Jardin Exotique de Monaco, Cliffside botanical garden in Monaco.

Jardin Exotique de Monaco is a botanical garden perched on Mediterranean cliffs, arranged in steep terraces that follow the natural slope. It houses one of the world's largest collections of desert succulents and cacti, with plants organized by geographical origin across the hillside.

Prince Albert I commissioned the garden's construction in 1912, with engineer Louis Notari overseeing the project on the steep cliffsides. The excavation work unexpectedly revealed a network of caves beneath the site, which contained signs of ancient human settlement in the region.

The Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology, established by Prince Albert I in 1901 and moved into the garden in 1959, displays artifacts excavated from the garden's own grotto, uncovered in 1916. One room is devoted to prehistoric finds from Monaco and its surroundings. The grotto itself, opened to visitors in 1950, holds stalactites, stalagmites and columns between 98 and 40 metres in altitude.

The garden has been closed since 2020 for renovation and cliff stabilization, with reopening planned for spring 2026; check before visiting. The grotto is only accessible on guided tours, descending from 98 m to 40 m. The botanical center remained open during the closure.

The grotto was found in 1916 during construction, in the garden's eastern section, and opened to guided visits in 1950. Its chambers descend from 98 m to 40 m above sea level, nearly to the sea, and hold stalactites, stalagmites, draperies and columns. Prehistoric human traces found there are shown in the Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology, moved into the garden in 1959.