Greece Is A Hot New Golf Travel Destination For 2025 And Beyond

There are a lot of great reasons to go on vacation to Greece, but until very recently golf was not one of them. In fact, Greece has long had the least golf of the most popular countries in Europe, lagging far behind hotbeds of the sport such as Spain, Portugal, France and of course, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Even lesser-known spots such as Italy, Switzerland and Turkey have had a lot more to offer golfers (Turkey is a hidden gem golf destination offering great value, and I wrote about it in detail at Forbes last year). But one bold new development has suddenly put this popular paradise on the global radar, and Greece is a hot new golf travel destination for 2025 and beyond.

Why Greece?

The timing could not be any better, as Greece has exploded in popularity with U.S. travelers. The weather, food, islands, beaches, history, culture, a huge slate of new hotels and restaurants and the strong dollar have all conspired to drive record visits. 2023 was an all-time record year for tourism, unprecedented at the time, but 2024 jumped another 22.4% to nearly 42 million visitors—four for every Greek resident. The American market has become so big that once seasonal non-stop flights are now going year-round, and it is easier to get to Greece than ever.

Golf-Plus: Two Vacations In One Trip

I love golf, but I love a lot of things about travel. There are just a handful of destinations you can go if you want to play World Top 100 ranked courses and focus entirely on golf, especially places like Scotland or Ireland. Playing only the world’s very best courses is a highly restrictive way to go about things, with extremely limited options. But if you are happy to also play very good golf courses, this opens up an entire another tier of vacations I like to call “Golf-Plus.”

Since a round of golf takes roughly four hours, maybe four and a half to five on a slow day, that still leaves a whole lot of time for enjoying other things and enjoying them with other people who don’t love golf, like family members. There are few places you can enjoy these other things better than in Greece, but until now, Greece has lacked a “Golf-Plus” option. That is exactly what Costa Navarino delivers.

Costa Navarino

There are golf resorts, there are big golf resorts, and then there are true destination golf resorts, with an abundance of golf and amenities of high enough quality to justify an entire trip, often over a long distance. There are few examples of a destination golf resort as dramatic as Greece’s Costa Navarino, a travel game changer.

To put this in perspective, there are only half a dozen other places in all of Greece where you can tee it up, and a few are 9-holes. Costa Navarino has 72 and is the only place in the entire country with more than one course under one roof. It also happens to be a stunningly beautiful roof.

Of course, nothing this big is ever brand new, and it did not happen all at once. The oldest course, here, the Dunes, debuted in 2010, some 15 years ago, and the resort will likely be an expanding work in progress with more golf, hotels, homes and more of everything for decades to come. But it has now arrived as a full-fledged world-class golf resort with all the necessary amenities—and much more— in place, and it is more than ready for prime time.

I loved Costa Navarino, and having been to many planned residential and resort communities of this style in places such as Hawaii and Mexico, what I was especially impressed with was how a single owner drove all the development and even designed the hotels, instead of simply leasing or selling hotel lots to third-party developers. So, while each is under different brand management, all fill a particular niche, and the overall aesthetic is consistent, giving it a village feel, rather than a resort feel. In short, there are too many luxury resorts around the world that you go to and are ensconced in, missing the actual place you went to, but here everything fits into the wonderful travel landscape that is Greece.

Costa Navarino is on Greece’s mainland, the Peloponnese Peninsula, on which Athens also sits, and is about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from the capital. There is also the nearby Kalamata International Airport (yes, just like the famous olives which grow abundantly here), which has a lot of connecting flights from European cities (I flew from London) and is growing. An ideal way to visit is to fly either into or out of Kalamata and do Athens at the other end, extending your stay in the glorious ancient city—another two in one vacation.

The resort sprawls across about 2,500 coastal acres broken into a couple of big parcels, which a handful of local waterfront towns in between, increasing the authentic Greek feel and making it extremely easy to go out of the resort and enjoy a lobster and octopus dinner at a beach shack with your toes in the sand and a cheap cold local Mythos beer in your hand. But you certainly do not have to leave, as the resort includes two large “villages” of its own with more than 40 bars and restaurants spanning myriad styles and price points.

There are three main areas: Navarino Dunes with two hotels and a golf course, Navarino Bay with two more hotels and another course, and mountainside Navarino Hills overlooking the rest of the property and the ocean, with two golf courses and clubhouse (and at some point, probably a hotel).

Much More Than Just Golf: A Family Resort With Great Facilities

Only a tiny percentage of all the golf resorts on earth have four or more eighteen-hole courses, immediately putting Costa Navarino in the upper echelon in terms of golf, but the huge property offers much, much more, and would be great even for a non-golf vacation.

All the sportive offerings here are world-class and were created with just as much attention to detail as the golf. Tennis? They offer the first location in Europe of the Mouratoglou Tennis Center, one of the world’s most famous academies. Patrick Mouratoglou is coach for 23-time Grand Slam singles winner Serena Willaims, the GOAT of her sport, as well as Coco Gauff and many other top pros. The academy has a dozen hard and red clay tennis courts, plus additional padel and pickleball courts, and offers instruction and camps for all of them.

Similarly, the basketball camp is an official NBA Academy and soccer a Bayern Munich FC camp, both of which attract many children. There is a state-of-the-art golf academy with lessons and clinics for all ages, plus extensive long and short game practice facilities. There’s a full-blown Scuba dive center, watersports including sailing, e-foils, kite surfing, snorkeling, standup paddleboarding, kayaking, windsurfing, wakeboarding and waterskiing, miles of mountain biking trails, hiking, rock climbing, road cycling, yoga classes on the beach, yoga classes indoors, and multiple pool complexes, beaches, gyms and spas. There are numerous summer camp options for kids, and even a water park.

Beyond sports there is the fantastic array of dining, from grab and go souvlaki to white tablecloth Greek and Mediterranean, plus all sorts of other cuisines, Italian, steakhouses, Asian, dozens of options in all. Costa Navarino has its own extensive gardens and produce, even its own vineyards, and produces wine, honey and olive oil. There are cooking classes, wine tastings, olive oil classes and more, plus other special or local non-food experiences such as guided star gazing or Greek philosophy discussions.

There are also a lot of cultural highlights in the area, and the town of Pylos next door has two ancient castles, Paleokastro and Neokastro. Just offshore was the historic Battle of Navarino Bay (1827), a turning point in the Greek War of Independence, with the naval fleet of the allied Britan, Russia and France defeating the Ottoman and Egyptian fleet. There are monuments to the victors you can visit on the islands in the Bay. The spectacular ruins of the peninsular Castle of Methoni are just 40 minutes away, the major ruins of Ancient Messene, including a huge stadium, just over an hour, and much more.

OAG Greece, or “Our Authentic Greece,” is a leading luxury Destination Marketing Company in the country (DMC). DMCs are specialized local travel outfitters that travel agents and other tour operators call when they need something in another place, from hard-to-get dinner reservations to the best guides to hotel advice and private transfers. Many DMCs also work directly with consumers, a little-known but helpful secret tip for the best luxury travel, and OAG is one of the best in Greece, and has seen a spike in business since Costa Navarino opened.

“Costa Navarino is a premier destination that combines world-class golf, authentic Greek hospitality, and breathtaking natural beauty. Its convenient access from Athens and proximity to Kalamata Airport, with increasing international flights, make it highly accessible,” said OAG’s Andrea Grall.

“But it’s also our best-seller for families, thanks to its outstanding kids’ facilities. From engaging children’s programs to family-friendly activities, Costa Navarino ensures that parents can relax while their children are entertained in a safe environment. Combined with its beautiful beaches, wide landscapes, and commitment to sustainability, it’s a destination that truly has something for everyone.”

For a serious golf vacation, you should work with a golf travel specialist, a process explained in more detail below. But Costa Navarino is also a great vacation spot for anyone who likes first-rate food, beaches, excellent hotels, spas, natural beauty, sports and/or culture, and especially for families. Plus, it’s easy to combine with other parts of Greece.

“Begin in Athens, with one night in a luxury hotel, allowing time to explore the capital, including a private, after-hours tour of the Acropolis, where history comes alive without the crowds,” suggested Grall as an example of a perfect itinerary. “Revel in world-class golf, indulge in luxurious spa treatments, and immerse yourself in local culture with archeological tours, olive oil tastings, and a unique lunch in an olive grove. Cap your day with a serene sunset cruise on a sailing boat, creating moments to remember. On the return, stop in Nafplio for a guided tour of Ancient Olympia and stay one night in a boutique hotel to enjoy this picturesque town and its historical charm before returning to Athens.”

The Golf Courses

The Dunes golf club is located at Navarino Dunes, right next to the Westin and Romanos hotels. It is the oldest and the first one opened here, along with the first wave of vacation homes that predate the hotels. Many part-time residents cited the Dunes as their favorite, but I feel part of that is the nostalgia of it being their “original,” or first love. Set just inland from the sea, it’s hilly, with non-stop ocean and dunes views, a bit of eye-candy as it winds through groves of olive and citrus trees. It is the work of the all-time winningest player in Champions Tour history, the indefatigable Bernhard Langer and European Golf Design. It’s one of the tougher tests here, and while the fairways are generally generous off the tee throughout Costa Navarino, here they are heavily bunkered, followed by frequent uphill approaches, so you are hitting a lot of longer irons and fairway woods to greens closely guarded by more bunkers, leaving little room for error.

Across the board, the courses here are resort golf with an edge, and between the wind, elevation changes and bunkering, there are lots of places to trip up while still having a great time. A lot of money and effort is spent on conditioning, and all four were in great shape when I visited. Other commonalities include stunning views, big elevation changes and lots of olives.

The Bay Course is the winner for drop-dead scenery, with a dramatic start, as the first hole plays right downhill to the ocean, a short par-4 that will rival the greatest openers you have ever seen. This is followed by a gorgeous par-3 on cliffs along the coast, after which the routing turns inland and rolls over hills, but with less severe elevation changes than its siblings. It is a very interesting and strategic design, with unusual back-to-back par-5s—twice—and back-to-back par-3s threes. Once you have survived the second hole, it is the least penal and least wind affected of the four.

Navarino Hills is the newest section of the resort, with the two latest courses, opened two years ago. Both were designed by Jose Maria Olazabal, and these occupy the highest site in the resort, a windswept peak with dramatic views in every direction. For a combination of beauty, rhythm and consistent quality for holes, I’d personally rank The Hills course here as the best of the four, though this is a close and subjective call. It reaches its highest point on the fourth hole, with a feeling like you are on top of the world, then rolls along before finishing with a handful of shorter downhill holes. It’s nice to go out with gravity helping, but even on these there are some fun strategic risk/reward decisions you need make in order to score well while negotiating the many hazards.

The International Olympic Academy Golf Course is the most challenging eighteen, with similar topography to the adjacent Hills course, but featuring a longer routing that largely foregoes shorter holes. Expect to hit driver off the tee with little choice. From the tips it’s 6,945-yards—and plays longer. There are a lot of uphill approaches to oversized greens with a ton of slope, making three or more putts a real and frequent danger. The big reward is the panoramic views of the ocean, towns, hotels, other golf courses and basically everything that sits below, for pretty much the entire back nine.

The Hotels

A shuttle bus system links the three neighborhoods, hotels and golf courses, so no matter where you stay, nothing is more than 15 minutes away.

In Navarino Dunes the Westin and Romanos sit side by side, connected by an “agora.” Traditionally the Greek word for marketplace, agora in this case means more of what you would call a piazza in Italy, a town square or plaza full of bars and restaurants and shops and fountains, and in the evenings, outdoor movies and live music. The agoras here are brilliant, one of my favorite things about the design of Costa Navarino, elevating it from a mere resort into a community, with a village feel. The normal resort experience is to eat somewhere in the lobby of your hotel, or if you are lucky, at the beach or out by the pool. But here you can wander “into town” —but right next door—and visit the wine bar or grab a seat at an outdoor café.

The beachfront Westin is family-friendly and the most affordable option, though still quite high-end. It has spacious rooms well suited to a crowd, and most feature large balconies or terraces overlooking the water, while ground floor units have private infinity pools. There’s a large lagoon-style pool complex, some casual dining options and two different kids clubs.

The Romanos is part of Marriott’s high-end Luxury Collection, though oddly the W here seems to be positioned above it, which is not the usual hierarchy of the portfolio. In any case, the W, Westin and Romanos are all part of the Marriott’s industry leading Bonvoy, the world’s largest hotel loyalty program, and this is a great place to use your points. The Romanos is a bit more honeymooner in feel, adds the option of luxury beachfront villas to rooms and suites, and has a large, lavish spa. Guests of both the Westin and Romanos can easily access the facilities (gym, spa, dining, etc.) in either, and they are connected by the agora.

The only 12 and older W is located at Navarino Bay, and is the hippest option, with a non-stop party/Vegas atmosphere. It features a vast terraced pool complex—complete with outdoor DJ booth—that drops down from the hotel to the beach. It has an impressive array of room options, including gorgeous ground level units with direct pool access and beachfront villas. It is home to the watersports center and has a large gym and spa.

Next to the W is a second agora, but while the one at Navarino Dunes sits between the buildings like a hill town, this one wraps around the harbor and was designed to mimic the many coastal fishing villages of the Greek Isles. There are lots of options to dine outside here overlooking the water, and one nice touch of both agoras, especially at a luxury resort, is that they have casual spots where you can grab a gyro or ice cream.

The fanciest option at Costa Navarino is the ultra-luxe Mandarin-Oriental next door, where rooms often run over $2,000 a night. This is the iconic global brand’s first property in Greece, and has a much more private, quiet feel than the three larger resorts. It is by far the smallest, with less than a hundred accommodations, all of which are suites or villas, and these are terraced and built into the hillside spilling down to the ocean, with eco-friendly green garden rooftops and many have private pools. There are seven dining and drinking options onsite, full spa, and private beach club.

In addition to the four resort hotels, there are also a broad array of serviced villa rental options.

If You Go: The Logistics

Despite the great year-round climate, Costa Navarino mostly (they often keep one course in play for residents and at least one hotel open) shuts down in the heart of winter, December and January, so now is a great time to start planning for 2025.

Golf high-season is March through mid-May and mid-September through November. However, it is a very popular family escape in the summer vacation period, so while July and August is the slowest time for golf, it is high season for the resort. As a result, you can go in the summer and save on golf while paying top dollar for rooms or go in spring/fall and stay for less but pay more to play.

The biggest problem with planning a golf trip is that unlike most big golf resorts, Costa Navarino does not really have golf packages. If you are just going to go with your family, hit the beach and sneak out for a round or two, it’s not a big deal. But if you are going there to play golf, and especially if you are going to golf four or more days, and/or have a foursome or two, you can save you a lot of money by booking through one of the top golf travel tour operators who has a contract with Costa Navarino. They can basically create the kind of “stay and play” multi-round packages you would usually find at a serious golf resort, including substantial discounts.

They can even do a package with European-style all-inclusive meal packages, giving you the stress-free freedom to dine around. Costa Navarino would be a fantastic destination for multiple couples, some of them non-golfers, to go and both play and just live large. Once you get to six or eight or more travelers, you definitely want to go this route. In the U.S. market, the top company that I know is very good and that now specializes in this new destination is Premier Golf. Premier has been doing the classic best of Scotland and Ireland for 30 years, plus hotspots in Portugal, England and the U.S., as well as big ticket golf experiences such as The Masters. Premier Golf was among the first big players in the travel industry to realize what this place was all about and get onboard, and also offers a combination “Athens & Costa Navarino Tour” that includes four days of golf and three days of leisure and explorations.