Month: November 2016

Playing a round on Alicante golf courses

More than one million holidaymakers head to Spain to play golf. It’s a growing trend with dozens of new courses cropping up along with chic resorts offering golf, spa, cuisine and hotels so you can practically slip out of bed and on to the fairway.
The Alicante region has more than 18 golf courses, some of which are more challenging than others. Whether you are a beginner or want to test your handicap on a championship course, Alicante comes up trumps.
Spain-Holiday has picked a range of courses to suit all levels and budgets for your golf break on the Costa Blanca.

Oliva Nova Beach and Golf Resort Playing a round on Alicante golf courses

Oliva Nova Beach and Golf Resort
Designed by Seve Ballesteros within the five-star Oliva Nova Beach and Golf Resort, just to the north of Denia, This par72 links-style course has some very interesting features. Water features in 15 of the holes to add to the challenge while you need to watch out for the wind which comes into play on holes 13, 14 and 15.
It’s played host to some prestigious tournaments but has been designed to be suitable for beginners and more experienced players. There’s also a pitch and putt course with five holes which is great for practise.
Green fees are €65 for nine holes, €95 for 18 holes, although packages are available which significantly reduce the price.

La Sella Golf Resort and Spa
The prestigious La Sella golf course was the first to be designed by double Masters’ champion Jose Maria Olazabal in 1991.
It’s in a charming setting with the majestic Montgo mountain providing a beautiful natural backdrop.
It consists of three 9-hole courses named after local winds.

La Sella Golf Resort and Spa Playing a round on Alicante golf courses

Llebeig is a varied course to test players as they will have to use almost all of their clubs. Gregai adds some tricky water features and the last holes are designed to be match deciders. Mestral has wide fairways and large greens.
It’s located within the five-star Denia Marriott La Sella Golf Resort and Spa. You can book a special holiday package. Otherwise expect to pay about €75 per round.
Alicante Golf
Close to the San Juan de Alicante beach is another course designed by the late, great Seve Ballesteros.
The Alicante golf course has been described as an oasis in the city and Alicante’s green lung as it provides a natural haven for the beach city.
It is regarded as one of the best designed golf courses in Spain with an entertaining format. The 72-par course has six par-three holes, six par-four and six-par five so golfers will not play two consecutive holes with the same par during their round.

Alicante Golf Playing a round on Alicante golf courses

There are also five large lakes to test your accuracy.
Even more unusually, at the 14th hole are the ruins of a Roman villa which the ball needs to clear to hit the green.
Prices start at about €53.
Bonalba Golf Resort and Spa
Five lakes and plenty of bunkers with broad fairways will test golfers’ skills at the Bonalba Golf Resort.
It’s suitable for all levels and absolute beginners or people looking to improve their game can book lessons as well.
The first nine holes are considered to be the most technical where the short play will help golfers get the ball into the holes.
The next nine holes, especially from 12 to 18, will need the driver more.
You can play nine holes for €32 or the full 18 for €55.
La Finca Golf and Spa Resort
La Finca is one of the newest courses but has rapidly built up a reputation as one of the finest on the Costa Blanca.
The course is on the luxurious five-star Hotel La Finca Golf & Spa Resort at Algorfa, which is also well-known for its fabulous restaurants.
The course has broad fairways with each green offering a different experience. For example, the green at the 7th hole looks like a bowling green while the green at the 14th hole is round and deep to resemble a wok.

La Sella Golf Resort and Spa 1 Playing a round on Alicante golf courses

La Finca Golf has hosted several prestigious tournaments since it opened in 2002.
Its unique design was dreamt up by Pepe Gancedo, one of the best amateur players in Spain.
There are cheaper courses around – you will pay about €70 to play at La Finca – but its design and quality of the course should make it worthwhile.
Villaitana Golf
High in the hills above Benidorm is the Melia Villaitana Resort with two golf courses. The 72-par Levante championship course and 62-par Poniente executive course were designed by the legendary Jack Nicklaus.
The Levante course has been laid out in an America style with wide fairways and amazing views over Benidorm, the Mediterranean sea with the Sierra de Finestrat mountain.
Mountain and sea views can also be enjoyed by the Poniente course which is built on a slope in a pine forest. This is a shorter course and can be completed in three to four hours.

Villaitana Golf Playing a round on Alicante golf courses

Players with a low handicap will find it demanding while golfers with higher handicaps will also find tricky shots to try out.
The Melia Villaitana is a great place for a holiday as the resort has been designed to look like a traditional Mediterranean village with typical Spanish squares, two hotels, restaurants, a conference centre and spa.
In fact, the Villaitana would be the ideal spot to combine a golf break with a business meeting or even a wedding (it has a lovely little chapel!).
Cheapest prices are from €25 to €59 for Poniente and €40 to €75 for Levante.
El Plantio Golf Resort
Another resort where you can enjoy a golf wedding is at the four-star El Plantio Golf Resort, just outside Alicante.
It’s suitable for all levels as there is a championship, 18-hole, par 72 course and another 9-hole course of 27 par.
The resort has 45,000 trees, many of which can be found on the courses, provide shade in the sweltering summer months as well as providing shelter from prying eyes while you play. The trees also provide another barrier for players to negotiate when lining up their shot.
Price from €46.
Villamartin Golf Course
You can enjoy a scenic walk with sea views while playing at the 72-par championship course at Villamartin, between Torrevieja and Murcia airports.
It’s a hilly course designed by Paul Putman, so will test golfers, with the first nine holes being at the highest level with beautiful sea views. The next nine holes are in valleys.
Villamartin’s claim to fame is that it hosted the 1994 Mediterranean Open, so golfers can follow in the footsteps of some of their biggest sporting heroes such as Jose Maria Olazabal .

The course can be enjoyed by players of all levels as it requires you to use every club in your bag.

Prices from €47.

La Marquesa Golf
Fantastic location for a golfing holiday as you can rent a villa at La Marquesa golf resort in Ciudad Quesada, just 30 minutes from Alicante airport. It’s suitable for all the family as the resort has a golf school for children from six to 18.

La Marquesa Golf Playing a round on Alicante golf courses

The course, designed by Justo Quesada Samper, has some tricky holes to test players including the first hole being flanked by water, and the green is designed in places to make unpredictable bounces. There’s also a putting green and driving range to practise these skills.
Prices from €39 for 18 holes, €23 for nine holes with junior fees from €15 for nine holes and €23 for 18.
Las Colinas Golf and Country Club
Close to the popular beach holiday resort of Torrevieja and the Zenia Boulevard shopping centre is the stunning Las Colinas golf and country club.
You can stay in a stunning modern villa by the golf course where you can sharpen your skills at the golf academy or relax at the beach club.
The par-71, 18-hole championship course itself is a work of art and blends in perfectly with the natural landscape across the valleys between the hills.
This stylish resort is suitable for couples who want to combine golf with a chic beach holiday.
It’s one of the premier courses on the Costa Blanca and in the Top 100 in Europe so playing here does come at a price of about €90 although you can pay around €43 if you book after 4pm.

 

 

Five best running routes in Alicante with the best views

 

As the Alicante region is one of the healthiest places to live it seems only fitting that it should have become a magnet for holidaymakers wanting to play sports, go cycling, hiking or running.

The Alicante region’s beautiful beaches and mountains are perfect outdoor running tracks. You can choose from a jog alongside the beaches, which offer flat routes for speed or gentle jogging or a harder challenge up the mountain trails. Either way, you will be rewarded with views of fabulous natural scenes.
Jog alongside Benidorm’s magnificent beaches

We can start with a gentle beach run along the famous Benidorm beaches with its magnificent skyscrapers forming a backdrop to your left with the shimmering Mediterranean sea and Benidorm Island to your right.Jog alongside Benidorm’s magnificent beaches 300x105 Five best running routes in Alicante with the best views

View to Levante beach, Benidorm

The run begins on the Poniente beach at the southern end by Calle la Cala. A good time is at sunrise or just before sunset as the area is less crowded and the weather will be cooler, especially in the summer months.

If you really want to exercise the legs, you can run on the soft sand part of the way which can be hard work.

Jog along the promenade alongside the beach up to the Parque de Elche park, a lovely shady area that is well-loved by doves and pigeons.

Keep the sea to your right and head towards Benidorm yacht club and on your left you will find the steep steps taking you up to the famous Balcon with its beautiful square, iconic church and amazing views sweeping along the coast.

It’s a great place to stop to catch your breath and take in the views as you can really appreciate why Benidorm is known as the Spanish Manhattan as you count the number of skyscrapers lining the coast. You also get glorious views of Benidorm’s famous sandy beaches and you may see windsurfers or paragliders enjoying the views from another angle.

This jog is about 3.5kms so you could turn back or continue along Poniente beach to take you to the English quarter, well-known for its British bars and entertainment. It’s another 2.5kms from the Balcon to the far end of Levante beach but it is an easy, flat route along the promenade lined with bars and cafes.

Poniente beach – Balcon de Benidorm – Levante beach. Easy, flat route of 6kms.

Run alongside nature at her best in Jalon

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This is another gentle run but this time you are surrounded by mountains and natural beauty as the route takes you alongside vineyards and almond orchards in the Jalon valley.

There is a choice of a short circular route of about 2kms alongside the riverbed or a longer run keeping alongside the river to Lliber, which is about 3kms one way.

Views from Jalon

The run starts along the Avenida del Juan Carlos 1 road, opposite the Bodega Xalo, where you can pick up some great wines and olive oil at bargain prices.

Head away from the bridge along the road keeping the riverbed to your left. Take the left turning at the roundabout along the Avenida de las Hortes and you’ll come to a crossroads with the left turning going over the river.

You can take this route to return to the Bodega Xalo but this time running on the other side of the river. For a longer route, head down the Cami del Moli de Lliber which is a good pathway surrounded by farmland leading to the pretty little village of Lliber.

The Jalon Valley is famous for its wine-making and is a very popular spot for cyclists and hikers as there are some fabulous routes.

More adventurous runners may fancy trying more testing routes from Jalon up the Sierra Bernia, a winding road taking you high up into the mountain.

Bodega Xalo circular route, easy running, 2kms or Bodega Xalo – Lliber 3kms.
Taking the Montgo mountain in your stride

Separating the beach towns of Javea and Denia is the impressive Montgo mountain, a haven for wildlife, birds and rare flowers. It is a popular route for cyclists and hikers with several routes of various difficulties available.

Taking the Montgo mountain in your stride 300x217 Five best running routes in Alicante with the best views

It’s a challenge for runners with some challenging uphill scrambles but, rest assured, you will be rewarded with amazing views of the coastline. On a clear day, you can see as far as the party island of Ibiza.

Ermita Pare Pere, Montgo

There are three routes starting from the charming Ermita del Pare Pere chapel on the Denia side of the Montgo. You can see the little cave where the friar Pare Pere prayed and meditated in the 17th century and the chapel built in his honour in the 1980s.

One is a three-hour circular tour of just over 4kms in total which will take around three hours. It’s of medium difficulty as there are some climbs as you head up to L’Aigua cove and the Raco del Bou cove.

Cars are not allowed so you can enjoy a peaceful run in a beautiful, natural setting. You may notice an aroma of lavender or herbs wafting across your path as these plants live in abundance along the track.

Heading up the track from the Pare Pere chapel, you’ll come to a fork in the track and you’ll need to take the east path to your left. Running uphill, the landscape becomes even more impressive with fabulous views across the bay up to Valencia and over the mountains.

Keeping to the eastern path, you’ll come across some steep steps heading up to the cave, which used to be a water reservoir.

There is an inscription in the rock dating to 238AD which is protected by a metal fence.

Going back down to the chapel, you’ll come across the Raco del Bou or Bull’s Corner, so called because of the mountain’s shape here.

Ermita de Pare Pere, Montgo – L’Aigua Cove – Ermita de Pare Pere. Medium difficulty and about 4kms.
Looking out for the Javea miradors

A tough run taking in some or all of Javea’s 15 miradors or viewpoints is a brilliant way to really appreciate the town’s wonderful landscape and views.

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It is about 30 kilometres in length with some steep hills to climb from Els Molins mills in the north along the coast to the stunning Granadella beach in the south.

Cabo de San Antonio between Javea and Denia

Every year, the Mirador Challenge is held with 100s of hardy runners and walkers attempting to complete the trail.

Our favourite route is about 6.5kms and starts at the Els Molins viewpoint on the edge of the Montgo and heads off to the Cabo de San Antonio cape with beautiful views across to Denia and Javea as well as over to the lighthouse and the Mediterranean.

We head back along the road as if going back to Els Molins but at the main road, turn left to run down into Javea Port, home to the fishing fleet and stunning sailing boats.

Els Molins – Cabo de San Antonio – Javea Port. Medium difficulty of 6kms.
Finding sanctuary in Font Roja natural park

A stunning inland nature park, Font Roja is a beautiful landscape with more than 1,000 species of aromatic herbs, green countryside, mountains and the crystal-clear Vinalopo river.

Our 12km run takes us from the recreation area with parking on the CV797 road. Head 50 metres from the car park to a walkway.

Keep going straight to jog up to the top of Menejador, which stands 1,365 metres high. The climb is worthwhile as you can see across to the valley of Alcoy and the Sierra de Mariola and Maigmo mountains.

You’ll be running through one of the finest Mediterranean forests in Spain as well as past the Coloma ice house.

CV797 Font Roja natural park – Menejador – CV797. Medium difficult of 12kms.

Remember to wear suitable clothing, especially footwear and carry enough suncream, water and a hat. Don’t walk in the hottest part of the day, especially in summer, as people have taken ill with exhaustion and had to be rescued.