Unique Casino Experiences
Adding casinos to your tour destinations can add an entirely new dimension to your travel. Throughout the world, casinos offer a wide mix of luxury, spectacle, history, and entertainment. Travellers will frequently find that casinos provide excellent value for lodging and meals. They are also home to some of the most exciting and varied shopping experiences available.
Our list of casinos should be on any traveller’s list. They offer truly unique experiences on a scale that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
The Most Famous
The mere mention of The Monte Carlo Casino evokes an image of old world elegance and charm. Arguably the most luxurious and well known casino in the world, the Monte Carlo opened in the 1860’s and quickly became a favourite destination for Europe’s aristocrats and royalty.
The casino is home to Les Ballets de Monte Carlo and an opera house, the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, which dates back to the 1870s. The casino is a preferred viewing area for the Monaco Grand Prix and has hosted numerous poker tournament events, most notably the EPT. It’s only fitting that the prestigious EPT Grand Final is held at the Monte Carlo Casino each year, where it attracts poker’s most elite players from around the world and awards huge prizes.
The amenities of the casino include a spa, restaurants worthy of Monte Carlo’s reputation, and even helicopter service for some guests. It has been featured in movies as varied as James Bond’s GoldenEye and Disney’s Cars II. Experiencing the epitome of old world and new world elegance is well worth the €10 entrance fee. (Be sure to take your passport or photo ID as residents of Monaco are not allowed to visit the casino propertly.)
The Art Museum
The Bellagio in Las Vegas, inspired by the Lake Como, Italy town of the same name, is one of world’s most luxurious casinos. The entrance is dominated by the casino’s iconic dancing fountains. Inside, visitors are greeted by world-class art at almost every turn.
The first piece to grab guests’ attention is the massive Don Chihuly chandelier called Fiori di Como which consists of 2,000 hand blown glass blossoms. Chihuly’s glass sculptures are found throughout the resort.
The Picasso restaurant provides gourmet cuisine to diners who are surrounded by original Picasso Artwork, although the main exhibit area is the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art. Among the ever-changing exhibitions, there have been works by Warhol, Monet masterpieces, Picasso ceramics, and an exhibition of the Kremlin’s Faberge Eggs.
The Bellagio also features a Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.
Wild Life and Gaming
One of the largest game reserves in Africa is the Kruger National Park in South Africa. Some areas of the park were first protected by the government in the late 1800s, and it became the first South African national park in 1926. The park has been designated as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Just a few kilometres away is the Emnotweni Casino in the mountains of Nelspruit. The relatively small resort (only 109 rooms) on the Crocodile River is perfect for those that are looking for relaxation, fine dining and entertainment after a photo safari. The child friendly resort has casual and fine dining options, a children-only area, comedy clubs and a movie theatre.
The Artificial Wonders of the World
Our last recommendation is the collection of 33 casinos in Macau, which is quickly becoming a major tourist destination. Many predict Macau will soon surpass Las Vegas in terms of casino tourism, and in terms of revenue, the Chinese city has already become the world’s gaming leader.
Macau casinos are among the most lavish and unusual in the world. Each of the casinos is a marvel of technology and light, and all are a treat for the senses, boasting regular entertainment and nightclubs to please any taste. The Venetian is the most expensive casino ever built and features some of the most exclusive shops in the world along a man-made canal. The City of Dreams has three themed hotels and is known for its trademark attraction The House of Dancing Water, the world’s largest water-based production. The Casino Lisboa has an ever-changing light show exterior. At the Wynn, the Tree of Prosperity regularly “grows” from a section of the casino floor until it reaches one of the most impressive chandeliers in the world.
photo credit: Chris Gansen via photopin cc
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