Once the original Riviera spa retreat, MiNDFOOD Editor Donna Duggan discovers Monaco spa and luxury wellness destination is a complete lifestyle haven combining restorative rest, mindful movement, innovative cuisine and the healing power of the Mediterranean.
For more than 160 years the Principality of Monaco has refined what it means to live well by the Mediterranean. In 1860, the Etablissement des Bains opened on the Principality’s rocky shoreline, inviting visitors to bathe in healing Mediterranean waters. The facility was built on the sand at the water’s edge and remained open all year round, with winter as its peak season. Three years later, the founding of the Société des Bains de Mer turned that idea into an institution.
Monte-Carlo was transformed from a modest coastal outpost into an international resort. Hydrotherapy pools, therapeutic bathing halls and increasingly sophisticated treatment facilities followed. This lay the groundwork for what would become one of the most enduring health tourism traditions in Europe.
Over a century and a half later, the legacy continues to evolve. Now, the Principality offers a holistic approach to wellbeing that extends far beyond the traditional spa. World-class wellness destinations and luxury hotels combine sophisticated treatments and thermal experiences with movement, nature, nutrition and time spent beside the Mediterranean. From restorative spa rituals to innovative cuisine, Monaco makes wellbeing an integral part of the travel experience.
Top 5 Leading Wellness Spas In Monaco
Spa Metropole by Guerlain – Métropole Monte-Carlo Hotel
This intimate Guerlain spa was completely redesigned and reopened in July 2025. The space features stunning treatment rooms, a hammam and a sauna. Guests can also enjoy a sensory shower, cold plunge pool, fitness room and a yoga and Pilates studio.
Guerlain has designed three signature treatments exclusively for Monte-Carlo. They have also just introduced Longeviskin, an innovative new treatment device. It combines seven different technologies into one machine, including radiofrequency, LED, microcurrents, cryotherapy and ultrasound. This allows therapists to create highly personalised protocols for the face and body.
Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo – Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo
Monaco’s flagship wellness destination, this Hotel is the contemporary expression of the Principality’s long thermal tradition. Spanning 7,000 sqm overlooking the Mediterranean, facilities include a heated seawater pool using water drawn from 77 metres below sea level.
In addition, guests can experience a cold seawater bath, hammams, jacuzzi, solarium and fitness facilities. The spa’s holistic approach can also incorporate expertise from coaches, a doctor and nutritionist.
Spa at the Fairmont Monte-Carlo
A contemporary wellness retreat, the Spa at the Fairmont offers bespoke massages, facial and body rituals, and beauty treatments. Here you can combine relaxation with active wellness, including a 24-hour Technogym fitness centre and Pilates, yoga and personalised coaching. Spa guests also have access to the hotel’s fitness and pool facilities, which includes a sauna and hammam.
Spa Clarins & myBlend – Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort
Launched in 2025 as part of Monte-Carlo Bay’s 20th anniversary, the new 669 sqm spa brings together Clarins skincare expertise with a personalised approach to beauty technology. Spa Clarins & myBlend features 10 treatment rooms, with personalised face and body treatments, alongside the hotel’s fitness and lagoon-style resort environment.
The Monte-Carlo Beach spa
A more intimate, nature-led wellness experience, with the Mediterranean, pine forest and outdoor lifestyle at the heart of its philosophy. Treatments offered at the Monte-Carlo Beach spa are in partnership with PAOMA, a French skincare brand focused on natural, certified organic and vegan formulas. The resort has just undergone enhancements, including the Michelin-starred Elsa restaurant.
A new taste of Monaco
If the spas represent the traditional pillar of Monaco’s wellbeing story, its restaurant scene is where the Principality’s younger, more relaxed energy is emerging with a new generation of openings.
At the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo, pastry chef Cédric Grolet, celebrated worldwide for his sculptural, fruit- and flower-inspired creations, has opened a dedicated boutique and tea room bearing his name.
At Le Méridien Beach Plaza, Café Lacoste takes a playful approach, translating the sport-chic Lacoste universe into a relaxed Riviera dining concept where French bistro classics sit alongside a pistachio “Crocodile” dessert and a menu of signature cocktails.
Rooftops, meanwhile, have become the stage for Monaco’s more energetic new arrivals. Amazónico Monte-Carlo, perched above the Café de Paris Monte-Carlo overlooking Casino Square, channels Latin American and Brazilian influences into an atmosphere of tropical interiors, music and sweeping views.
At the Fairmont Monte-Carlo, Amù Monte-Carlo draws on the shared culinary traditions of the French and Italian Rivieras, making it a particularly fitting expression of the Mediterranean lifestyle at the centre of Monaco’s wellness narrative.
For a more grounded counterpoint to the glamour, the Condamine market offers something Monaco’s grand hotels can’t quite replicate: more than 120 years of everyday Monégasque life. It remains one of the Principality’s essential meeting points, a place to sample local specialities such as barbagiuan, pissaladière and fougasse. The indoor market hall is currently being renovated to modernise its facilities and expand capacity, with reopening planned for early 2027.
To learn more about Monaco’s evolution into a holistic wellness destination, visit visitmonaco.com
MiNDFOOD Promotion
