For decades, golf enthusiasts in the know have been flocking to Portugal and Spain, where some of Europe’s top golf courses offer beautiful scenery and consistently good weather. Private golf tours of Portugal or Spain are perfect for all types of travelers interested in golf, from serious golfers who want to play every day of their tour to more casual golfers who want to combine an occasional round in the morning with private cultural touring in the afternoon. Either way, Portugal and Spain offer the opportunity to combine culture, food and wine with a round of golf in ideal conditions.

Many golf courses in Portugal and Spain are part of lavish resorts with stay and play options. Others are just a short drive away from luxury city hotels and countryside estates.

Artisans of Leisure customizes every private tour according to each golfer’s interests, level and requests. In addition to making golf course reservations and handling the logistics, all of our tours feature the best cultural, culinary and scenic highlights during touring.

Here are a few of our favorite courses in each country.

PORTUGAL

The two most famous regions in Portugal for golf are around Lisbon, Portugal’s premier city, and in the Algarve, the majestic, craggy region along the southern coast.

Outside Lisbon, the hilly landscape of Sintra and the coastal resort town of Cascais have some of Portugal’s best courses, including:

Penha Longa
This family resort near Sintra has two courses designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., the 18-hole Atlantic Championship (6,481 yards, par 72) and the nine-hole Monastery Course (2,830 yards, par 35). The par-5 sixth hole on the Atlantic course is bordered by the remains of a centuries-old aqueduct and a castle tower.

Oitavos Dunes
Near Cascais, the 18-hole Oitavos Dunes (6,526 yards, par 71) is built around the natural sand dunes and umbrella pines of the coast and has panoramic views of the mountains and ocean.

Other notable courses in the Lisbon region include West Cliffs Golf Links (pictured below), Troia Golf Championship Course and Praia D’El Rey Golf & Beach Resort.

The Algarve—Portugal’s cliff-laden southern coast—offers dramatic golf scenery, a moderate year-round climate and excellent beach resorts. And it’s only a couple of hours from Lisbon by private transfer.

A few of our favorite courses in the Algarve include:

Monte Rei Golf Club
The Jack Nicklaus-designed North Course (7,182 yards, par 72) is considered by many golfers to be the best in Portugal. The course has views of the Serra do Caldeirao Mountains to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It is considered a challenging course as 11 of the 18 holes incorporate a water feature.

San Lorenzo Golf Course
Tee times are hard to come by at this exclusive 18-hole course (6,822 yards, par 72). A highlight of San Lorenzo is the views of the nearby Ria Formosa Estuary.

Other notable courses in the Algarve region include Dom Pedro Victoria and Old courses, Quinta do Lago North and South courses, Vale do Lobo Royal and Ocean courses (pictured below) and Vila Vita Parc (a premier Algarve beach resort with a par-3 course).

SPAIN

Spain has some of the finest golf courses in Continental Europe.

The Andalusia region, where year-round sun and warm weather create ideal golf conditions, has the highest concentration of prestigious courses.

Real Club Valderrama (San Roque)
Many golfers consider the Robert Trent Jones Sr.-designed Valderrama (7,019 yards, par 71) one of the best golf courses in Europe. The course’s outstanding track record includes hosting the memorable 1997 Ryder Cup, which marked Tiger Woods’ introduction to the prestigious tournament.

Real Club de Golf Sotogrande (Sotogrande)
This world-renowned Robert Trent Jones Sr.-designed course (7,100 yards, par 72) is one of the oldest golf courses in the region and the main reason the Costa del Sol has become such a golf hot spot. It’s a must-visit for any golf enthusiast on a tour of Spain.

Other notable courses in the Andalusia region include Finca Cortesin (pictured below), La Reserva Club Sotogrande, Real Club de Golf Las Brisas in Marbella and Real Club Sevilla Golf.

Spain has many other excellent golf courses in regions throughout the country, such as Catalonia, Valencia, Mallorca and Madrid.

PGA Catalunya Stadium Course (Girona)
This truly majestic course is known as the crown jewel of Spanish golf courses. It is considered by many to be among the best in Europe. The course (7,018 yards, par 71) mixes elevated terrain and tree-lined fairways to challenge even the world’s top golfers.

Real Club de Golf el Prat (Barcelona)
Greg Norman designed the 45 holes at Real Club de Golf, a regular host of the Spanish Open on the outskirts of Barcelona. The challenging Pink Course (7,070 yards, par 72) is one of our favorites.

Other notable courses around Spain include Golf Son Gual Mallorca (pictured below), Parador de El Saler Golf Course in Valencia and Golf Santander outside Madrid.

Artisans of Leisure arranges accommodation at the top luxury hotels and resorts in each country, such as Vila Joya and Vila Vita Parc in Portugal and Marbella Club (pictured below) and Finca Cortesin in Spain, to use as a base for cultural touring and playing golf in the region.

We can customize private tours that focus primarily on golf or that combine cultural touring with occasional rounds of golf. We arrange tee times, including greens fees and club, shoe and buggy rental when needed.

Contact our Spain and Portugal experts about planning an exclusive golf tour that features some of Europe’s most prestigious golf courses and most luxurious resorts.