Northern Italy golf holidays

Villa d'Este, Menaggio and Monticello — golf among the lakes.

7 hotels · 9 courses · from £410pp · ATOL Protected

Plan my Northern Italy trip Talk to a golf expert · 01277 284284

Northern Italy is golf in its most civilised setting: courses laid across the foothills above Lake Como, Maggiore and Garda, where the fairways borrow their backdrops from the Alps and the lakeside towns supply the after-round pleasures. This is the Italy of slow lunches, lake steamers and old-world hotels — a region where the round is only ever half the day. We pair championship parkland layouts with grand lakeside addresses, so a morning at Monticello can give way to an afternoon by the water in Como or Stresa.

We have arranged Italy golf since 1981. Every itinerary is hand-built and hand-priced around your dates, your group and the courses you want to play.

Why play golf in Northern Italy

  • A genuine cluster of championship courses within easy reach of one another — Monticello, Villa d'Este, Le Robinie and more, so you can play a different layout each day without long transfers.
  • Mountain-and-lake settings that few golf regions can match, with Alpine backdrops behind the fairways.
  • Mature parkland golf — tree-lined, strategic courses that reward placement over power.
  • Lakeside towns as your base — Como, Stresa and Menaggio offer grand hotels and lakefront dining a short drive from the tee.
  • A region built for golf-and-leisure trips where non-golfing partners are spoilt by the lakes, gardens and food.

The courses you’ll play

The Como hinterland holds the region's headline names. Circolo Villa d'Este Golf Club above Lake Montorfano is a revered tree-lined classic, narrow and demanding, while Monticello Golf Club at Cassina Rizzardi offers two full eighteens across rolling parkland — a tournament venue with the space for serious golf.

To the west, Iles Borromees Golf Club at Brovello Carpugnino plays in the hills above Lake Maggiore near Stresa, and Le Robinie Golf Course at Solbiate Olona brings a more modern, water-shaped design to the plains between Como and Maggiore. Over towards Lake Garda, Chervò Golf San Vigilio opens up wide, contemporary fairways. Tell us which appeal and we'll build the rotation around them.

Where you’ll stay

We hand-pick hotels that match the setting. On Lake Maggiore, Stresa is the grand-hotel address: the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromees and the Grand Hotel Bristol are classic lakefront properties with views to the Borromean Islands, perfectly placed for Iles Borromees golf.

On Lake Como, the Albergo Terminus sits on the waterfront in Como itself, an elegant base for Villa d'Este and Monticello. Towards Lake Garda, the Chervo Golf Spa & Resort at Pozzolengo lets you stay on the course with spa and resort facilities at hand. We match the hotel to the courses you most want to play and the lake you most want to wake up beside.

Best time to play golf in Northern Italy

Northern Italy is a summer game. The lakeside courses sit beneath the Alps, and winters here are cool and often wet — the season runs roughly May to September, with the courses at their best through late spring and into early autumn.

June and September are our favourites: warm, settled days, the gardens in full colour and the courses in fine condition without the peak heat of high summer. July and August bring the warmest weather and the busiest lakes, so book early if those are your dates. Spring can be showery but green and quiet; by October the light softens and the season winds down. We plan tee times around the conditions of your chosen month.

A sense of Northern Italy

History & heritage

The Italian lakes have drawn travellers for centuries, and it shows. Como is a city of silk and stone, its cathedral and arcaded streets opening onto the water. Villa d'Este — the famous hotel that lends its name to the golf club's neighbourhood — set the template for lakeside grandeur, and the shores are lined with villas and formal gardens built by aristocrats and industrialists.

Stresa, on Maggiore, faces the Borromean Islands with their palaces and terraced gardens, reached by the little lake steamers that have plied these waters for generations. It is a region of belle-époque hotels, opera in nearby Milan and an unhurried, cultured rhythm that suits a golf trip beautifully.

Food & wine

This is northern Italian cooking — richer and more buttery than the south. Expect risotto (the rice paddies of the Po plain are not far off), freshly caught lake fish such as perch and whitefish, polenta, and the slow-braised meats of Lombardy and Piedmont. Como and Stresa both reward an evening spent over a long lakeside dinner.

The wine lists lean local and serious: Piedmont to the west brings Barolo, Barbaresco and Barbera; the Garda shore to the east offers crisp Lugana whites and the light reds of Valpolicella and Bardolino. A round at Chervò near Garda pairs naturally with the wines of Verona. We're happy to point you to the tables worth booking.

Beyond the fairways

The lakes are the attraction, and they are made for non-golfing days. From Stresa, take the steamer to the Borromean Islands to walk the palace gardens of Isola Bella and Isola Madre. From Como or Menaggio, cruise Lake Como past Bellagio and the great villas, or ride the funicular up to Brunate for the view.

Closer to Garda, the spa at Chervò invites a slower afternoon, while Verona — with its Roman arena and old town — is within reach to the east. Milan, with its cathedral, fashion and art, lies just to the south for a day in the city. Partners rarely run short of things to do here.

Getting around & exploring

A hire car is the most flexible way to enjoy a Northern Italy golf trip — it links the courses around Como, Maggiore and Garda and lets you explore the lakeshore roads at your own pace, though those roads can be narrow and busy in season. Transfers between the courses and the lakeside hotels are short by golf-travel standards.

Within the towns, much is walkable, and the lake steamers are a pleasure in themselves for crossing between villages. We can arrange private transfers if you'd rather not drive after a round, and tailor the logistics to where you're staying and playing.

Getting there

Northern Italy is well served by air, with Milan's Malpensa and Linate airports closest to the lakes; Bergamo and Verona are also within reach depending on which lake you base yourself on. Malpensa is especially handy for Maggiore and Como.

Flights are arranged as a separate, ATOL-protected add-on to your trip rather than bundled in — that way you keep full financial protection and we can match the flights to the schedule and airport that suit you best. Tell us your preferred departure airport and dates and we'll quote the flights alongside your ground arrangements, or you're welcome to book your own and let us handle everything on the ground.

Good to know

  • Ground-only specialists since 1981 — your hotels, tee times, transfers and itinerary are hand-built; flights are a separate ATOL-protected add-on, never bundled in.
  • We are not an ABTA member — our trade credentials are ATOL (flights only), PTS and IATA.
  • Best season is roughly May to September, with June and September the sweet spot for weather and condition.
  • Book early for July and August — the lakes and the grand hotels fill in high summer.
  • A hire car helps for moving between the lake courses; we can arrange private transfers instead.
  • Tell us your group, dates and the courses you most want — Villa d'Este, Monticello, Iles Borromees, Le Robinie or Chervò — and we'll price it around you.

The courses you’ll play in Northern Italy

Chervò Golf San Vigilio — Northern Italy golfChervò Golf San VigilioPlayed on tailored stay & play breaksDiscover & tailor your trip →Arzaga Golf Club, Calvagese della Riviera, Verona — Northern Italy golfArzaga Golf Club, Calvagese della Riviera, VeronaPlayed on tailored stay & play breaksDiscover & tailor your trip →Castelconturbia Golf Club, Agrate Conturbia — Northern Italy golfCastelconturbia Golf Club, Agrate ConturbiaPlayed on tailored stay & play breaksDiscover & tailor your trip →Circolo Golf Bogogno Club, Bogogno — Northern Italy golfCircolo Golf Bogogno Club, BogognoPlayed on tailored stay & play breaksDiscover & tailor your trip →Circolo Villa d’Este Golf Club, Como — Northern Italy golfCircolo Villa d’Este Golf Club, ComoPlayed on tailored stay & play breaksDiscover & tailor your trip →Iles Borromees Golf Club, Brovello Carpugnino — Northern Italy golfIles Borromees Golf Club, Brovello CarpugninoPlayed on tailored stay & play breaksDiscover & tailor your trip →

Golf resorts — stay & play on-site

Chervo Golf Spa & Resort, Pozzolengo — Northern Italy golfChervo Golf Spa & Resort, PozzolengoChervò Golf San Vigilio · Arzaga Golf Club, Calvagese della Riviera, VeronaPlayed on tailored stay & play breaksDiscover & tailor your trip →Le Robinie Golf Resort, Solbiate Olona — Northern Italy golfLe Robinie Golf Resort, Solbiate OlonaLe Robinie Golf Course, Solbiate Olona · Monticello Golf Club, Cassina Rizzardifrom£410per personDiscover & tailor your trip →

Hotels — play the area’s courses

Albergo Terminus , Como — Northern Italy golfAlbergo Terminus , ComoCircolo Villa d’Este Golf Club, Como · Monticello Golf Club, Cassina RizzardiPlayed on tailored stay & play breaksDiscover & tailor your trip →Chervo Golf Spa & Resort, Pozzolengo — Northern Italy golfChervo Golf Spa & Resort, PozzolengoChervò Golf San Vigilio · Arzaga Golf Club, Calvagese della Riviera, VeronaPlayed on tailored stay & play breaksDiscover & tailor your trip →Grand Hotel Bristol, Stresa — Northern Italy golfGrand Hotel Bristol, StresaIles Borromees Golf Club, Brovello Carpugnino · Circolo Golf Bogogno Club, Bogognofrom£440per personDiscover & tailor your trip →Grand Hotel des Iles Borromees, , Stresa — Northern Italy golfGrand Hotel des Iles Borromees, , StresaIles Borromees Golf Club, Brovello Carpugnino · Circolo Golf Bogogno Club, BogognoPlayed on tailored stay & play breaksDiscover & tailor your trip →Le Robinie Golf Resort, Solbiate Olona — Northern Italy golfLe Robinie Golf Resort, Solbiate OlonaLe Robinie Golf Course, Solbiate Olona · Monticello Golf Club, Cassina Rizzardifrom£410per personDiscover & tailor your trip →

Ready to play Northern Italy?

Tell us your dates and group — we’ll build a tailored itinerary and hand-priced quote, usually within 15 minutes.

Plan my Northern Italy trip →Talk to a specialist · 01277 284284

ATOL & PTS protected · Tailor-made since 1981

Frequently asked questions

Golf holidays in Northern Italy — answers to the questions our golfers ask most.

How do I get to Italy?

There are several regional airports, easily accessible from the UK,  or you can enjoy a leisurely drive through France before settling in Northern Italy around Venice, Milan or The Lakes, to play great golf and enjoy Italian hospitality.

Is it easy to get around in Italy?

Hire a car or ask us to arrange private transfers.  If you are staying at one of the excellent play and stay resorts, taxis may suit you best.

How do we know which area of Italy will suit us?

Give us a call and we'll discuss what holiday works for you.

Are the golf courses in Italy busy?

Italy is still off the beaten track as a golf holiday destination so there is good availability, and prices, at excellent golf courses.

Are flights included?

Our golf holidays are arranged ground-only — hotel, golf and transfers. You can add flights through us, and those flights are ATOL protected as part of your booking.

How do golf holidays with Golf Planet Holidays work?

Every trip is tailor-made. Tell us your group, dates and the destinations you fancy, and we build a personal itinerary — hotel, golf and transfers — around them. There are no fixed packages to squeeze into; we shape the whole break to suit how your group likes to play.

Still have a question? Ask our golf travel team — a free, no-obligation quote, no call centre.

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