Discover Golf in the Rioja Region

As a golfer when you think of Spain, the first thing that comes to mind are the superb golf courses down South in the areas of Costa del Sol, Costa Brava, Huelva and others. And when you’re off the course you love to enjoy the delicious gastronomy, the weather and beaches along the coasts, and the unique culture Spain is known for. 

The Rioja province offers 4 golf courses, Sojuela, Izki, Rioja Alta and Logroño, all located within 45 minutes from the town of Logroño, Rioja’s capital city. 

Since its inauguration in 1994, Izki Golf has hosted 5 Challenge Tour events as well as various Spanish Championship events for men and women, and this should give you an idea of ​​the quality of this course.

The most difficult holes are 4, 7 and 9.

Rioja Alta Golf Club is an 18-hole par 72 course, on 71.16 hectares of land in the municipality of Cirueña (La Rioja), next to the Camino de Santiago and only 5 km from Santo Domingo de la Calzada, 12 km. from the Valdezcaray ski station and about 25 kms. from Haro, capital of Rioja wine.

The design of the course, carried out by Enrique Saenger-Golf Projects, has used the landscape of the estate presenting a varied relief, being relatively rugged in the perimeter areas and in the ravine around which the protected oak grove is located and classified as singular vegetation. In the central part of ​​the farm, the topography is smooth, with a downward slope from west to east.

The features offered by the Logroño golf course probably make it one of the best in the north of Spain. On the one hand, its careful design offers the golfer a concept of play which is both pleasant and challenging.

Furthermore, its location, on an extensive estate of 83 hectares, allows players to enjoy a game of golf in peaceful, surroundings, where they can both relax and concentrate on their game.

The Logroño golf course has the longest hole in Spain – and indeed one of the longest in the world – at 619 meters and this gives added value to the course, with its main difficulty being its great length.

When we think of Rioja we think of Spanish wine, and and it would be impossible not to, as the Region is known worldwide for its superb wine production. But the region offers much more than its 500 wineries where you can discover fantastic local wines. Its rich religious and cultural variety makes this region an attractive destination for those looking to experience more than golf. 

When it comes to towns, Logroño is Rioja’s capital city, and part of the famous Camino de Santiago. It is a buzzing town full of restaurants serving authentic Riojan dishes, numerous wineries and spectacular national parks such as Parque Natural Sierra de Cebollera. 

Among other towns to visit are Navarrete, Nájera, Santo Domingo de la Calzada and Zaragoza, just an hour and half away. 
Rioja has a rich religious culture, not only because it is part of the famous Camino de Santiago, but also because of its many monasteries such as Monasterio de San Millán de Yuso and Monasterio de Santa María Real, an absolute must-see whilst visiting the area.

If you’re looking for a golf and wine experience, we recommend staying in Logroño city where all the golf courses are within 45 minutes away, and there are lots of wineries within 20 minutes from the city centre. 
Two of our favourite hotels in the area are the Hotel Gran Via located in Logroño city centre and the Hotel Eguren Ugarte, just 20 minutes from Logroño.

With so much to do and see in the Rioja region, there’s no doubt this is an area in Spain that any golfer looking for a golf holiday with fantastic wine, culture and a gastronomy experience cannot miss out on. 

If you’re looking to discover a new golf destination with superb golf courses, friendly locals, great gastronomy, lots of activities to do for non-golfers or for when you’re off the course, easy to travel to and get around and much more, look no further than Rioja.