Monaco National Day, 19 November

Monaco celebrates its national day on 19 November, and it is the most formal, most photographed and least touristic day of the Monégasque year. The Principality dresses in red and white, the Prince appears at the Palace, and the evening before ends with fireworks over Port Hercule. It is also, for a visitor, one of the easiest big events on this coast to attend: nothing is ticketed, nothing is fenced, and the whole thing happens inside a square kilometre.

What happens on Monaco National Day?

Two days, not one. On the evening of 18 November, fireworks are fired over Port Hercule and the town celebrates in the open. On 19 November itself, the day opens with a religious service at Monaco Cathedral attended by Prince Albert II and the Princely Family, followed by a military parade on the Palace square, with the Principality in national colours and public festivities through the day.

Structure from the official Monaco tourism and municipal programmes, checked August 2026. The detailed hour by hour programme of each edition is published by the Mairie de Monaco during October.

Where should you stand?

On the Palace square for the parade if you want the ceremony, and on the opposite side of the harbour for the fireworks if you want the photograph. Those two answers are almost never the same place on this coast, and National Day is the clearest example.

• Palace square, 19 November. Get up the Rock early. The climb from Port Hercule takes about twenty minutes, longer on the day, and the square is full well before the parade starts.
• Quai Antoine 1er and the Condamine side, evening of 18 November. You get the fireworks with the Rock and the palace behind them, which is the frame everyone remembers.
• The Rock terraces themselves. Excellent view over the harbour, poor view of the fireworks if they are fired from the water below you.
• Anywhere with a table. Restaurants along the port book out for the 18th weeks in advance. That is a reservation, not a plan you can improvise.

What is the catch?

It is a public holiday in the Principality, so administrative Monaco stops, and the Monégasque population, which is small, occupies the centre of its own city for a day. That is the appeal and the constraint at once: this is a national celebration rather than a tourist event, and it deserves the manners that implies. Dress properly, do not climb on things, and stay out of the cordoned zones around the Palace.

Practically, the second catch is transport. The last trains along the coast leave earlier than you think and the road out of Monaco after fireworks is slow. If you are staying in Nice, check the return time on the regional timetable before you settle in for the evening.

Can you photograph it?

Personally, yes, everywhere the public can stand. Professionally, Monaco is the one place on this coast where you should plan ahead: all filming and photo shoots in the Principality require an authorisation applied for at least fifteen days in advance through the government online service, and National Day is not the week to discover that. Our guide to photography permits on the Riviera sets out who applies and how long it takes.

For a private session, mid-November is an underrated week: the Principality is decorated, the light is low from mid-afternoon, and the crowds of the summer are five months away in both directions. We shoot Monaco year-round, and the best photo spots in Monaco guide maps the ones that work in winter light.

Frequently asked questions

What is Monaco National Day?

The Fete du Prince, celebrated on 19 November, is the national day of the Principality and a public holiday. The day opens with a religious service at Monaco Cathedral attended by Prince Albert II and the Princely Family, followed by a military parade on the Palace square, with public festivities across the Principality. The evening before, on 18 November, fireworks are fired over Port Hercule. Both are free and open to the public with no ticketing.

Can tourists attend Monaco National Day?

Yes, and nothing is ticketed. The fireworks on the evening of 18 November are visible from every quay of Port Hercule, and the military parade on 19 November is watched from the Palace square, which fills well before the ceremony starts. The climb from the harbour to the Rock takes about twenty minutes, so go up early. It is a national celebration rather than a tourist event, so dress accordingly and respect the cordoned areas around the Palace.

Where is the best place to watch the Monaco fireworks in November?

From the Condamine side of Port Hercule or Quai Antoine 1er, which gives you the fireworks with the Rock and the Palace behind them. The Rock terraces themselves give a fine view over the harbour but a poor angle if the fireworks are fired from the water below. Restaurants along the port are booked out weeks ahead for the evening of the 18th, so that is a reservation to make in advance rather than an improvisation.

Is Monaco worth visiting in November?

It is one of the better months. The Principality is decorated for the national day, the light is low from the middle of the afternoon rather than only at dawn, hotel rates are far below their summer level and the Rock and Casino Square can be walked without a queue. The trade-off is a shorter day and rain that arrives in blocks. If you are planning photographs, note that professional shoots in Monaco require an authorisation filed at least fifteen days ahead.

More reading: the best photo spots in Monaco, the Monaco fireworks festival, and permits for photography on this coast.