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We compare the 3 Clay Masters Tournaments for your next Tennis Vacation or Honeymoon!
We give our tips, photos, and fan perspective on Monte-Carlo, Rome, and Madrid.
Spring - Summer Europe Tennis Tickets
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Spring - Summer Europe Tennis Tickets
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Monte-Carlo
The Crown Jewel of the French Rivera. See our fun Monaco and Nice trip photos for ideas.
Travel
It is best to take a flight into Nice, France and then the train about 20 mins to the special stop they open only during the Tournament. Here is the ATP Behind the Scenes short video tour.
Find a nice AirBnB near the Nice station or French side to save some money. I splurged and pulled a few strings for the full experience from the hillside balcony.
Be warned, the French transportation system was on strike several days out of the week (listed on a schedule) when I was there. You may need to find a bus or an expensive $50 taxi to get back on those days.
Food
Should you want to wine and dine at the tournament, there is plenty of white tablecloth options on site with a great view of the center court from above.
For a quick lunch, there is a small food market deli called "Casino" which sells a lunch combo. Get a sandwich, drink, and/or dessert (for 3, 6 and 9 Euros respectively).
All the locals know where it is located and the tournament will let you take in your own lunch as long as it is small and in a container.
Center Stadium and Side Courts
The Court de Princes is a separate ticket in a more secluded venue. I actually enjoyed the 3rd stadium (the equivalent of the old Grandstand at the US Open).
You can sit wherever you want and get pretty close to players such as Lopez. The high bounce of this clay favors Nadal who has won it 11 times! They should just change the national flag to Spain when he arrives.
Travel
It is best to take a flight into Nice, France and then the train about 20 mins to the special stop they open only during the Tournament. Here is the ATP Behind the Scenes short video tour.
Find a nice AirBnB near the Nice station or French side to save some money. I splurged and pulled a few strings for the full experience from the hillside balcony.Be warned, the French transportation system was on strike several days out of the week (listed on a schedule) when I was there. You may need to find a bus or an expensive $50 taxi to get back on those days.
FoodShould you want to wine and dine at the tournament, there is plenty of white tablecloth options on site with a great view of the center court from above.
For a quick lunch, there is a small food market deli called "Casino" which sells a lunch combo. Get a sandwich, drink, and/or dessert (for 3, 6 and 9 Euros respectively).
All the locals know where it is located and the tournament will let you take in your own lunch as long as it is small and in a container.
Center Stadium and Side Courts
The Court de Princes is a separate ticket in a more secluded venue. I actually enjoyed the 3rd stadium (the equivalent of the old Grandstand at the US Open).
You can sit wherever you want and get pretty close to players such as Lopez. The high bounce of this clay favors Nadal who has won it 11 times! They should just change the national flag to Spain when he arrives.
The main practice courts are usually teaming with kids up and down the castle walls trying to see Nadal. Since there are only the top male players in this tournament, the selection is pretty good but the small alleys can be tight and crowded.
Map and Walking Tour
The main entrance and the center stadium take up the entire Right Half.
It is better to make your way down the small hill and walk around the top thin green line marking where all the food, shops are located. The practice courts are all on a grid of 3 islands with 2 courts each along the bottom shown with the dotted lines. The 2nd and 3rd stadiums are nearby each other at the top left corner - there are usually better matches playing there the first few rounds.
Art of Traveling Light
Security is extremely tight getting there and lines can be long to get in so plan ahead to go early. It is best to travel light and not bring a backpack unless absolutely necessary. You will thank me later. There is a convenient bag check service out front which is very nice but space is limited - but for just one Euro you cannot beat it!
Above is an edited map of the venue. The green arrows show the paths where I typically recommend staying. The main practice court areas are a 2x3 area where most of the fans can watch from only the near side (as the backcourts are blocked off to the public but visible).
You will see a lot more tennis if you stay near the Eastern Half. The 3rd stadium is all the way at the end. Below are more photos taken from the Grounds and Fan areas. I recommend coming from the back or side entrances located at the South East end as there can be a bottleneck in front just before the day or night session starts.
Main Stadium
It is best to have a ticket in hand before you approach to get inside because you will be at the tip of the Giant Triangle that is the Foro Italico. Usually, this is where more of the box seat holders will go and typically only stay here. The view is very steep in traditional Collosium fashion for dramatic angles.
The cafe style restaurants are easy ways to grab a quick bite and drink. There is lots of small table seating on the Lower Left side near the grass. Be warned, a LOT of people smoke in Rome - that's just their thing so just make a note of it.
There are lots of kid-friendly activities like riding the Train, playing some tennis in the Kids zone near the main entrance, meeting the Rome Open Duck mascot. See my reasons for picking Rome as the top clay court Masters for 2016 as well as cool sights to see on a Segway in the city at night (if you are tired from all the walking).
Map and Box Layout
The entire campus is laid out like a giant Grid floating on a large lake. The main and 2nd stadiums are adjacent on a 2 level structure. To reach the side and practice courts, walk down to the lower level and walk across a small bridge walkway that splits the court into two halves.
Security is extremely tight getting there and lines can be long to get in so plan ahead to go early. It is best to travel light and not bring a backpack unless absolutely necessary. You will thank me later. There is a convenient bag check service out front which is very nice but space is limited - but for just one Euro you cannot beat it!
Italian Open (Rome)
2nd Stadium (my favorite) at the Foro Italico
Crowds are seated closer together and in this "sunken" stadium.
There are no bad seats here and even walking by above, you can hear all the shots and crowd reactions intimately. This is very much the People's Court with lots of true tennis fans.
Crowds are seated closer together and in this "sunken" stadium.
There are no bad seats here and even walking by above, you can hear all the shots and crowd reactions intimately. This is very much the People's Court with lots of true tennis fans.
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| Italian Open Tennis Map - Green Arrows show my recommended viewing paths for fans |
You will see a lot more tennis if you stay near the Eastern Half. The 3rd stadium is all the way at the end. Below are more photos taken from the Grounds and Fan areas. I recommend coming from the back or side entrances located at the South East end as there can be a bottleneck in front just before the day or night session starts.
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| Main Entrance View of Stadium |
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| View from inside the Main Court |
It is best to have a ticket in hand before you approach to get inside because you will be at the tip of the Giant Triangle that is the Foro Italico. Usually, this is where more of the box seat holders will go and typically only stay here. The view is very steep in traditional Collosium fashion for dramatic angles.
The cafe style restaurants are easy ways to grab a quick bite and drink. There is lots of small table seating on the Lower Left side near the grass. Be warned, a LOT of people smoke in Rome - that's just their thing so just make a note of it.There are lots of kid-friendly activities like riding the Train, playing some tennis in the Kids zone near the main entrance, meeting the Rome Open Duck mascot. See my reasons for picking Rome as the top clay court Masters for 2016 as well as cool sights to see on a Segway in the city at night (if you are tired from all the walking).
Madrid Open
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| Magic Box - Madrid Open with closable roof |
The stadium is only a short walk downhill from the Madrid Metro.
The entire campus is laid out like a giant Grid floating on a large lake. The main and 2nd stadiums are adjacent on a 2 level structure. To reach the side and practice courts, walk down to the lower level and walk across a small bridge walkway that splits the court into two halves.
