Enjoy golf and sun in Europe this winter

Thinking about escaping to the sun this winter? We pick some of the best golf resorts in The Algarve, Spain, Tenerife, Greece, and Turkey for the perfect warm-weather golf break.

The Algarve, Portugal

With winter temperatures between 15˚C and 19˚C and plenty of sunshine, it’s hard to beat The Algarve for winter sun. Quinta do Lago is one of the region’s finest golf resorts and home to three superb golf courses: the South, North and Laranjal layouts, which are all of outstanding beauty. The Magnolia Hotel is another great option close to the resort’s golf courses and offers a stylish, boutique experience.

Other resorts include Monte Rei Golf & Country Club where you can enjoy Michelin-starred dining and stay at the Monte Rei Villas and new Clubhouse Residences. Both are close to Monte Rei golf course, designed by Jack Nicklaus in 2007, which we rate as the best golf course in Portugal.

Greece

Winter in Greece is generally mild, with temperatures averaging at around 13˚C to 16˚C. Perhaps the pick of the country’s resorts is Costa Navarino in the Peloponnese, home to four signature golf courses within 13km of each other. Designed by Jose Maria Olazabal, Robert Trent Jones Jnr, and Bernhard Langer, they are regarded as the finest in Greece.

Costa Navarino is home to luxury hotels The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort, The Westin Resort Costa Navarino, the brand new luxury W Costa Navarino, and in 2023 the Mandarin Oriental opens. These opulent, eco-friendly collection of resorts are blessed with panoramic sea and mountain views and surrounded by unspoiled greek countryside.

Costa del Sol, Spain

The Costa del Sol‘s predominantly warm and dry climate offers year-round golf. Even in the height of winter it rarely dips below 15ºC. In terms of resorts, Finca Cortesin is probably the jewel in its crown. Its world-class facilities includes the five-star boutique Hotel Cortesin, the Jack Nicklaus Academy, a beach club, excellent dining, and an award-winning spa.

The main attraction at the resort is the championship-level golf course, designed by Cabell Robinson. It’s regarded as one of the top 10 courses in Spain and previously staged three Volvo World Match Play Championships.

Set in the Andalusian hills, La Reserva Club Sotogrande is another great option for a winter golf break. Home to luxurious villas and apartments and the recently opened five-star SO/Sotogrande Hotel, it boasts one of Europe’s finest residential clubs, La Reserva Club, with its elite amenities including a luxurious inland beach club.

Sotogrande is home to three of the best golf courses in Spain, each within a 2km radius of SO/ Sotogrande. Real Club de Golf Sotogrande was the former home of the European Tour Qualifying Finals, Real Club de Valderrama hosted the 1997 Ryder Cup, and La Reserva Club’s 18-hole championship course hosted the ARAMCO Team Series on the Ladies European Tour.

Tenerife

During winter, while most golfers in Europe are wrapped in waterproofs and jackets, the coolest month here is February with an average daily maximum of 22°C. On the island’s west coast, the Ritz-Carlton Abama offers a five-star experience with a world-class spa, seven pools, tennis courts, Michelin-starred dining, and the Abama Golf Club which is beautifully conditioned with endless sea views and elevated tees.

Another luxurious option is the Hotel Las Madrigueras Golf Resort & Spa, which is for adults only. It has a great location in the popular resort of Playas de Las Americas on the south coast and is set within the Las Americas golf course, one of the island’s most entertaining and popular courses.

The luxurious Bahia Del Duque, which also sits next to the Las Americas course, is another great option with five outdoor pools, eight restaurants, a fitness centre and stylish accommodation with private balconies. The excellent Adeje Golf Course and Siam Water Park are only five minutes away by car.

Belek, Turkey

The coastal town of Belek in Turkey‘s southern Mediterranean region of Antalya is the country’s golfing capital. It enjoys a superb climate for golf with over 300 days of sunshine per year and temperatures around 15°C in the winter. One of its flagship resorts is the five-star all-inclusive Maxx Royal Golf Resort which has the Montgomerie Maxx golf course opposite.

There’s a large selection of room options for singles, couples and groups, including the Albatross golf villas, which can accommodate up to 10 people. Montgomerie Maxx Royal Golf Club, designed by Colin Montgomerie, opened in 2008 and has staged the Turkish Airlines Open four times.

Less than five minutes from here is the luxurious Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort, which is home to the Carya Golf Club that has also hosted the Turkish Open. Among the other five-star resorts in Belek is Sueno Golf Deluxe Hotel which is home to the championship-level Pines and Dunes golf courses, and Cornelia Diamond Golf Resort & Spa, which boasts Sir Nick Faldo’s Cornelia Golf Club.

Check out our blog here for more winter sun destinations.