When it comes to golf breaks Italy often flies under the radar. It’s hard to understand why for the country is home to some truly outstanding courses. Add in the culture, cuisine, and plethora of beautiful accommodation offerings, and here is a destination that rivals the best that Europe has to offer. Looking to indulge on your next trip? If so here are five luxury Italian golf hotels you need to discover.
Verdura Golf & Spa Resort
Rocco Forte Hotel - Verdura Resort is set on 230 hectares and nearly two kilometres of private Mediterranean coastline.
The three links-style golf courses, all designed by Kyle Phillips, use the natural, green contours of the landscape and are planted with indigenous trees and shrubs.
La Zagara Restaurant - Showcasing the abundant natural produce of the island, accompanied by a fine selection of Sicilian and International wines.
Villa Peonia - There are 47 suites at Verdura. Each one is unique, with design motifs inspired by antique Sicilian maiolica tile and courtyards planted with orange trees.
The thalasso itinerary includes four outdoor pools, heated from 35° to 25° degrees, each with varying salt densities, minerals and organisms.
Verdura Golf and Spa Resort has been described as paradise by European Tour player Álvaro Quirós. With two world-class Kyle Phillips designs, and a 5* experience to rival any resort in Italy, it’s hard to disagree.
Sunny skies and breathtaking scenery combined with a plethora of historical, cultural and gastronomic delights, has long guaranteed that the Italian island is a firm favourite among visitors.
Set along 2km of Sicily’s most pristine coastline, Verdura utilises this glorious setting to create an exclusive and luxurious golf break for all lovers of the game.
There is a private beach, a 60-metre infinity pool, a world-class spa, four restaurants, and much more. Add in three Kyle Phillips golf courses, west, east and nine-hole par-3; and Verdura is a destination not to be missed.
Castelfalfi Golf Resort
Il Castelfalfi is the new 5 star hotel of Toscana Resort Castelfalfi, which offers guests an exclusive experience. A one-of-a-kind hotel that is the emblem of Italian lifestyle and the beautiful nature that surrounds it.
Castelfalfi Golf Club in Tuscany, with its 27 holes, throws down the gauntlet to the most expert players and also guarantees an enjoyable experience to passionate beginners.
The 120 rooms and suites at Il Castelfalfi reflect the character of Tuscany and are decorated in warm, calming tones.
Enjoy incomparable Italian delicacies at La Via del Sale restaurant or just take in the panoramic views of the Tuscan landscape by dining alfresco.
La Spa of Il Castelfalfi waits to welcome you, offering one thousand square metres entirely devoted to physical and spiritual wellbeing.
The countryside retreat at Castelfalfi Golf Resort takes luxury golf escapes to a whole new level. Declaring its intention to be Italy’s finest golf and spa hotel upon opening, the 5* hotel is bestowed a bewitching location amid the rolling Tuscan hills.
The resort combines all the ingredients that have long made Tuscany a mecca for travelling golfers and visitors alike. Namely a temperate climate, beautiful scenery, culture, and world-famous cuisine.
The recipe makes for an award-winning concoction, and not only in the hotel’s renowned kitchens.
Moreover, Castelfalfi Golf Club, with its 27 holes, throws down the gauntlet to the most expert players and also guarantees an enjoyable experience to passionate beginners.
Donnafugata Golf Resort and Spa
Donnafugata Golf and Spa Resort - Ideal starting point to dicover the natural, historic and gastronomic beauties and delights of the Ragusa territory.
The Resort offers two 18-hole Golf courses with a length of over 6,500 meters: the Parkland, a Gary Player signature course and the Links, designed by Franco Piras.
Bedda Mia Cucina tradizionale e pizzeria - For the local cuisine lovers, it is the ideal place to taste traditional dishes.
Wide and bright, the “Terrace Suites” offers an exclusive and reserved space. The 57 sqm terrace equipped with chaise longue, umbrellas, tables and chairs, overlooks the Parkland 18th hole.
Awarded by Condé Nast Traveller "Favourite Overseas Day SPA", it has an area of 900 sqm and a unique view on the golf courses.
Donnafugata rivals Verdura as Sicily’s finest golf resort. Located in the southeast, near the Baroque town of Ragusa, the resort opened in the summer of 2010.
The deluxe resort provides the ideal getaway to relax in tranquil surroundings and play on its two championship golf courses.
Set within a nature reserve near a trio of beautiful beaches, the resort is home to a luxury 900m2 spa and health club. Guests will also discover a private beach, two swimming pools, and three restaurants.
The two 18-hole courses at the resort are both of very high quality. The north (Parkland), was designed by Gary Player. Meanwhile, the south (Links) offers outstanding views across the Mediterranean to Malta.
Castiglion del Bosco
One of the oldest and best-preserved estates in Tuscany, Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco is located in Montalcino, Tuscany, in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Val d’Orcia.
The Club at Castiglion del Bosco, Tuscany, is Europe’s finest golf and wine experience at Italy’s only private members’ club.
Within the charming Borgo buildings are 23 suites that exude harmony and a sense of place, with antique furniture, locally crafted textiles and artisanal accessories.
While enjoying a refreshing swim in the heated 20-metre-long x 10-metre-wide pool, guests can look out upon the hilltop town of Montalcino, the Val d’Orcia and the woods of Castiglion del Bosco.
Located at the heart of the Borgo in the estate’s former wine cellars, The Spa at Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco is a haven of serenity, suffused in earth tones and natural hues.
Dotted with cypress trees and following the contours of the historic landscape of the Val d’Orcia, Castiglion del Bosco encapsulates the natural beauty of the Tuscan countryside.
Situated in one of the oldest and best-preserved estates in Tuscany, the Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco is a unique and luxurious golf resort. Guests rooms are located in 17th and 18th-century farmhouses, complete with private heated pools, pergolas and beautiful gardens.
Designed by British Open winner Tom Weiskopf, the resort’s 18-hole golf course offers the unique opportunity to play golf within the confines of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Terme di Saturnia Spa and Golf Resort
At Terme di Saturnia everything is infused with well-being: the countryside that stretches as far as the eye can see, the caressing sounds of nature, the hot water that pampers the body and its authentic food.
A 6,316m championship course set over 70 undulating hectares, in the midst of the Maremman countryside, surrounded by colours that range from yellow to ochre, from orange to burgundy.
The elegant hotel consists of 128 rooms, comprising 2 Grand Suites, 11 Executive rooms and 60 De Luxe rooms.
It’s another option for guests of the resort, who already can rely on the dishes of splendid Mediterranean cuisine and the intense authentic flavours of the Aqualuce restaurant, with its view over the source of the hot spring.
An authentic Salus per Aquam experience combined with restorative treatments in a multi-award winning SPA.
A member of the Leading Hotels in the World group, Terme di Saturnia offers an exclusive spa, golf and culinary experience in the heart of Tuscan Maremma.
Built on the site of a thermal spring, the state-of-the-art spa capitalises on the healing power of the spring waters. There are also two excellent dining options on site. The Aqualuce restaurant offers Mediterranean dining, and the gourmet All’Acquacotta serves Tuscan-inspired fare.
Californian Ronald Fream was the architect behind the charming course at the resort. The layout merges seamlessly with the natural landscape. Meanwhile, the club’s commitment to sustainability has garnered international acclaim.
