Tarragona: A cracking golf+ break

I often get asked where I would recommend for a golf trip plus a bit extra, ie some food/culture/nightlife as well.  It’s a tricky one as some of the best golf resorts are in the middle of nowhere, for good reason, so although the golf will be great the nightlife and cultural experience will be limited.

A golf/city break is always an option, but often the city is so large that transfers out to the best courses take too long.

So I am delighted to report that I’ve just discovered an excellent option in Tarragona that ticks all the boxes of a golf+ break and it's less than a two hour flight away…..

Here’s my lowdown:

The City

Tarragona is Barcelona’s little brother, less famous but just as cool.  It’s a seaside city that lies just an hour down the coast on the Costa Dorada, and has the same Catalonian character and buzz about it.  Take a flight to Reus and it’s only a 15 minute taxi ride to the centre, or alternatively Barcelona Airport is 45 minutes away.

Unesco Heritage City:

Roman history mixes with beaches, bars and a lively food scene here. Tarragona is Spain’s second-most important Roman site. The dramatic seafront amphitheatre steals the show – carved into the hillside leading up from the beach, it was used to stage gladiator contests in the second century AD. You can still see sections of the walls and tunnels from Roman times as you mooch around the narrow cobbled lanes in the Old Town that winds its way up to the magnificent Gothic Cathedral.  Even better there are plenty of reasonably priced bars and restaurants here – and the quality is great.

The freshest of seafood:

Tarragona’s cuisine reflects its history, and as a fishing port, the city is famous for its top-quality seafood. The excellent local take on seafood paella has a pinch of Catalonian flavour added to it, or cassola de romesco is a must-try –  a shellfish casserole made with a rich, nutty sauce.

*Recommendation*
We ate out at Barhaus a charming family run restaurant in the Old Town.  Plenty of top notch food and wine was consumed in their beautiful courtyard for around £40 per head.  And do try their “Pa, oli, sal” dessert.  It’s as simple as the name suggests – bread/oil/salt + chocolate and it's wonderful!

The Golf

Infinitum with two excellent onsite courses is on Tarragona’s doorstep, being only a 20 minute drive from the city centre.  These are two top-notch golf courses that have hosted final qualifying for the DP World Tour for the last two years. We were looked after as soon as we arrived – bags were whisked away to their trolleys and courtesy range balls provided.  It set the right tone for what was to come.

Lakes Course

A Greg Norman design, Lakes is a flattish course situated in a protected natural area of wetlands.  Water comes into play frequently, but quite often the forward tees were positioned away from the larger carries – thankfully! It’s also not particularly long off the reds, which I appreciated and enjoyed playing.  There’s a beautiful Mediterranean-style clubhouse to relax in after with a drink and watch others struggling to hole out on the 18^th!

Hills Course

The Hills Course, as its name suggests, is much more up and down but the views of the sea were lovely and holes 13, 17 and 18 were quite a surprise, lying in a natural quarry that make a spectacular backdrop.  I really enjoyed playing it, but found it trickier and tighter than the Lakes.

*Top Tips*

• The Lakes is an easy course to walk, but for The Hills I would recommend a buggy.  The two clubhouses are completely separate so be sure you know which one you are heading to if you take a taxi.
• The course will organise transfers as part of the package, but we took a taxi one day and it cost 25 euros for four of us.

Where to Stay

H10 Imperial Tarraco **** Superior

We stayed at this cracking 4-star hotel right in the centre of Tarragona, next to the Amphitheatre and overlooking the beach.  It’s got a really lovely rooftop pool, bar and restaurant with the best views in town, particularly at sunset. 

*Top Tip*

• Go for the upgraded sea view rooms – they are a bit bigger and the views are definitely worth it.

What else is there to do?

If you have a spare day, there’s so much to see and do on your doorstep:

Take the Train to Barcelona

There’s an hourly direct train into Barcelona which takes around 30 minutes and takes you right into the centre. 

Stroll along the Coast

Apart from strolling around the city itself, take the Tarragona Coastal Path and head north out of the city. You will soon find yourself strolling through coastal pine forests and around rocky headlines to beautiful Playa Larga in the next bay along the coast.

Taste some Local Wines

Tarragona is also the centre of the Priorat Wine Region noted in particular for its top quality reds. It is one of only two styles to hold Spain's top-tier DOCa classification (the other being Rioja). Take a taxi out of town to one of the many vineyards in the region and sample some of the excellent Grenache varieties.

A three or four night break to Tarragona with a couple of rounds of golf at Infinitum would be perfect. Everything is so close to hand that you will still have time to enjoy the highlights of this beautiful city as well.

Find out the latest deals to Infinitum with Women & Golf's travel partner Golf Travel Centre here.

About the Author - Mary McDowall

I have worked in the golf travel industry for over 20 years, previously Tour Leading golf holidays for Solos Holidays and then as a Product Manager responsible for putting the golf trips together. I have been lucky enough to travel extensively across the fairways of Europe & beyond.

I am a member of Mill Hill Golf Club in England, and Borth & Ynyslas Golf Club in Wales, currently playing off 13.1 but dreaming of returning to single figures one day!

Mary McDowall - LinkedIn

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