Golf Vacations in Galicia

The Spanish province Galicia is situated between the Atlantic Ocean and the Cantabrian Sea and can look back on a 2000-year-old history. The Romans called the Nord-West-End of Spain Finisterre, the „Endland“. It were those who build the city walls of Lugo and the Hercules Tower of A Coruña, the Celts who built the Pallozas, Galicia‘s thatched quarrystone houses, and the Suebes likely gave the country its name „Gallaeci“. It is the only country that managed to keep free of the Moorish occupation and therefore enabled its own cultural growth.

The visitors are especially keen on the monumental richness of cities like Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Lugo, Ourense, Pontevedra, Ferrol and Vigo. The capital city Santiago de Compostela with the gravestone of the Apostle James, Spain‘s patron saint, above which the famous cathedral is situated, is of special importance. Even today it is a great destination for pilgrims.

Galicia is also the land of the 1,000 rivers, nature reserves and national parks, for example the national park of the Atlantic islands, which was only just opened in 2002. Uncountable long, winding rivers, ridges of hills, jagged mountainous, bays (Rias) that deeply indented into the land are the characteristics. Green is the dominant colour. Besides the blue-grey sea and the not always blue colour of the sky this northern part of Spain is much more diverse than the traditional Spain. In Galicia the edges between earth and sea are fluent. Both elements meet each other at the 1,300 km long coast with 722 beaches and 5 big arms of the sea.

Furthermore, now the South of the autonomous Province also attracts more strongly – around the area of the Ribeira Sacra. The canyon-rich area between the provinces Lugo and Ourense is a stronghold of religious buildings of the Galician Romantic. There are not only monumental convents, churches and pilgrimage chapels which you can admire, but also a few of the most beautiful paradores and local quarters with a special flair.

In the last ten years Galicia changed astonishingly: The rural, ancient Galicia changed into modern, dynamic region with market-oriented, progressive economic sectors. But modern thinking didn‘t at all change the tradition and the people. Despite the change the Galicians preserved their vitality and friendliness also towards strangers. You can feel this hospitality especially at one of the numerous traditional festivals and in the gastronomy. There are mostly fresh and vitamin-rich products used in the cuisine.

The health journeys are new to the touristic offer – from the thermal regime to the Thalasso therapy.

Already the Romans found the thermal-water sources and built the first facilities of which there are still a few standing today. In the 18th and 19th century the thermal culture really came to life and regime baths and hotel facilities with the practise of regime were built. Today there are 30 regime baths and thermal springs – from one star to four star hotels. Diverse sea water treatments and an authentic Thalasso therapy are thereby at the fore.

Friends of the white ball now also discovered this region for golfing, especially because of the perfect possibilities of arrival on the three airports.

Golfing manifests itself in Galicia with all in all 15 courses which spread over four provinces. In Pontevedra, for instance, there are „magnitudes“ like the Club de Golf Ria de Vigo with 18 holes and 6-holes of Pitch & Putt. It is majestically situated above the narrows „Estrecho de Rande“ with view on the Ria de Vigo with its „batéas“ (used for oyster farming). The Golf Course A Toxa – a links course, if there ever was one – is situated in the middle of an island of the ria de Arousa near O Grove. Indeed A Toxa has only 9 holes, but those are rather challenging. 5 out of 9 holes are influenced by coast and sea. And, to make everything perfect, the Galicians established with the 5th hole an island green on the island golf course. This hole, „Punta Cabreira“, was only recently elected Spain‘s most beautiful golf hole.

The 18 holes of the Golf Club Balneario de Mondariz which was only just opened in 2000, are situated in the thermal bath Mondariz, embedded in the beautiful Tea-Valley. The golf course was designed by Álvaro Arana on the former terrain of one of the biggest kiwi-plantations in Europe.

In the province A Coruña you certainly shouldn‘t miss the city of the same name with its glass balconies and the Club de Golf de A Coruña „La Zapateira“. It is a true prestige course where you play like in a botanical garden.

You can also play golf in the place of pilgrimage Santiago de Compostela. The second 9 holes for a 18-hole championship course were now finished on the course of the Real Aero Club de Santiago. The course is situated close to the Monte de Grozo, the place from where the pilgrim will see the destination of his journey for the first time, the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.

The provinces Lugo and Ourense complete the list of Galician golf courses with four 9-hole courses each. Notable is also the public course of the Fundación Monte Castrove which is also called Club de Golf de Meis. It is carried by a foundation of 8 communes and the Spanish Golfing Union and is situated 500 metres above sea level on a wooded mountain with nice views on the Ria de Pontevedra and the vineyards of O Salnes, where the vines of the Denominación de Origen, the refreshing Albariño-vine grow.

A journey with culture, enjoyment, golf and wellness – Have a nice game!