Andalucía is one of Europe’s most popular tourist destinations, for many reasons: its climate; its beaches; its hotel infrastructure, one of the finest ranges of accommodation in Europe; its wide and varied range of leisure activities to satisfy even the most demanding needs of the traveller; its excellent communications by air, road and rail, making travel times short and the experience comfortable; its leisure marine ports; its cultural legacy; the friendliness and hospitality of its people; its flamenco…and, of course, its golf.

There are 117 golf courses in Andalucía, more than in any other Spanish region (30 per cent of all the courses in Spain), and 70 are located on the Costa del Sol, also known as the “Costa del Golf”.

With unrivalled mild weather all year round, golf lovers are able to enjoy the highest concentration of golf courses in continental Europe, including the finest of them all, Valderrama, and several others rated among the best in Europe. Some of them have been designed by top names such as Robert Trent Jones, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Severiano Ballesteros; and have been the venues for some the game’s most important tournaments, including the Ryder Cup, American Express World Golf Championship, World Cup, Volvo World Match Play Championship, Volvo Masters and Spanish Open.

 

COSTA DEL SOL, COSTA DEL GOLF

Half of Andalucía’s golf courses are located in Málaga province, along whose coastline stretches the famous Costa del Sol. The main attractions of this coastal area, which welcomes more than eight million tourists a year, are – apart from golf – extremely varied: gastronomy, beaches, marine ports, nightlife, shopping, typical villages, historical buildings… Marbella (the Costa del Sol’s most international municipality), Estepona, Mijas and Benahavís are home to most of the courses in the province, though the sport can also be enjoyed in many other Málaga areas.

The capital city of Málaga, birthplace of Pablo Picasso and site of the magnificent museum dedicated to Guernica’s creator, offers beaches, a bustling night-time atmosphere and an outstanding range of historical buildings and monuments, including the cathedral and La Alcazaba.

Located in Málaga municipality are the El Candado, Guadalhorce and Real Club de Campo de Málaga (better known as the Parador) golf courses. The Costa del Sol’s pioneer course, and one of the oldest in Spain (having been founded in 1925), Real Club de Málaga extends along the beach and is close to Málaga’s airport.

Málaga capital’s tourist attractions are numerous, and are by no means limited to the city’s historical facet. The La Concepción botanical gardens, on the city outskirts, are a delight to the senses and feature a collection of unique species in Europe. Founded by the Phoenicians as “Malaka”, the city retains the vestiges of the different cultures that populated it over the centuries.

The Costa del Sol’s most cosmopolitan city, Marbella is a tourist must, especially for golfers. In fact, it has the most golf courses of any municipality in Spain: 16 in all. In bustling Puerto Banús, home to ostentatious yachts worth millions of euros, or in any of the fashionable restaurants or terrace bars and lounges, you could find yourself rubbing shoulders with famous people from the glossy magazines and TV programmes.

The “Golf Valley”, a superb area situated behind Puerto Banús in the Nueva Andalucía macro-urbanisation, includes Las Brisas, Los Naranjos, La Quinta, Aloha and La Dama de Noche, where you can play in the evening thanks to its artificial lighting system. Close by is the Guadalmina club, which has two 18-hole courses. Within one kilometre of the centre of Marbella is Monte Paraíso, and just past the city, in the direction of Málaga, is Río Real, whose picturesque course winds down to the sea. A little further along, near the Costa del Sol Hospital, is Santa Clara Golf and Marbella Golf. Greenlife Golf, Santa María Golf, El Soto and Capopino Golf are situated at the eastern part of the municipality.

Marbella has become renowned throughout the world as a high-class tourist destination. Apart from its hotel infrastructure – an unrivalled concentration of four and five-star establishments – the municipality is also blessed with a privileged natural environment and, above all else, an unsurpassed micro-climate.

Marbella’s 27 kilometres of coastline are dotted with three marine ports (Cabopino, Marbella and Banús) and a charming fishing port, which is also home to recreational vessels.

After Marbella, Mijas has the second highest number of golf courses in Málaga province, with 12. Standing out as a popular destination for tourists is Mijas Golf. This expansive complex has two 18-hole golf courses. The same is the case for La Cala, which has 54 holes and a six-hole par-three layout. One of the latest additions to Mijas’s golf amenities is Santana Golf, a magnificent 18-hole course set in a former avocado farm. Also newly opened are the    18-hole El Chaparral and Calanova. There are three nine-hole golf courses: La   Noria, La Siesta   and Miraflores.

Mijas is known for its large colony of foreign residents, immaculately maintained town centre, typically Andalucian architecture, spectacular views over the Mediterranean and a whole variety of other attractions.

Benahavís is a picturesque mountain municipality much admired, among other reasons, for its gastronomy, which can be savoured at one of the many restaurants. Not surprisingly, the village is popularly known as “The Coast’s Restaurant”. Obviously, it is charming in many ways, from the typical Andalucian “pueblo” houses and streets to the natural landscape stretching out to the municipal limits, which border Marbella and Estepona.

In spite of being a small village, as far as number of residents is concerned (a little over 5,000), the municipality spreads out expansively, with 11 golf courses. The hilly terrain forms an integral part of each of these courses.

Estepona is another municipality with impressive golf facilities: Atalaya (two 18-hole courses); El Paraíso, designed by Gary Player; Estepona Golf; Coto de la Serena; La Resina and El Campanario. Tradition and modernity blend together perfectly in this small city, with an “old town” that retains its Andalucian charm – narrow streets, whitewashed houses and flower-bedecked balconies.

One of the main centres of activity in the municipality is the marine port, located at the western end of the town. It comprises 400 mooring berths and a lively day and nightlife thanks to the presence of numerous establishments.

Gastronomy is another of Estepona’s “main dishes”. It would be difficult not to find a restaurant to satisfy your tastes, as there are no less than 200 in the municipality.

 

CÁDIZ, CAPITAL OF THE GOLDEN AGE

Cádiz is the most southerly of Andalucía’s eight provinces and its capital is the oldest city in the western world. According to Greek legend, the city was founded by Hercules, though in actual fact it was the Phoenicians who named it Gadir in 1100 BC.

For a time during Spain’s Golden Age, following the discovery of America, Cádiz was Spain’s prime entry port for ships sailing to and from the New World. At one time Cádiz was the capital of Spain. You can still see the buildings of the merchants, the 18th century cathedral, the old quarter, the San Felipe Neri which housed the Spanish parliament when it approved the 1812 Constitution, and the Santa Cueva Chapel with its paintings by Goya.

The whole province has a seafaring flavour, for it fronts onto both the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. Close to Doñana National Park is the newly opened Sanlúcar Club de Campo. Just near the city of Cádiz is Puerto de Santa María, where Columbus’s ship the Santa María was fitted out before her “Voyage of Discovery” to the New World. Puerto de Santa María also offers a casino, water park and nine-hole golf course at Vistahermosa. To the south on the coast, at Vejer-Barbate, is the Dehesa Montenmedio golf complex.

Another coastal municipality in the province is Tarifa, the most southerly town in continental Europe and a favourite among windsurfers because of its strong winds. There are old walls around the town and a Moorish castle, though most visitors are drawn to the wide sandy beaches.

 

Chiclana, too, has beautiful beaches and is also notable for its extensive salt flats. Just off the coast is the island of Sancti Petri with its 13th century castle. Excellent accommodation, windsurfing and golf are to be found here, notably at the Ballesteros-designed course at Novo Sancti Petri, as well as Golf Gran Meliá Sancti Petri and Lomas de Sancti Petri. The El Campano course is nearby and it is only a 30-minute drive to Costa Ballena, designed by José María Olazábal.

Inland lies Jerez de la Frontera, famous for its sherry and Andalucian horses. It is also home to the Montecastillo golf resort and Sherry Golf Jerez. Between Jerez and the Costa del Sol is an area called the “Ruta del Toro”. This is bull breeding country but, halfway along, there is also golf at Benalup.

For golfers, the area around San Roque near Gibraltar is particularly interesting. The list of courses here includes Valderrama, Real Club de Golf Sotogrande, San Roque Club Old and New, Alcaidesa Links and Alcaidesa Valleys, La Cañada, Almenara and La Reserva de Sotogrande.

 

ALMERÍA, A LAND OF DRAMATIC CONTRASTS

The province of Almería is no stranger to foreign visitors, and present-day tourists are fortunate that their forerunners – Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans, Carthaginians and Moors – left behind so much of their cultures.

One need look no farther than the red stone of the Moorish Alcazaba rising above the city of Almería, an enormous structure which dominates the city skyline and whose construction took 20,000 men. Indeed, it was the Moors who founded this city and, under the Omayyad Caliphate, it became the most important seaport in Iberia. Then came the Reconquest under the Catholic Monarchy, who later built Almería’s impressive cathedral.

The countryside of Almería is a study in contrasts. Its 230 kilometres of Mediterranean coastline are dotted with limestone cliffs and volcanic outcrops punctuated by long stretches of sandy beaches and little coves. In the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Nature Park, Andalucía’s largest sea-land reserve, skin diving and saltwater fishing are popular activities in its crystal-clear waters; while farther inland the landscapes are mountainous, arid and volcanic. The Tabernas desert, only 40 kilometres from the provincial capital, bears such a close resemblance to the deserts of New Mexico that it was the backdrop for scores of “spaghetti westerns”. To the west are mountain slopes, pine forests, trout streams and the soaring Sierra Nevada mountain range.

Tourism today is mainly centred on the city of Almería and the towns of Roquetas de Mar, Aguadulce and El Ejido. Almerimar is an outstanding resort centre with all kinds of sports facilities. As for the province’s golf courses, whose lush greenery provides a stark contrast with the dry Almerian countryside, especially in summer, these include Almerimar, designed by Gary Player, Playa Serena in Roquetas del Mar, Cortijo Grande in Turre, La Envía near the capital, Huercal, Marina de la Torre, Desert Springs, Golf Valle del Este, Aguilón and Playa Macenas.

 

HUELVA, WHERE THE NEW WORLD BEGAN

Visually and historically, the province of Huelva is a multicoloured mosaic. The sights range from the greens and browns of the woodlands and pastures to the white-capped waves of the Atlantic, and from the golden beaches of the seashore to the vivid greens of the golf courses.

It was from Palos de la Frontera in Huelva that Christopher Columbus set sail on 3 August 1492 on his historic first trip to the New World.

It was in this province that the first game of golf was played in Spain, by British mining engineers at the Río Tinto mines. The makeshift course they built was moved several times until it was sited on what is now the nine-hole Corta Atalaya layout. The province now boasts an additional 10 courses at Bellavista, Islantilla, Dunas de Doñana, Isla Canela, Corta Atalaya, Nuevo Portil, El Rompido (two courses) and Costa Esuri (two courses).

Huelva’s greatest natural treasure – and one of the greatest treasures of all mankind– is the National Park of Doñana, which in 1980 was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.

 

SEVILLA, ANDALUCIA’S CAPITAL CITY

Expo 92 placed the city of Sevilla front and centre on the world stage, but visitors soon find that its surrounding province is also fascinating.

Golf is a relative newcomer to the list of Sevilla’s attractions as, although the private Pineda Club dates back to 1939, it was the province’s only course until the 1990s. Nonetheless, the popularity of the game is growing rapidly and the past decade has seen the construction of several additional courses.

But the focal point of the province is the city of Sevillla itself. Legend has it that Sevilla was founded by Hercules, though archaeological evidence would point to the Tartessians. Many centuries later, following the expulsion of the Moors, Sevilla became the nerve centre of the Spanish empire. It reached the height of its prosperity when the Americas were discovered and its harbour was full of ships laden with gold and silver from the New World.

A stroll through the streets of Andalucia’s capital city is like turning the pages of a history book. From wherever in the city you look you can’t miss La Giralda, the graceful bell-tower located on the site of a mosque built in 1172. Visit the Barrio de Santa Cruz, the old Jewish quarter with its maze of narrow streets next to the cathedral, which is the second largest in Europe. Then there’s the 13th century Torre de Oro, which served as a repository for the New World’s treasures.

Sevilla is famous for its fiestas and ferias, especially the April Fair when the whole city erupts in a riot of colourful celebrations complete with “sevillanas”, flamenco, riders on horseback, a terrific ambience of gaiety and plenty of vino. The Easter Week processions, though far different in character (much more sombre), are also internationally famous.

With five golf courses in all, the province hosted – at the RCG Sevilla – the 2004 World Cup and 2008 and 2010 Spanish Opens, and the 2009 Open de Andalucía.

 

GRANADA, FROM SNOW-CAPPED PEAKS TO SUB-TROPICAL COAST

The scenery in Granada province is absolutely breathtaking. Along its southern flank lie the 103 kilometres of blue Mediterranean coastline called the Costa Tropical, a stretch lined with beaches, sheltered coves, steep cliffs and all manner of attractions for tourists ranging from modern resorts with facilities for yachting, scuba diving and all kinds of water sports to quiet, picturesque little whitewashed villages.

Inland from the coast the terrain becomes steeper and more dramatic as you enter the spectacular snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains, home to the most southerly ski station in Europe, and the magic city of Granada itself with its legendary Alhambra. Thanks to Andalucía’s new highway network, you can reach Granada from the Costa del Sol in under 90 minutes.

Whatever else you do while in Granada, don’t miss the Alhambra. It was built by the Moors of the Nazarite dynasty at a time when Granada was Islam’s last bastion in Spain and today, more than 500 years after the Catholic Monarchs reconquered Granada in 1492, the Alhambra is still considered one of the wonders of the world. Its beautiful courtyards, towers, pools and gardens together constitute one of Spain’s most-visited historical sites, so much so that prospective visitors must book well ahead to see it.

The province has four golf courses.

 

CÓRDOBA, CAPITAL CITY OF AL-ANDALUS

Under the Omayyad Caliphate, when the Moors were at the height of their power in Al-Andalus, Córdoba was their capital. It was a jewel of a city, literally the epicentre of the civilised world at a time when the rest of Europe was in the Dark Ages. Because Córdoba was so densely populated and compact in those days, today’s visitor can enjoy its architectural heritage from the Romans, Moors, Jews and Christians all within one square kilometre.

The road into this historic treasure trove crosses the Guadalquivir River over a superbly preserved 250-metre long Roman bridge, immediately in front of which stands the 1,200-year-old Mezquita, or mosque, for which Córdoba is so famous.

The Roman Catholic Church began the building of a Gothic-Baroque cathedral inside the Mezquita in the 16th century but the king of that time ordered the destruction to be halted, the result being a startling juxtaposition of these two very different cultures. Just around the corner is La Judería, the Jewish quarter whose labyrinthine narrow streets enclose a 14th-century synagogue.

Reflecting the various cultures of its past, Córdoba’s cuisine is rich in dishes rescued from Arab and Hebrew manuscripts, as well as regional dishes.

Throughout the city there are thousands of workshops producing jewellery and silverware, an age-old traditional skill, and the local shops also sell beautiful ceramics. The area around the Mezquita is a souvenir-hunter’s paradise.

There are just two golf courses in Cordoba province.

 

JAÉN, THE NORTHERN FRONTIER

One’s first impression of Jaén province is its kilometres upon kilometres of shimmering olive trees stretching from one horizon to the other. The health-giving properties of olive oil are well documented and visitors are well advised to buy a bottle of “Virgen Extra” – once you’ve tried this on your salad, you’ll never want anything else!

For golfers, Jaén province has little to offer save the nine-hole La Garza course in the municipality of Linares, but for nature-lovers and history buffs it is unique, for Jaén includes Spain’s largest protected area. This is the 214,300-hectare Nature Park of Sierra de Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas, declared a Biosphere Preserve and Special Protection Zone for Birds by the European Union.

Other protected areas include the Sierra de Andujar mountains, the Sierra Mágina and Despeñaperros, whose deep gorges and abrupt mountain scenery are regarded by many as the authentic northern boundary of Andalucía.

The city of Jaén dates back to Paleolithic times. It stands on the flank of the Santa Catalina Hill, on top of which is a renovated fortress which today serves as a Parador, part of the state-owned hotel chain. Other places of interest are the cathedral, a Renaissance masterpiece by Vandelvira, and the Baths of Ali under the Palace of Villardompardo.

Nearby are the medieval towns of Ubeda and Baeza, where visitors can feel they have stepped back literally centuries in time.

 

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