monaco.
Tickets for AS Monaco are very easy to buy on the club's official website. They almost never sell out the stadium, except when the local heroes are on a legendary Champions League campaign, like in 2004 and 2017.
When you drive at the D6007 and pass Cap d'Ail, you simply can't miss Louis II. When you cross the border, you'll have the stadium right beneath you. Inside the stadium, there's a parking garage.
No car? Bus 4 and 6 take you from several places in Monaco to the stadium, but from the harbour, you can easily walk there.
If you really want to get rid of your money: From the airport in nearby Nice you can go by helicopter as well. In just seven minutes, they take you from the airport to the landing spot right next to Stade Louis II. Price tag: 600 euros for a single way.
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