Although it's more a pre-breakfast stroll than a country, Monaco packs a lot of living into a little land. Most of the people who live here come from somewhere else, drawn by the sun, glamourous lifestyle and - most importantly - tax-free income. This is the playground of Europe's elite, a country where lady luck might clean you out at the casino one day and put you on the Grimaldi's guest list the next.

For those whose 'things to pack' list doesn't include a backless ballgown, Monaco can still be a hoot. Although you won't find cheap digs, native culture or untouched wilderness, you can snap up a Prince Rainier commemorative mug, gawk at the limos outside the Casino and surround yourself with topless wannabe starlets on Monte Carlo's beach. Live it up.