Andy DevaneyThere’s nothing wrong with another golf trip to the Algarve. The courses are familiar, the weather generally behaves itself, and most of us know precisely where we’ll be heading for dinner afterwards.
But Europe has considerably more to offer golfers than Portugal’s busiest resorts and the well-trodden fairways of the Costa del Sol.
Cliff-top golf in Bulgaria, midnight rounds above the Arctic Circle and championship courses overlooking the Greek coastline are among the alternatives highlighted in a new selection from golf holiday specialist Golfbreaks.
The operator has identified seven European destinations it believes deserve more attention from British golfers, drawing on its own sales figures and knowledge of the courses.
Leading the selection is Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, where Golfbreaks reports demand increased by 173% during 2025, followed by a further 47% so far in 2026.
Those are substantial increases, although the company hasn’t disclosed the original booking volumes. Nor does increased demand necessarily mean a destination offers better value or quieter tee times.
What the list does provide is a useful reminder that some rather interesting golf lies beyond the usual holiday favourites.
1. Varna, Bulgaria: Golf on the Edge of the Black Sea
If your idea of an enjoyable golf holiday involves spectacular scenery and rather fewer familiar faces around the clubhouse, Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast is an intriguing place to start.
Approximately an hour from Varna Airport, Thracian Cliffs Golf & Beach Resort occupies a dramatic stretch of coastline, with its holes carved into the cliffs overlooking the Black Sea.
The setting is the obvious attraction. Sea views accompany every hole, while the elevation changes and exposed coastal landscape offer a different proposition from the manicured resort courses many travelling golfers know.
Nearby BlackSeaRama provides another option, with a links-style layout occupying elevated ground above the coastline. Lighthouse Golf & Spa Resort completes the area’s principal golf resort offering.
There is plenty to explore away from the course, too, including beaches, thermal springs and walking trails.
With Golfbreaks reporting particularly strong growth in demand, Varna may not remain quite so overlooked.
Travel details: Fly into Varna Airport, with Thracian Cliffs approximately an hour away.
Closest city: Varna
Where to stay & play: Lighthouse Golf & Spa Resort, Thracian Cliffs Golf & Beach Resort, BlackSeaRama Golf & Villas
2. Comporta and Tróia, Portugal: A Different Side of Portuguese Golf
Portugal remains firmly on the golfing holiday map, but there is rather more to the country’s golf than the Algarve.
South of Lisbon, the Comporta and Tróia Peninsula area offers championship courses surrounded by sandy landscapes, coastal scenery and the protected environment of the Sado Estuary.
Terras da Comporta is home to two courses, Dunas and Torre, giving visiting golfers a choice of layouts within the same destination.
Nearby Tróia Golf Club brings considerable architectural pedigree. Designed by Robert Trent Jones, the course occupies a coastal setting that should appeal to golfers who enjoy combining thoughtful course design with natural scenery.
Golfbreaks reports an 85% year-on-year increase in demand for the area, suggesting more British golfers are beginning to look beyond Portugal’s established golfing centres.
Outside the ropes, there are beaches, surfing opportunities and the possibility of spotting bottlenose dolphins in the estuary.
It’s an attractive combination for anyone whose travelling companions might reasonably expect the holiday to involve something other than 18 holes every morning.
Travel details: Lisbon is the principal gateway, with the journey towards Comporta and Tróia taking around 80 minutes depending on the route and destination.
Closest city: Lisbon
Closest airport: Lisbon Airport – 1 hour and 20 minutes away
Where to play: Terras da Comporta, Troia Golf Club
Where to stay: Pestana Comporta Village Residences, The Pearl Troia
3. North East Majorca, Spain: Beyond the Palma Golf Circuit
Majorca has long been popular with British holidaymakers, although visiting golfers often gravitate towards the south-western part of the island around Palma.
Head north-east, however, and the golfing landscape changes.
Club de Golf Son Servera offers tree-lined fairways, water hazards and a layout that rewards accurate play. Although it operates as a private members’ club, visiting golfers are welcome.
Capdepera Golf Club, designed by American architect Dan Maples, provides a different challenge among the hills of the Llevant region.
Its elevated 15th tee offers sweeping Mediterranean views, although the scenery is unlikely to offer much consolation if your approach shot has already gone wandering.
Club de Golf Alcanada adds another option for those exploring this part of the island.
Golfbreaks reports demand for north-east Majorca has increased by 20%, making it another destination attracting attention beyond the island’s traditional golfing areas.
Travel details: Palma Airport is the main arrival point, with many north-eastern resorts approximately an hour away.
Closest city: Palma
Closest airport: Palma – most resorts are 1 hour from the airport
Where to play: Club de Golf Son Servera & Capdepera Golf Club & Club de Golf Alcanada
Where to stay: Iberostar Waves Cala Millor
4. Gimsøya, Norway: Golf Beneath the Midnight Sun
There are unusual golf holidays, and then there is playing a round above the Arctic Circle while the sun refuses to set.
Lofoten Links Golf Club, on the Norwegian island of Gimsøya, offers one of Europe’s more distinctive golfing experiences.
During the midnight sun season, roughly May to July, the long daylight hours make it possible to play at times when most golf courses elsewhere would have locked the clubhouse and gone home.
The course winds through rugged coastal terrain, with the Norwegian Sea on one side and the jagged mountains of the Lofoten Islands providing a dramatic backdrop.
Later in the year, there is even the possibility of seeing the Northern Lights, although nature makes no guarantees about providing entertainment alongside your tee time.
Getting there takes more planning than a conventional Mediterranean golf break, with Svolvær, Leknes and Harstad/Narvik among the airport options.
But for golfers who value the experience as much as the scorecard, Lofoten Links offers something genuinely different.
Travel details: Plan connections via northern Norway, with accommodation available at Lofoten Links Lodges.
Closest city: Svolvær or Leknes
Closest airports: Harstad/Narvik Airport (EVE), Leknes Airport (LKN), and Svolvær Airport (SVJ)
Where to play: Lofoten Links Golf Club
Where to stay: Lofoten Links Lodges
5. Biarritz, France: Historic Golf with a Basque Coast Backdrop
Biarritz might be better known for its beaches and surfing culture, but its golfing history deserves attention.
Golf de Biarritz le Phare is among France’s oldest courses, offering a traditional test built around quick greens, demanding rough and no fewer than 70 bunkers.
It is a reminder that a course doesn’t need enormous length or elaborate modern design to make life uncomfortable for an ambitious golfer.
Nearby Golf d’Arcangues provides a change of scenery, with its fairways running through rolling countryside beneath the Pyrenees.
Golf de Seignosse offers another option for visitors willing to explore beyond Biarritz itself.
The destination also has plenty going for it outside golf. Art deco architecture, Atlantic beaches and the possibility of crossing into Spain for a day in San Sebastián make this an appealing choice for a longer break.
For golfers travelling with non-playing partners, that broader appeal could be particularly useful.
Travel details: Biarritz Airport provides the closest arrival point, with Bordeaux another option for travellers exploring the region.
Closest city: Bayonne
Closest airports: Biarritz Airport and Bordeaux
Where to play: Golf d’Arcangues, Golf de Biarritz le Phare, Golf de Seignosse
Where to stay: Tonic Hotel
6. Tavira, Portugal: Golf in the Quieter Eastern Algarve
The Algarve is hardly an undiscovered golfing destination, but its eastern reaches offer a different atmosphere from the larger resort centres around Vilamoura and Albufeira.
Tavira is among the towns worth considering.
Quinta da Ria Golf Club, designed by Rocky Roquemore, sits beside the Ria Formosa Natural Park, combining coastal views with a layout featuring five lakes.
Next door, Quinta de Cima presents a more demanding examination, with undulating terrain and water hazards requiring some careful decisions.
Monte Rei is another established golfing name in the area, associated with a Jack Nicklaus Signature design.
Away from golf, Tavira provides access to the eastern Algarve’s beaches, coastal landscapes and traditional town centre.
It is perhaps the least surprising inclusion on Golfbreaks’ list, given the Algarve’s popularity, but it makes a sensible case for exploring a different part of a familiar destination.
Travel details: Faro Airport is the main gateway to the eastern Algarve.
Closest city: Faro
Closest airports: Faro Airport
Where to play: Quinta Da Ria Golf Club, Quinta de Cima Golf Club, Monte Rei Golf Resort
Where to stay: Monte Rei Golf Resort, AP Cabanas Beach & Nature
7. Costa Navarino, Greece: Four Courses on the Ionian Coast
Greece doesn’t always feature prominently in conversations about European golf holidays, despite its longstanding popularity with British travellers.
Costa Navarino, in the Peloponnese, is steadily making its presence felt.
The destination has four courses, including the established Dunes and Bay layouts.
Two additional courses opened in 2022, both designed by two-time Masters champion José María Olazábal.
The International Olympic Academy Course and The Hills Course bring dramatic elevation changes and extensive views across the Ionian Sea.
Those additions give visiting golfers greater variety during a longer stay, rather than requiring repeat rounds on the same layout.
Golfbreaks reports a 140% increase in demand for Costa Navarino, with improved direct flight connections to Kalamata cited as one factor making the destination more accessible.
Accommodation options include The Westin Resort Costa Navarino, The Romanos and W Costa Navarino.
For golfers interested in combining established resort facilities with more recent course design, it is certainly a destination worth investigating.
Travel details: Kalamata International Airport is the closest major arrival point.
Closest city: Kalamata
Closest airports: Kalamata International Airport
Where to play: International Olympic Academy Course, The Hills Course, The Dunes Course
Where to stay: The Westin Resort Costa Navarino, The Romanos Resort, W Hotel Costa Navarino
Are Europe’s Lesser-Known Golf Destinations Better Value?
There is an obvious appeal to travelling somewhere beyond the established golfing circuit, particularly when popular resorts become busy during peak holiday periods.
Cameron Ritchie, Head of Product – Europe at Golfbreaks, believes golfers can overlook rewarding destinations because they are less familiar.
“Golf is steeped in tradition, and course quality is often judged by history and reputation,” says Cameron. “But some of Europe’s most rewarding experiences can be found away from the established resorts. Choosing a less conventional destination often means quieter courses, better value for money and a more authentic experience, while still enjoying championship-quality golf in spectacular surroundings.”
The suggestion is appealing, although the operator’s figures don’t establish that all seven destinations are cheaper or less crowded than better-known alternatives.
Actual value will depend on travel dates, flights, accommodation, green fees and how easily individual courses can be reached.
For golfers planning their next European escape, those details are worth checking before committing to a destination purely because it appears less popular.
Still, there is something to be said for occasionally abandoning the familiar golf holiday itinerary.
The Algarve will still be there next year. The chance to play beneath Norway’s midnight sun or take on Bulgaria’s Black Sea cliffs might make for a rather more memorable change of scenery.
