TRAVEL: Around the Costa Brava in 80 holes

GRANTED, it wasn’t a particularly difficult sell.

The chance to wile away three autumn days, in temperatures that would put the best English summers to shame, largely exploring the golfing delights of the Costa Brava, hardly required hours of persuasion.

As it was, this trip to Spain’s north east corner and the region of Catalonia also managed to throw in a dash of Dali, some fine local cuisine and elements as diverse as television’s Game of Thrones and Lance Armstrong.

More on that to come, but in keeping with the bulk of the stay, our trip kicked off with a swing of the clubs.

After touching down in Barcelona and being driven north for 90 minutes, our first destination was the Hotel Peralada Wine Spa & Golf resort, set in the Alt Emporda region, merely minutes from the French border.

The majestic hotel, all sweeping staircases, five-star luxury and our home for the night, was a sight in itself – sitting imposingly within a resort that included a medieval castle, museums, vineyards and even a casino.

Not withstanding a stiff breeze – the Tramontana – whipping across our location in the foothills of the Pyrenees, our enjoyment of the picturesque 18 holes which wound their way cleverly around the existing landscape, terracotta-coloured houses and a locale which also featured a castle and a casino, was not ruined.

The nearby vineyards offered multiple chances to sample some of the local tipples, but we settled for a sumptuous and intriguing fine dining experience back at the hotel, drawing on the Catalan cuisine musts of fish and meat, interspersed with an interesting take or two on some other familiar offerings (cauliflower puree cornetto, anyone?).

Our next destination took us inland to the Torremirona Golf Club, via a passing flirtation with the town of Figueres, birthplace of the aforementioned Dali, who even built the Teatre-Museu Gala Salvador Dalí, a large museum to bring in the visitors.

Yet again the backdrop to Torremirona was spectacular, mountains rising up in the distance while we negotiated our way through a course snaking its way around a combination of parkland, woodland and holiday homes, with signature short par three island hole thrown in for good measure.

The second nine holes, in particular, frequently offered up the stunning views of the horizon – more than enough to take your mind of the sometimes-questionable quality of the golf on show.

A cool cerveza or two and a seemingly endless supply of tapas – octopus, local meats and bread to the fore here – later, dragging our weary frames out for another 18 holes of championship course-standard golf wasn’t at the forefront of our thinking.

Instead, we settled for a briefer excursion, taking in an experience becoming ever more popular with golfers whose frequent complaint is a lack of time in which to ‘perfect’ their passion.

The par three Gualta course, back towards the Mediterranean coast, offered a little over two hours of sheer fun, pottering our way around 18 holes wrapped around a selection of small lakes and carved through tall pine trees, armed only with a pitching wedge and a putter.

It was easy to see how this place could be a real favourite for a family outing but somewhat ‘golfed’ out for the day, it was back on the road to wind our way towards the medieval city of Girona.

Our base for the evening was the Hotel AC Palau Bellavista, a futuristic looking building set high up in a residential area of the city, boasting the sort of stunning outlook on the rest of Girona that could only be fully appreciated in daylight the next morning.

Something of a culinary hub – the Costa Brava region is home to as many as 20 Michelin-starred restaurants – Girona boasts the Celler de Can Roca, itself the holder of no less than three stars.

However, reliably informed that the waiting list for a booking there stood at more than a year, our appetites would have to be satisfied elsewhere.

Strolling down through the picture-postcard streets, our destination was the Llevataps restaurant, at Plaça de l’Oli in the city’s old quarter, where we were greeted by an array of locally-inspired dishes.

They didn’t disappoint. Meat and fish treats were interspersed with Catalan cheeses, an assortment of jams and a few glasses courtesy of the local Emporda vineyards.

Girona is a city teeming with history, an intriguing melting pot of civilisations with Iberian, Moor, Roman and Jewish influences throughout more than 1000 years of history.

A night’s rest behind us, we set out on a guided tour of its ramparts.

Given the architecture on show, it is little wonder that it is now a favoured spot for filming of the Game of Thrones series.

Narrow streets and alleys wound their way around the medieval walls, most of which remain today, despite being subjected to an array of sieges through the centuries.

The imposing cathedral, standing tall above them all, was a spectacular sight as were the buildings sited next to the Riu Onyar (river), which made its way through Girona itself.

Meanwhile, tucked away near the Jewish quarter was a slightly non-descript building set among the cafes and tobacconists – a perhaps recent and not altogether welcome addition to the Girona tourist trail.

It was here that the now-disgraced cycling hero Armstrong based himself while training with his US Postal Service team during their ‘heyday.’ But our trip ended as it had started – on the fairways – and the best was saved until last.

The PGA Catalunya Resort, a few minutes out from Girona, boasts two sets of 18 holes, the Stadium Course having already been acclaimed as Spain’s finest as well as making regular appearances in world’s top 100 lists.

A candidate venue to host the Ryder Cup in 2022, it’s difficult to overlook its distinct appeal, having already hosted a trio of Spanish Opens and with proximity to both Barcelona and Girona.

What looked good on paper though was nothing compared to the experience of plotting your way around.

With ridiculously green fairways and greens cutting their way up and down small valleys and woodland, the contrast with the arid sun-blasted terrain surrounding the course made you feel like you were traipsing through a beautiful oasis.

•  Hotel Peralada Wine Golf & Spa – www.hotelperalada.com
•  Torremirona Golf Club – www.torremirona.com
•  Par 3 Gulata – www.gualta.com
•  Hotel AC Palau Bellavista – www.hotelacpalaubellavista.com
•  PGA Catalunya Restort - www.pgacatalunya.com
   Visit www.costabrava.org and
  www.pirineugirona.org