Bees are buzzing back into the spotlight this June as Monaco celebrates APIdays, a national event with a sweet message: our buzzing friends need love, protection, and a bit of celebration too.

On Friday 13th and Saturday 14th June, from 9am to 5pm, the Jardin de l’Unesco in Fontvieille will transform into a lively hive of activity, welcoming families, nature lovers and curious passers-by to explore the world of bees. This year’s theme, Bees and flowers, love stories to save, is as charming as it is urgent, reminding us just how vital pollinators are to our planet’s balance.

Since 2011, Monaco has worked with the French National Beekeeping Union (UNAF) through the Abeille, sentinelle de l’environnement programme. The Principality now hosts several high-tech hives that gather important data on the health of local bee populations — a task more crucial than ever with pesticides, monoculture, climate change and invasive predators like the Asian hornet threatening their survival.

But APIdays isn’t just about facts and figures. It’s a hands-on, honey-scented adventure. Kids and adults alike can roll up their sleeves for honey extraction workshops, make their own beeswax candles, and dive into the fascinating universe of the hive through fun games and learning stations.

It’s the kind of event that turns education into an experience, and a weekend stroll into a chance to fall in love with nature all over again. So bring the kids, invite your neighbours, and get ready to meet the most hardworking creatures in Monaco — the bees.

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Photo source: Government Communication Department