Faced with a virtually non-existent tourist trade, merchants on the Rock are organising a series of festive evenings to encourage locals to visit Monaco’s historic heart and help support small businesses.
The Rock is traditionally one of the busiest areas of Monaco, a hotspot for tourists who flock to see the Palace, Cathedral and Oceanographic Museum, and to wander through the charming streets of the old town.
However, amidst the Covid-19 crisis and the cancellation of cruise ships into Monaco, visitor numbers are barely registering.
Now, the shopkeepers and restaurateurs have joined forces with UCAM (Union des Commercants et Artisans de Monaco) to organise festivities in an effort to attract locals and inject some money into small businesses.
The first edition of Jeudis du Rocher will take place on Thursday 16th July and feature entertainment from the Prince’s Carabinieri Orchestra trio. Shops will be open until 8pm and a happy hour will be offered from 6pm to 8pm.
In addition to reintroducing the Rock to locals, it is hoped the evenings will help boost morale among disheartened retailers and restaurateurs, as they wait anxiously for the tourists to return.