When Prince Ranier spirited American screen icon Grace Kelly off to Monaco to become his royal bride in 1956, millions of young hearts skipped a beat. Although the storybook romance between the prince and the actress had a sad ending, Monaco remains a fantasy destination for couples who dream of living their first days together like royalty.

The Principality of Monaco is the world's unabashed capital of Old World luxury, a seaside diadem that attracts discriminating travelers from all points of the globe. For honeymooners, this tiny country not only offers an incredible concentration of grand hotels, restaurants, nightlife, shopping and museums, it's also an appealing gateway to both the French and Italian Riviera. Immersion in Monaco's jet-setting lifestyle begins soon after you touch down at the nearby international airport in Nice, where you'll transfer from your Stateside flight to an unforgettable, 10-minute helicopter ride down the Mediterranean coast to Monaco itself.

As you approach the heliport in the Fontvielle district, you'll see all of the city-state's grandeur laid out before you: Monaco-ville, the Old City built on a rocky prominence challenging the sea, highlighted by the palace of Prince Ranier III; the port district of La Condamine, stippled with million-dollar yachts; mountainous Moneghetti with its exotic gardens; and of course Monte Carlo, home of the famous Grand Casino.

For the next week or more, this will be the playground of your dreams, whether those run to quiet strolls through manicured gardens or dance-till-dawn partying at famed nightclubs like Jimmy'z or Parady'z. In Monaco, elegance isn't an option: it's a foregone conclusion. People dress to impress as they try their luck in the Casino (Agent 007 never looked out of place in a tux), or even just to sip an espresso and people-watch at the Cafe de Paris. Monaco likes to call its hotels "legendary," but in this case, it's not just hype: The opulent Hotel de Paris...

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