---
type: "Article"
title: "Golfing in Spain’s Basque Country and La Rioja"
description: "The Basque Country in Spain offers 11 varied golf courses. Together with La Rioja area it's a destination for golfers, wine lovers and gourmet lovers."
resource: "https://travelmemo.com/spain/golfing-basque-country-rioja"
author: "Walter Schaerer"
publisher: "Travelmemo"
photo_count: 20
tags: ["Golf", "Spain"]
entities:
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/spain"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/golf"
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  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/nature-tourism"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/road-trip"
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  - "https://travelmemo.com/author/walter-schaerer"
generated: { by: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/walter-schaerer", at: 2026-07-04T13:46:36+00:00 }
verified:
  - { by: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/katja-birrer", at: 2019-10-06T14:00:55+00:00 }
sources:
  - id: photos
    resource: golfing-basque-country-rioja.md#photos
    title: "Original photography by Walter Schaerer"
    author: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/walter-schaerer"
    last_modified: 2019-07-02
timestamp: 2026-07-04T13:46:36+00:00
---

# Golfing in Spain’s Basque Country and La Rioja

> Spain's Basque Country and neighbouring La Rioja offer a compelling golf, wine, and gourmet food road trip, with 11 varied courses set against dramatic landscapes from Bilbao to the Rioja vineyards.

## Destination
Basque Country in northern Spain, with a side trip south to the La Rioja wine region; key bases are Bilbao and San Sebastián.

## Getting there
A self-drive road trip is recommended for exploring the courses across Basque Country and La Rioja.

## When to go
Expect frequent txirimiri drizzle in the Basque hills; Logroño and La Rioja to the south are considerably warmer and sunnier.

## Why visit
A rare combination of highly varied golf courses, world-class pintxos and gourmet cuisine, and easy access to one of Spain's premier wine regions.

## What to see
- **Port of Bilbao (Portugalete and Getxo)** — Visible from the upper fairways of Meaztegi, offering sweeping views of Bilbao's port area.
- **Peñas de Aya, Jaizkibel and Adarra mountains** — 360-degree panorama visible from the Basozábal course above San Sebastián on clear days.
- **La Grajera Nature Reserve** — 1,100-acre nature reserve surrounding the Logroño Golf course just outside the city.
- **'Crouching lion' rock formation** — Distinctive rock formation visible as a backdrop from the Logroño golf course.

## What to do
- **Play Meaztegi Golf Club near Bilbao** — One of Basque Country's oldest courses, designed by Seve Ballesteros, hugging a former ore mine with varied fairways.
- **Play Basozábal (Real Nuevo Club de Golf de San Sebastián)** — Mountainous course above San Sebastián with narrow fairways, notable ravine carry on hole 12, and 360-degree mountain views.
- **Play Izki Golf in Álava** — Demanding 18-hole Ballesteros-designed course in Álava province, close to the La Rioja wine region.
- **Play Golf Logroño** — Course set amid vineyards and a nature reserve, featuring Spain's longest hole at 619 metres; awarded IAGTO Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year 2019.
- **Eat pintxos in Bilbao and San Sebastián** — Both cities offer an extensive variety of pintxos, the Basque take on Spanish tapas.
- **Wine touring in La Rioja** — Logroño sits in the heart of the La Rioja wine region, ideal for combining vineyard visits with golf.

## Good to know
Additional 18-hole Basque courses include Club de Campo Laukariz (Munguia), Real Sociedad de Golf de Neguri (Getxo), Club de Golf de Larrabea (Legutiano), and Uraburu Golf (Galdakao). The Arima design hotel near San Sebastián offers a shuttle to the city and is a convenient base for Basozábal.

## Photos

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    captured: 2019-07-02
    geo: {latitude: 43.2868, longitude: -1.9578}
    credit: "Walter Schärer"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/bilbao-tour-travelmemo-8.jpg"
    caption: "Meaztegi Golf See und Green"
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    geo: {latitude: 43.2909, longitude: -3.0707}
    credit: "Walter Schärer"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/bilbao-tour-travelmemo-9.jpg"
    caption: "Walter und Katja auf einer guten Runde Golf"
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    caption: "Meaztegi Golf Green mit Sicht auf Hafen von Bilbao"
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    geo: {latitude: 43.2893, longitude: -3.0712}
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    caption: "Golf Basozabal"
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    captured: 2019-07-02
    geo: {latitude: 43.2825, longitude: -1.9658}
    credit: "Walter Schärer"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Golfplatz-Basozabal-Real-Nuevo-Club-de-Golf-de-San-Sebastian.jpg"
    caption: "Fairways der Golfplatzanlage"
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    geo: {latitude: 43.2876, longitude: -1.966}
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Basozabal-Fairway-12-Dogleg-Real-Nuevo-Club-de-Golf-de-San-Sebastian.jpg"
    caption: "Dogleg von Fairway 12"
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    caption: "Bäume und Wasserhindernis von Fairway 13"
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    caption: "Golf Basozabal"
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    captured: 2019-07-02
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  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/san-sebastian-basque-country-spain-20.jpg"
    caption: "Golf Basozabal"
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    geo: {latitude: 43.2871, longitude: -1.9675}
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  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/san-sebastian-basque-country-spain.jpg"
    caption: "Grosszügiges Hotelzimmer"
    keywords: ["San Sebastián"]
    captured: 2019-07-01
    geo: {latitude: 43.2914, longitude: -1.9813}
    credit: "Walter Schärer"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/izki-golfplatz-fairways-severiano-ballesteros.jpg"
    caption: "The golf course fairway layout"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/izki-golf-fairway-13.jpg"
    caption: "Tückisches Fairway 13"
    keywords: ["https://reisememo.ch/europa/spanien/golf-baskenland-rioja"]
    credit: "Walter Schärer"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/walter-izki-golf.jpg"
    caption: "Eine Runde zum vergessen..."
    keywords: ["https://reisememo.ch/europa/spanien/golf-baskenland-rioja"]
    credit: "Walter Schärer"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/viura-villabuena-vitoria-gasteiz-15.jpg"
    caption: "Logroño Golf"
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    captured: 2019-06-30
    geo: {latitude: 42.4341, longitude: -2.5095}
    credit: "Walter Schärer"
```