The Costa Blanca is Spain's most underrated golf destination. It sits between two regions that get all the attention — the Costa del Sol to the south and Barcelona to the north — and as a result it tends to attract golfers who have already done the obvious trips and are looking for something with fewer crowds, better value, and just as much sunshine.
I have been sending golfers here since DGE Golf's early years. The region stretches from Oliva in the north, just below Valencia, down through Benidorm, Alicante, and into Murcia where La Manga Club sits on its own peninsula above the Mar Menor. That is roughly 200 kilometres of coastline with over 40 golf courses, most of them less than an hour from Alicante airport. The climate is the driest in mainland Europe — Alicante averages 320 sunny days per year — which makes it the most reliably playable golf destination in Spain.
The courses below are the ten I would put in a serious trip without hesitation. Green fees are 2026 high-season rack rates; booking through a travel specialist or coming in October through April will reduce these by 20–35% on most layouts.
La Manga Club — South Course
The South Course is La Manga's showpiece and one of the most recognised golf destinations in Spain. Fifty-plus years of professional tournament history, including multiple Spanish Opens and Ryder Cup qualification events, give it a credibility that newer courses simply cannot manufacture. The layout runs through pine-covered hills with views over the Mar Menor lagoon. Wide fairways encourage you to attack, but the greens are fast and deceptively contoured. Staying at the La Manga Club resort means the South is at your door, and the facility — driving range, practice areas, short game zones — is the best on the Costa Blanca.
Best for: Golfers who want a tournament-pedigree course with a full resort behind it.
La Manga Club — North Course
The North is shorter and tighter than the South, threading through cork and pine on hillier terrain. It demands more shot-shaping: the landing zones are narrower and several tee shots require you to hold a fade or draw on a slope. For better players who find the South a little too forgiving off the tee, the North provides the more engaging test. A round on both over two days is the standard La Manga itinerary and a very good one.
Best for: Low-to-mid handicappers who want a more strategic challenge alongside the South.
Villaitana Golf — Levante Course
A Jack Nicklaus Signature course sitting above Benidorm with commanding views over the Mediterranean and the Sierra Helada mountain range. The Levante is the more impressive of Villaitana's two layouts, longer, more exposed, with the wind coming off the sea turning mid-irons into genuine decisions. The routing climbs and descends across an arid hillside, which gives every hole a distinct identity and keeps the scenery engaged throughout. Green fees are reasonable for a Nicklaus design, and the proximity to Benidorm's accommodation makes logistics straightforward.
Best for: Golfers who want a Nicklaus-designed mountain course without La Manga's three-hour drive from Alicante airport.
Alicante Golf
Seve Ballesteros designed this parkland course on the edge of Alicante city, and it carries his trademark: generous on the eye from the tee, punishing to anything but a straight drive. The fairways are wide but lined by mature Mediterranean pines, and the greens are among the slickest on the Costa Blanca. It is the most accessible serious course in the region, ten minutes from Alicante airport with no mountain roads. The green fee makes it an excellent warm-up round at the start or end of a trip.
Best for: An airport-adjacent opener or closer round. Good value for a Ballesteros design.
Font del Llop
Inland, away from the coast, Font del Llop plays through an orange and almond grove landscape that looks unlike anything else on the Costa Blanca. Dave Thomas built a course that rewards accuracy rather than length: the greens are elevated, the approach angles matter, and the wind funnels through the orchard rows in ways that make club selection genuinely interesting. It is quieter than the coastal clubs, the pace of play is better, and the clubhouse is relaxed. Underrated and undervisited.
Best for: Golfers who want something off the tourist circuit with real character.
La Manga Club — West Course
The youngest of La Manga's three courses and the least known, but that undersells it. The West runs through the most rugged terrain on the estate, with pronounced elevation changes and tighter corridors than either the South or North. It is the resort's secret weapon for golfers who have played the famous two and want something that fights back. Green fees are the lowest of the three. If you are doing a La Manga three-round package, do not skip it.
Best for: Third-round golfers on a La Manga package who want the complete set.
Campoamor Golf
One of the original Costa Blanca resort courses, Campoamor sits on the southern stretch of the Alicante coast near Torrevieja. The layout is mature, with well-established trees and a parkland feel uncommon for the region. It is not a championship venue but plays with integrity: the par-5s reward long hitters and the par-3s demand precision. At these green fees it punches well above its class, and the surrounding Orihuela Costa has no shortage of apartment accommodation for groups on a budget.
Best for: Budget-conscious groups wanting a relaxed round in the southern Costa Blanca.
Villaitana Golf — Poniente Course
The Poniente is Villaitana's second course and plays at lower elevation than the Levante, through flatter terrain with more emphasis on water and bunkering. It lacks the theatre of its sibling but is the more accessible test for mid-to-high handicappers who find the Levante's exposed hillside holes punishing in the wind. Playing both in a day is easy — the clubhouse sits between the two — and many visitors do exactly that.
Best for: Higher handicappers, or as a second round alongside the Levante.
Oliva Nova Golf
Ballesteros's second Costa Blanca design occupies a very different setting from Alicante Golf: Oliva Nova runs along the Valencia coastline in the north of the region, with the sea in play on multiple holes and a links-adjacent feel when the Tramontana wind is blowing. The course is attached to a beach resort that handles group packages well. Worth including if you are travelling from Valencia rather than Alicante, or if you want a coastal experience with genuine wind exposure.
Best for: Golfers arriving via Valencia, or those who want a links-influenced coastal experience.
El Plantío Golf Resort
The most affordable serious option near Alicante city. El Plantío is a well-maintained parkland course with wide fairways and benign greens that suit all handicap levels. It will not challenge low-handicappers for long but is an excellent choice for groups with mixed abilities, or for a recovery round mid-trip when the legs are tired and you want to score rather than suffer. The short drive from the airport makes it a logical last-day option.
Best for: Mixed-handicap groups, beginner internationals, or a relaxed round to close a trip.
How to plan a Costa Blanca golf trip
Where to base yourself
There are two sensible base choices depending on your priorities. Alicante city gives you the airport on your doorstep, strong restaurant options, and easy access to the southern courses (Alicante Golf, Campoamor, El Plantío, Font del Llop). A hire car is useful but not essential — taxis from the city to most courses cost €20–40 each way.
La Manga Club is the other obvious choice and functions as a self-contained resort: three courses, hotels, tennis, a spa, and enough restaurants that you never need to leave the estate. The trade-off is that you are 100 kilometres south of Alicante airport in Murcia, which adds travel time if you want to combine La Manga with the northern Costa Blanca courses. Most golfers who stay at La Manga stay at La Manga — it does not lend itself to day trips elsewhere.
Benidorm is worth considering for groups who want Villaitana on the doorstep, straightforward hotel logistics, and a lively town for evenings. It is unfashionable but practical.
Best time to visit
The Costa Blanca is genuinely playable year-round. Summer (July and August) is hot — inland temperatures regularly exceed 35°C — and early morning tee times become essential. The coastal courses at Villaitana and Oliva Nova benefit from sea breezes but the heat is still real.
March, April, October, and November are the sweet spot. Temperatures sit between 18–25°C, courses are quieter than the summer peak, and green fees drop across the board. Spring brings the almond and orange blossom which makes the inland courses at Font del Llop particularly good.
Winter (December–February) is mild compared to northern Europe — you will play in 14–18°C with occasional rain — and green fees hit their lowest point. Some resort facilities run reduced hours but the courses stay open. If you are coming from the UK or northern Europe and just want to escape the cold for a week of golf, the Costa Blanca in January is one of Europe's best-value options.
How to structure the rounds
A classic five-night Costa Blanca trip plays well as follows: arrive afternoon, round one at Alicante Golf or El Plantío to shake off travel and test the conditions, two full days at La Manga (South plus North), a day at Villaitana Levante on the way back north, and a final morning round before the flight. That is five rounds with one transfer (Alicante to La Manga and back) and logical hotel moves.
For groups staying entirely in Alicante or Benidorm and avoiding La Manga, Villaitana, Alicante Golf, Font del Llop, Campoamor, and El Plantío give you four or five distinct rounds without moving base. The green fees are lower, the logistics are simpler, and the quality is real — you just miss the La Manga tournament heritage.
Getting there
Alicante-Elche Airport (ALC) is the gateway for most of the region. Ryanair, easyJet, Jet2, and Vueling fly from across the UK and Europe year-round, with flight times of around 2–2.5 hours from London. Murcia International Airport (MJV) is 30 minutes from La Manga Club and handles some direct routes, though ALC has far more options. A hire car from Alicante gives maximum flexibility; transfers are available if you prefer not to drive.
Handicap certificates are not required at most Costa Blanca courses. La Manga Club asks for a maximum handicap of 28 for men and 36 for women on the South and North courses at peak times, though this is rarely enforced strictly.
What does a Costa Blanca golf trip cost?
Green fees on the Costa Blanca are significantly lower than comparable-quality courses in the Algarve or the Costa del Sol. A round at La Manga South in high season costs roughly the same as a mid-tier course at Quinta do Lago. A round at Villaitana Levante — a Nicklaus Signature — costs less than a Vilamoura mid-range course. This is the value proposition that makes the region compelling.
Budget roughly:
- Green fees — €55–€175 per round depending on course and season
- Hotel — €80–€200 per night (La Manga Club hotel rates run €150–€350+)
- Flights — €60–€200 return from the UK depending on timing
- Transfers and hire car — €150–€300 for a week
A well-organised five-night trip with five rounds, flights from the UK, and mid-range accommodation typically lands between £900 and £1,400 per person. That is substantially less than an equivalent Algarve or Costa del Sol trip without any compromise in course quality at the top end.