The best European golf destinations for family holidays

 Golf holidays with the family present their own challenges. Keeping the non-golfers in the family happy and feeling like they're on a real vacation, while at the same time filling up on golf, is worth this little extra travel planning. The following European golf resort vacation destinations are ideal for a family vacation.

middle of the Algarve

The Central Algarve, with its beautiful scenery, idyllic climate and exceptional golf courses, is one of the best golf destinations in Europe. Resorts such as Vilamoura, Quinta do Lago, Vale do Lobo and Vilamoura offer much more than just golf and will provide golfers with the variety of vacations they would expect from a first-class resort. On Quinta do Lago, an exclusive 2,000-acre residential and leisure property, you have countryside, pine forests, the Atlantic Ocean, and Ria Formosa Nature Reserve as a course, plus 72 holes of golf. Horseback riding and tennis, as well as a variety of water sports, will keep your family busy during the day, and there are stylish restaurants and trendy nightclubs for evening entertainment, as well as a Burganvilla shopping center and gym. The stunning two-mile stretch of golden sand is a bonus.

Vale do Lobo, awarded as the best resort of the millennium, and the largest leisure complex in the Algarve, boasts high-quality accommodation and various sports facilities, including one of the largest tennis facilities in Portugal. Vale do Lobo, with two (out of three) 18-hole championship courses, hosts about 100,000 golfers each year.

Vilamoura, twice the size of Vale do Lobo, includes tennis courts, a riding school, fishing and archery facilities, indoor and outdoor sports complexes as well as five golf courses. Gorgeous boats dock at the grand marina, home to restaurants, cafes, and shops. Surprisingly cosmopolitan nightlife consists of bars, clubs and restaurants.

Costa del Sol

The Costa del Sol offers a variety on and off the waterways, and the mild winters and beautiful springs and fall are perfect for golfing. There are about 20 fields, recreation areas, playgrounds, family attractions, as well as beaches and boardwalks. 

Three excellent water parks are open from Easter to the summer season, with slides and pools for all ages and abilities, as well as picnic areas and restaurants. You can see the animals and enjoy educational programs in the many nature parks. Selwo Aventura has more than 2,000 wildlife and a unique nature reserve, and Selwo Marina also has exotic birds and an underwater and dolphin watch center. At the Benalmádena Marine Life Center, an interactive underwater park, you can walk along the sea floor and see thousands of aquatic species.

Lisbon coast

There are excellent golf courses here and the beaches are ideal for families. The gorgeous views with small fishing bays and towering cliffs, and the excellent local cuisine are worth the visit alone. Close to Lisbon, it has all the diversity that the capital city can offer. The Quinta da Marinha complex has recreational facilities including three outdoor saltwater pools, a fitness center with a heated indoor pool, six tennis courts, a tennis school, Turkish bath, sauna, jacuzzi, gym, massage room, bicycle rental, horse riding and, last but not least, a golf course of 18 pit.

A 60-minute drive from Lisbon Airport, Praia D'el Rey Marriott is a beachfront hotel with spacious family rooms, away from the bustle of tourists. The hotel has indoor and outdoor swimming pools, health club, jacuzzi and tennis courts. Nearby Óbidos, a charming hilltop town nestled within 14th-century ramparts, is an ideal day trip destination. Praia del Rey Golf Course, one of the best golf courses in Europe, is also close by.