Monaco is reinventing itself as a young, trendy and more affordable destination On one balmy night this August, when the audience packed into the 522-seat belle epoque Monte Carlo Garnier Opera House, it felt like history was in the making. Even for Monaco, it was an unprecedented royal flush: two Princes in the same room, one singing, the other dancing. Surrounded by two glittery giant jellyfish dangling from the ceiling, Prince (the rock star) launched into a mega-decibel guitar riff. Meanwhile, His Serene Highness, Prince Albert II, hidden away in his plush red velvet royal box, was on his feet, barely able to keep still, just like the rest of the fans. The magnificent five-tonne chandelier of Bohemian crystal had been upstaged by psychedelic strobes. The gilded walls, nymphs and mythological gods were bathed in a purple glow. Call it the New Era. When Prince Rainier died in 2005 he was deeply mourned, but a page had been turned. Once considered a quieter-than-the-grave tax haven for ostentatiously wealthy expatriates, there’s a flipside to Monaco. These days, the principality’s stuffy image is slowly morphing into a hip, and even affordable destination, attractive to a younger crowd. This is, in part, thanks to Prince Albert, who actively supports the thriving arts scene, from the Monte Carlo Jazz Festival, which celebrates its fourth anniversary in November, to major art exhibitions at the Grimaldi Forum and the principality’s latest museum, NMNM (New National Monaco Museum). There’s also a new wave of reasonably priced restaurants and bars with lunchtime specials and happy hours. Or you can go native, stopping off at the bakeries to pick up freshly-baked regional specialities to feast on down at the beach. The best time to visit is September and October, when the sea is still warm and silky, and the hot silver haze of summer evaporates into the pure dazzling light of a mild autumn

Original Source Monte Carlo: Don’t break the bank