La Junquera Golf Course

La Junquera Golf Course sits on a peninsula south of Santander Bay in Pedreña, opened in 1997 on land that was once marshland thick with rushes, which gives the course its name. Few nine-hole courses anywhere can match its views: the bay, the city of Santander and the Picos de Europa are all visible across the round.

Don't let the short yardage fool you. This is a genuinely demanding course that punishes a lapse in concentration, with the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th holes forming its toughest stretch. Precision counts for more than power here, making it a proper test even for golfers used to longer courses elsewhere.

A driving range, locker rooms and putting green are all on site, alongside a modern clubhouse, completed in 2018, with a gym, multipurpose room and a south-facing terrace restaurant. Reaching Pedreña is part of the charm: arrive by road, or take the passenger ferry across the bay from Santander. For golfers wanting a short, technical round with some of the best views in Cantabria, La Junquera is well worth the trip.