At the beginning of the 20th century, Prince Albert I, a scientist and intellectual, launched a series of archaeological digs. Excavations in the Grotte de l'Observatoire established the presence of Homo Erectus in the area. Today, the Grotte is an integral part of Monaco's famous Monaco Exotic Garden and offers a botanical journey of varied colors and shapes, right down to the depths of the rock. Directly opposite, you'll find the Exotic Garden Botanical Center (free) with its greenhouses, home to the world's largest collections of cacti and succulents. 85% of the plants conserved by the Botanical Center are protected. Tel: +377 93 15 29 80

Nearby, the Monaco Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology offers a journey that begins hundreds of thousands of years ago. Like the district itself, modern rubs shoulders with ancient, and these two places are neighbors to the Villa Paloma one of the two sites of the New National Museum of Monaco, which hosts contemporary art exhibitions all year round. Tel: +377 98 98 48 60

For a moment's break, take a stroll in the Parc Princesse Antoinette framed by olive trees and offering splendid views of the sea and the Rock. The park's snack bar, mini-golf course and small farm are sure to please everyone. A breath of fresh air in the heart of the neighborhood.

The Exotic Garden, a district where styles and epochs mingle, is one of the highlights of Monegasque architecture. From the Villa Ispahan, in the Persian style chosen in 1910 by Iranian Prince Arfa Mirza Riza Khan, to the Simona building, whose distinctive style and luminous whiteness are the architectural beacon of Monaco's western entrance, via the very modern troglodyte villa, built right into the rock, the district is a stroll for lovers of history and aesthetics.