Hola, Ola and Ssalamû ‘lekum A warm Spanish, Portuguese and Arabic welcome to our 2023 Spain Portugal Morocco Golf Tour.
Back by overwhelming demand, this is an exciting 23 day / 22 night fully hosted golf tour that takes in the best golf and cultural highlights of Madrid, Marbella on the Costa del Sol and Seville before heading to Portugal and the magic city of Lisbon, and finally onto exciting Marrakech for some Moroccan treats.
All our accommodation on tour is 5-star. We start in Madrid staying four nights in the city centre, at the Palacio De Los Duques Gran Melia, a 19th century palace in which the interior designs were inspired by the works of Velázquez, a leading artist in the Spanish Golden Age of Art. Welcome dinner and drinks on 15 October 2023.
In Madrid we take a guided tour of the Prado Museum housing Europe’s finest artworks including many Spanish grand masters such as Picasso, Goya, El Greco and Salvador Dali.
We play Club Santander, designed by leading American architect Rees Jones. Santander is named after its owner, the Santander Group – one of the world’s largest banking groups. Our second is Real Club de Golf La Herreria, a course located on the fields alongside the Monastery of San Lorenzo. La Herreria is one of only 18 Spanish clubs to have the ‘Royal’ title.
We depart Madrid on the 19th October by AVE Fast Train to Málaga on the Costa del Sol, a port city and the birthplace of Pablo Picasso. Then on to Marbella to check into the Gran Melia Don Pepe Hotel – known for its unbeatable luxury on the Costa del Sol. The hotel has views back to the majestic Sierra Blanca, and is a stone throw away from Marbella’s famous marina filled with boats of the ‘rich and famous’. The golden beaches, wild nightclubs, famous restaurants and 15th century village square
attract many international tourists – our 5 nights here will go quickly!
Our time in Marbella includes three games golf with of course, the magnificent RC Valderrama pipped to be a favourite. Leading Continental Golf in Europe has rated Valderrama since 1989, one of the best maintained courses and has been regularly included among the Top 100 courses in the world.
Valderrama is located in Sotogrande, Southern Spain. The Championship golf course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr in 1974, one of the most important golf architects in history. Many people will know the course from TV coverage since it has hosted an abundance of professional tournaments including the Spanish Open, Ryder Cup and currently the Andalucía Masters on the European Race to Dubai Tour. It is widely recognised as the “Augusta of Europe” and the No. 1 course in Spain. While at Valderrama we will dine at the famous clubhouse and have a unique opportunity to tour the club’s private museum of golf memorabilia.
Our other rounds on the Costa del Sol include golf at Finca Cortesin host of the Volvo Masters and host to the 2023 Solheim Cup. In 2023 we include in the itinerary Spain’s RCG Sotogrande – a special coup to get both Valderrama and Sotogrande in one tour.
Sotogrande is the largest privately owned residential development in Andalusia. The course of Real Club de Golf Sotogrande is considered as one of the masterpieces of Robert Trent Jones Snr who chose this course as one of his five favourites from more than 500 courses, he designed worldwide according to what he wrote in his book, Golf, the Magnificent Challenge in 1988.
A special feature on tour will be a guided visit to the Alhambra in Grenada, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built originally as a fortress in 889 AD. This is Spain’s greatest example of Islamic architecture.
On route to Seville, on the 24th October, we stop at Jerez for sherry tasting before checking into one of Seville’s ‘best’ hotels, the 5-Star deluxe, Alfonso XIII, for 3 nights. Our time in Seville includes a free day to explore this magnificent city with golf at Montecastillo.
Montecastillo is one of the most popular golf resorts in the world and host of the Volvo Masters Andalucia for five consecutive years beginning in 1997 when Lee Westwood won the event. Montecastillo was created by Jack Nicklaus in 1992. It’s a long, demanding course, routed thoughtfully across rolling Andalucian terrain.
We have also included an optional, traditional Flamenco Show evening in Seville, to get your toes tapping!
Palácio Nacional da Pena, Sintra
We then head over the Portuguese border on the 27th October, with a visit to the historic Roman ruins of Merida on route. Our hotel in Lisbon is the Portobay Liberdade, a boutique urban chic style accommodation located near Avenida da Liberdade, the most luxurious shopping and restaurant avenue in Portugal. The group will enjoy their five nights here to relax and sample the city’s highlights.
In Lisbon we play three rounds. Penha Longa, a Robert Trent Jones Jnr design, with the clubhouse a converted historic monastery. Oitavos Dunes, a stunning links challenge with
Atlantic views, ranked one of the best courses in Portugal, and by ferry, to play Troia Golf.
Designed by Robert Trent Jones Snr, Troia Golf was recently rated by Golf World magazine as the 17th top golf course in Continental Europe. The course runs along a beach peninsula with a dazzling view of the Arrábida Mountains.
A visit to the ancient city of Sintra is also included, be wowed by one of the best collections of Romanticism style architecture in all of Europe!
Oitavos Dunes, Penha Longa Golf Course Troia Golf Course
And then, for a change of pace and scenery we catch a 90-minute flight on the 1st November, from Lisbon to Morocco for five nights in the exciting city of Marrakech. For our final nights on tour, we have included a free day to explore this unique city and its Medina, from our base at the recently opened 5-star Park Hyatt Marrakech.
On site the Al Maaden Golf Course, one of three we play in Marrakech. Assoufid, our second course is located on the outskirts of the city on the site of a former imperial city, and with the Atlas Mountains offering a fantastic backdrop to these two courses.
Our 3rd course in Marrakech rounding out our tour is on Royal Palm, a course on site at one of the Fairmont groups prestigious hotels. Again, the course is at the foothills of the Atlas Mountains giving snowy peaks backgrounds. Designed by American architect Cabell. B. Robinson who was careful to observe the environment and landscape, taking into consideration the Wadi River that runs through the area.
A grand finale dinner and farewells at the Park Hyatt before transferring back to Marrakech airport… then homeward bound. Final breakfast on tour the 6th November, 2023 – post stay options and tours to Casablanca optional, (and on request).
Assoufid Golf Course, Marrakech Al Maaden Golf Course, Marrakech Royal Palm Golf Course, MarrakechThanks for taking the time to peruse this amazing tour – hosted by PaR nz Golfing Holidays, experienced golf tour hosts on this fabulous tour of three culturally-diverse countries playing 12 rounds of championship golf. This was a winning tour in 2019 and we are delighted to offer again in 2023. Limited to 28 golfers.
The following details for all inclusions, prices, and booking conditions available from denise@parnz.co.nz or kim@parnz.co.nz .
Please note that all payments, in line with our Spanish, Portuguese and Moroccan suppliers are NON-REFUNDABLE, and full travel insurance while not compulsory is highly recommended, even from the time of booking and paying your deposit.
Thanks again for your interest – we look forward to welcoming you to this exciting tour on the 15th of October 2023.
Kim
Kim Buckley & Denise Langdon
Directors and Tour Hosts
Phone +64 21 373 502 or +64 275 662 385 kim@parnz.co.nz & denise@parnz.co.nz
