Golf holidays - Valencia
Valencia has it all: a delightful old city, a modern science park, huge sandy beaches and a seaside resort, three private Golf Clubs in town and more outside the suburbs, glorious Spanish weather - what's not to like? Mysteriously Valencia remains largely undiscovered as a golf destination; who knows why? Yes, there are tourists wandering the streets and Fairways but the voices you hear are predominantly Spanish – perhaps they’re keeping the secret to themselves? With plenty of flights to Valencia (and Castillon too), why not make Valencia the discovery of this year?
The historic centre of Valencia is quite compact and all the main sights (Cathedral, Market Hall, Bullring etc.) can be walked around in a day. In the evening the streets come alive with hundreds of tapas bars and restaurants ready to satisfy even the most voracious appetite with delicious Valencian fare.
And don't overlook the fact that Valencia lies on the Med and has superb sandy beaches - so pack you bathers!
The old centre of Valencia is a kilometre from the Mediterranean but the city has spread east so that the dazzling new science park is very close to the Valencian beaches. With a few bars and restaurants along the seashore you could even have a beach-based golf holiday in Valencia as there are a few seaside hotels too.
Valencia - Golf Clubs
Like many large cities, there are some excellent golf courses around Valencia that you may never have heard of? The big names are El Bosque, Escorpion and El Saler. Being close to a wealthy and expanding population they enjoy a lively local membership that ensures the Club is frequented all year round, so the courses are kept in good condition and lends them all a very pleasant 'Golf Club' feel.
Valencia is proud to be the home of Spain's only links course - El Saler, which has even hosted the Spanish Open on several occasions. El Saler also has a modern Parador hotel on-site, so if you would like to stay out-of-town, near the paella-fields of El Palmar, El Saler is the spot for you. There are also a few others golf courses around Valencia that you may not have heard about either: La Galiana and Foressos. The former is a simply stunning mountain course that has to be played to be believed!
And, if you are prepared to cast your golfing net a little further afield and head south an hour's drive will bring you to Sergio Garcia's family-run Meditteraneo course (and tennis Club), which provides a great test of golf in the hills.
For resort-based golf holidays close to Valencia, head south towards the attractive old town of Denia. Here you will come across two 18-hole resorts with big hotels on-site: the prairie-like Oliva Nova and the more topographically interseting La Sella (with a spare nine-holes to boot). Both of these resorts offer easy access to the golf course and poolside relaxation!
Valencia - what to see, do, eat and drink
North of Valencia are long sandy beaches festooned with holiday apartment blocks and filled with families enjoying a beach holiday in the hot Summer months.
Heading south, towards El Saler, the terrain becomes much more interesting. First you will traverse the extensive wetlands of the Albufera National Reserve that teem with exotic wildfowl and paddy fields (paella is always the dish-of-the-day around here!).
Here and there little villages, like El Palmar, seem to float amongst the rice fields and whose streets are filled with nothing but restaurants serving paella and another local favourite - peppered eels: get there early on a Sunday as the whole of Valencia seems to head this way for lunch!
Before or after lunch you could take a boat trip along the canals on one of the brightly painted fishing smacks that may have caught your eye - and possibly caught your lunch too?!?
Keep an eye out for one of Valencia's most famous delicacies 'El Farton'; a simple tube of light fluffy sweet pastry that goes perfectly with a glass of the milky, cinnamon-spiced 'Horchata' (or a cafe con leche if you prefer?). Top-tip: best sampled in the delightful surroundings of the classic 'Horchateria di Santa Caterina' near the Cathedral.
Golf holidays Denia, La Sella & Oliva Nova
Further south, the hills begin around the old village of Denia with its small but pretty centre of little lanes that are filled every evening with the chatter of diners enjoying the warm Spanish air.
There are long sandy beaches here too and three very good golf courses as well: Oliva Nova, La Sella and the unique La Galiana. There are plush, resort-style hotels at both La Sella and Oliva Nova: if you prefer more of a quiet locals' place to stay then ask us about some of the smaller hotels in and around Denia.
For a resort style holiday the accommodation at Oliva Nova is exactly what you might expert and allows you to step onto the First Tee straight from the breakfast buffet! La Sella has a better class of accommodation and is very close to the lovely old town of Denia, making it our preferred golf resort in the area.
Getting to Valencia
The delights of a golf holiday in Valencia could not be easier to get to with so many flights these days not just to Valencia but now to Castillon (della Plana) too (very handy for Meditteraneo Golf Club).
Flying into Valencia will leave you just half-an-hour from your hotel (or First Tee): from Castillon it will take about an hour on the the autopista to get to Valencia and an extra half-an-hour to carry on down to Denia, Oliva Nova and La Sella.
