In a time where sought-after summer holidays are attainable once again after such trying times, many keen holidaymakers are throwing themselves back into travel and life experiences with gusto. Many people, when travelling abroad, look for fine dining restaurants, exciting activities and endless ways to entertain themselves while they are away from home and one of the more popular pursuits for night-time entertainment is undoubtedly the casino.
Often blending a heady mix of live entertainment, elegant eateries lavish accommodations, and of course, the casino itself with a range of card tables, games and slot machines, heading to a casino for an evening is a sure-fire way to provide you with plenty of unforgettable moments during your holiday.
From Portugal to Monaco, Europe has an array of refined casinos to head to after a day spent designer shopping, yacht-hopping and soaking up the sun and British Gambler has a handy UK online casino guide so that you can swot up on a game or two before your travel to ensure that the moment you walk into any elegant casino, you can get stuck in straight away.
Here, we take a look at some of the popular casinos in summer European holiday destinations to head to for an evening of unbridled entertainment.
Italy
We start in the country where it all began. Opened in 1638, the Casino di Venezia, which sits on the Grand Canal in Venice, started life as a theatre and boasted a wing which hosted gamblers during the intermissions of plays. Still in operation today, patrons can enjoy elegant dining and play table games and slots overlooking the canal.
Said to be the biggest casino in Italy, another great option for gamblers is the Casino de la Vallee – St. Vincent, which boasts no less than 90 table games, two poker tables and a whopping 600 gaming and video poker machines. Another highly rated offering is the Casino de Sanremo on the coast and not far from Nice in France. This large casino sits in an Art Nouveau building and hosts games including blackjack, French roulette, Punto Banco and Hold‘em poker.
Monaco
No list would be complete without including the legendary Monte Carlo – the setting for true glamour on the coast. The famous Casino de Monte-Carlo – an elegant offering in the upmarket Principality of Monaco – is the epitome of luxury, while those searching for a little Vegas style opulence should seek out Sun Casino. Slot machine afficionados should head to the paradisical Casino Café de Paris, while the Monte-Carlo Bay Casino should not be missed when making your way around the compact, upscale area. On top of this, visitors can stay in a range of five-star hotels, dine in some fantastic restaurants and enjoy many an exciting activity, day or night.
Spain
A large and varied country comprising many different regions and islands to please any visitor, Spain gets plenty of recognition for its delightful food, stunning cities and world-class beaches, but it also holds a great selection of casinos, too. Casino Gran Madrid Torrelodones comes very well rated – 4.2 out of 5 with over 1,800 Google reviews – proving that the capital city based casino really is the place to go when visiting Madrid. Expect a smart dress code for roulette, baccarat and poker and enjoy elegant dining and plenty of slots too.
If you like to place a bet an any given time throughout the day, then Casino Cirsa Valencia certainly fits the bill with its handy 24-hour opening time. ONE Valencia is the resident restaurant serving up delightful cuisine (though currently temporarily closed) while visitors can expect to see shows in between heading to the gaming room.
Portugal
The sunny Algarve, thriving Lisbon, delectable food and wine; Portugal is a well-known holiday hot spot, for good reason, and the casino offering is quite impressive, too. Casino Estoril and Casino Lisboa come highly rated from previous visitors to both establishments, with the former proudly standing as the largest entertainment complex in the whole country. Containing halls to host events and concerts, an art gallery and a terrific Chinese restaurant, patrons will find the whole package here. Casino Lisboa is a trendy offering with glass walls and is served by four nearby hotels. Try your hand at roulette, blackjack, Caribbean stud poker, baccarat and more in between bar and restaurant hopping.
Please gamble responsibly (18+ UK) – check age restrictions before participating
