Mediterranean Spain Portugal France Golf Cruise
13 Nights | 5 Rounds | Barcelona – Southampton | AZAMARA Quest
An exceptional 13 night, 5 round golf voyage around Europe begins in Barcelona, Spain with eight captivating ports of call ahead including Gibraltar, Portimao, Lisbon, Porto, Bilbao, Bordeaux, Guernsey and finally, Southampton.
Golf excursions include five outstanding rounds at the exceptional courses Valderrama, Faldo Amendoeira, Oitavos Dunes, Estela and Golf du Medoc.
Enjoy the many charms of Lisbon – an ancient city that’s hardly living in the past. There’s bustling activity around the magnificent harbor as hundreds of thousands of visitors travel here annually from around the world.
In Bordeaux, enjoy the estates and wineries built on the strong back of the mighty grape, learning about the region’s wonderful offerings by tasting plenty.
The golf is terrific, headed by Valderrama, which has been called the Augusta National of Europe and played host to the 1997 Ryder Cup, won by Europe.
Oitavos Dunes is a coastal beauty designed by American architect Arthur Hills and worthy of its lofty ranking.
Valderrama is a perennial World 100 layout consistently been rated among the five best in Continental Europe. “The Augusta of Europe” is a private club originally designed in 1974 by Robert Trent Jones on a hill above the old Andalucian village of Sotogrande. He was recalled in 1985 for a remake that has subsequently hosted a plethora of championships including the Volvo Masters and the 1997 Ryder Cup remembered for Europe’s late, great and charismatic captain Severiano Ballesteros.
The Faldo Course at Amendoeira, designed by Sir Nick Faldo, opened for play in 2008. In a modern twist of a traditional recipe, cacti and wild herbs replace the role of Sunningdale’s heather, and spartan holm oaks and ancient olive trees take the place of a lush English woodland, and desert scrub bunkers of crushed limestone replace Berkshire’s sandy tracts in a golf course that revels in the classic principles of strategic play. It also enjoys great views, in particular on the back nine.
Oitavos Dunes is located on the most westerly tip of Europe and mixes wondrous views of the Atlantic Ocean with the stunning backdrop of the Sintra Mountains. Oitavos was designed by the renowned Arthur Hills and is one of only two European Courses that bear his name. The course is a recent addition to the area in golfing terms and was inaugurated in 2001 while now ranking in the world’s top 100 courses. Oitavos Dunes is a par 71 course that measures 6,300m from the competition tees. The course is a lovely mixture of woodland and links-type holes that make the most of the existing landscape.
Private and exclusive, Estela is located a half-hour drive from Porto, shaggy dunes border narrow fairways on a 6,800-yard layout that includes two miles of Atlantic Ocean coastline. The spectacular scenery is complemented by the excellent condition of the penncross bentgrass greens and Tifton Bermuda fairways. Duarte Sottomayor, who studied golf course architecture under the acclaimed Robert Trent Jones Sr., designed Estela with the touch of a minimalist, allowing stiff breezes and the natural terrain to create a formidable, enjoyable challenge.
Crafted from the genius of American architect Bill Coore, Les Châteaux at Golf du Médoc is a Scottish links-style course opened in 1989 and has earned its reputation for immaculate putting surfaces. Consistently ranked in the top 100 in Continental Europe, the Chateaux course evokes images of classics such as Sunningdale and Swinley in the British Isles, combining heather, gorse, broom and, of course, the menacing wind. No. 11 is an intriguing risk/reward par-4. A creek bisects the fairway and demands a decision, offering bold and conservative routes to the green.
ITINERARY
| Date | Port | Arrive / Depart | Golf | Sightseeing |
| May 26 | Barcelona | Embark / 5:00PM | Sagrada Familia | |
| May 27 | At Sea | |||
| May 28 | Gibraltar | 9:00 AM /8:00 PM | Valderrama | The Rock of Gibraltar |
| May 29 | Portimao | 9:00AM / 8:00 PM | Faldo Amendoeira | Praia Grande |
| May 30 | Lisbon | 8:00AM / IN PORT | Jeronimos Monastery | |
| May 31 | Lisbon | IN PORT / 5:00PM | Oitavos Dunes | |
| June 1 | Porto | 8:00AM / 8:00PM | Estela | Terreiro da Se |
| June 2 | At Sea | |||
| June 3 | Bilbao | 7:30AM / 6:00PM | Guggenheim Museum | |
| June 4 | Bordeaux | 1:00PM / IN PORT | Cathedrale Saint-Andre | |
| June 5 | Bordeaux | IN PORT / IN PORT | Golf du Medoc | Grand Theatre |
| June 6 | Bordeaux | IN PORT / 7:00AM | ||
| June 7 | Guernsey | 1:00PM / 6:00PM | The Little Chapel | |
| June 8 | Southampton | 6:00AM / Disembark |
Club Veranda Stateroom from $6,099 pp\dbl
Club Continent Suite from $7,299 pp\dbl
Club Ocean Suite from $9,899 pp\dbl
Owners Suite from $10,499 pp\dbl
Golf Shore Excursion Package from $3,195 per golfer
Deposits Per Person: Golf Package $750; Staterooms $550 / Suites $1,100
Lock in Early for the Best Suites & Staterooms at the Best Price. The Cancellation Fee Is $125 Per Person Until 12 Months Out.