A course born on a landfill in Florence, an Austrian fort turned clubhouse on the Lido, raised greens among the hills of Custoza. Seven days, three art cities and four courses, to be played in the morning before stepping into a museum.
Golf in an art city has an advantage that no resort can offer: the morning on the course and the afternoon at the Uffizi (or in Piazza dei Signori, or at St Mark's) without moving your suitcase. This itinerary strings together three cities, Florence, Venice and Verona, and four courses, over seven days.
The rule is simple: one course a day, never two, and the rest of the time given to the city. High-speed trains run between Florence, Venice and Verona.
Four courses, three cities: the itinerary map
| Stop | Course | 18-hole green fee | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florence | Circolo del Golf Ugolino, Impruneta | 130 euros (2026) | historic club from 1934, Italian Open 1983 |
| Florence | Golf Club Parco di Firenze | 38 euros (2026) | nine-hole par 31 in the city |
| Venice | Circolo Golf Venezia, Alberoni | 95 euros weekday, 110 weekend (2026) | almost a links on the Lido |
| Verona and Garda | Golf Club Verona, Sommacampagna | 90 euros weekday, 110 weekend (2026) | 70 and 90 euros from November to February |
| Verona and Garda | Paradiso del Garda, Peschiera | 70 euros weekday, 80 weekend (undated price list) | open all year |
Days 1 and 2: Florence and the Chianti hills
The first day belongs to Ugolino. The Circolo del Golf Ugolino was founded in 1934 on the first hills of Chianti: the design is by Cecil Blandford and Peter Gannon, who made use of the slopes among vines, olive trees and maritime pines. The 18 holes, par 72, loop around the clubhouse, with small greens and sloping fairways. On 1 May 1983, at the last hole of the Italian Open, Severiano Ballesteros holed his second shot from the edge of the green; a plaque still marks the spot. The swimming pool has a diving board and platform designed by Pier Luigi Nervi.
The 2026 price list asks 130 euros for 18 holes and 80 for nine. For the minimum handicap and the closing day, it is best to phone the club beforehand (055 230 1009). The club also has agreements with accommodation in Greve in Chianti, Bagno a Ripoli and Impruneta.
The second day takes in the opposite kind of course: the Parco di Firenze, nine holes par 31 at the Isolotto, where an illegal landfill used to be. It was founded in 2000 by a group of enthusiasts who, at the start, hit their first balls on the nearby football pitch. It is a short layout, with five par 3s and four par 4s, and the 2026 price list quotes 28 euros for nine holes and 38 for 18, with the course open every day from 9 am to 6:30 pm. You can play a round in under two hours and be in the centre for lunch.
Days 3 and 4: Venice and the links at Alberoni
In Venice, golf lies on the other side of the lagoon. The Circolo Golf Venezia is at Alberoni, on the southern tip of the Lido, between the Adriatic and the lagoon: par 72, 6,039 metres, designed by C.K. Cotton (18 holes since 1951, the first layout opened in 1930). The club says it "shares many characteristics of links courses": bora and scirocco raise the challenge. The entrance is an Austrian fort: the entrance bridge, the garrison shelter and the stables now serve as locker rooms, office and restaurant.
The 2026 price list asks 95 euros on weekdays and 110 at weekends; the winter green fee from 60 euros was valid from 1 November 2025 to 31 March 2026, so it must be reconfirmed from November 2026. Handicap and home club are mandatory on the online form, confirmation depends on the club office, and the club closes on Mondays.
For accommodation the reference is the Hotel Excelsior Venice, on the Lido. The hotel reckons about 20 minutes by car to the course, and the Guest Relations team books tee times, arranges transfers by car, taxi or water taxi, and equipment hire. The story that links hotel and course is well known: according to the club, when Henry Ford landed at the Excelsior in 1928 with his golf bag and asked where he could play, Venice had no course, and Count Volpi had the one at Alberoni built.
An alternative on the mainland is Ca' della Nave, in Martellago: 27 holes by Arnold Palmer (1988), with water in play on 12 of the 18 holes of the Champion course. Rates and availability should be requested from the club office (041 0973217).
Days 5, 6 and 7: Verona and Lake Garda
The Golf Club Verona is at Sommacampagna, among the hills of Custoza and the vineyards, and dates from 1963. The course (18 holes, 6,075 metres, par 72) changes character halfway round: nine narrow, short holes on the way out, nine very long and more open ones on the way back, with raised greens. From the back tees the course rating is 73.7 with a slope of 142. The 2026 price list is 90 euros on weekdays and 110 at weekends from March to October, 70 and 90 euros from November to February; the golf cart costs 55 euros.
At Peschiera, about a kilometre from the motorway exit, the Paradiso del Garda is an 18-hole Jim Fazio course with five lakes and bunkers of white quartzite, open all year. The price list, undated, shows 70 euros on weekdays and 80 at weekends.
The reference address on the lake is the Quellenhof Luxury Resort Lazise: according to the hotel, Verona Villafranca airport is 20 minutes away, Paradiso del Garda a quarter of an hour, and among the twelve courses it names are Golf Club Verona, Ca' degli Ulivi and Chervò San Vigilio. Guests get green fees on favourable terms and equipment hire; from 25 October to 8 November 2026 the hotel offers the 7=6 Golf Getaway (seven nights for the price of six and four green fees to use across four clubs).
How to organise your time
- One morning on the course, one afternoon in the city. Book the first available tee time and leave the rest of the day free.
- Book ahead. Alberoni requires an online form with confirmation from the club office; for Ugolino it is best to phone first.
- No golf in Venice on Mondays. The Alberoni club is closed.
- If you already have a handicap, bring the certificate. Venice asks for it on the online form.
Curiosities
- Among the fifty. Chris Santella includes Ugolino in Fifty Places to Play Golf Before You Die.
- Coypus among the greens. At Alberoni they can be seen near the 8th green and the ponds on the 10th and 14th.
- White bunkers. At Paradiso del Garda white quartzite covers 8,000 square metres.
- An award-winning clubhouse. In 2013, according to the club, the one in Verona was judged the most beautiful country-style clubhouse in Italy.
Frequently asked questions
Can you combine golf and visits to art cities in a single holiday?+
Yes: the courses on this itinerary are all close to the cities, from Parco di Firenze in the city itself to Alberoni on the Lido. The rule is one course a day and the afternoon free.
How much does it cost to play golf in Florence, Venice and Verona?+
On the 2026 price lists, from 38 euros (Parco di Firenze, 18 holes) to 130 euros (Ugolino). Venice asks 95 euros on weekdays, Verona 90 euros. Paradiso del Garda quotes 70 euros on an undated price list.
Which is the closest course to Venice?+
Circolo Golf Venezia, at Alberoni on the Lido, which Hotel Excelsior reckons at about 20 minutes by car. On the mainland there is Ca' della Nave, in Martellago.
Where should you stay to play golf in Verona?+
The Quellenhof in Lazise is a convenient address: according to the hotel, Verona Villafranca is 20 minutes away and Paradiso del Garda a quarter of an hour.
What is the best time to go?+
Paradiso del Garda is open all year, Verona has a winter price list (November to February), and Venice had a winter green fee until 31 March 2026.
Can I play without a handicap?+
It depends on the course. Alberoni requires one on the online form; for Ugolino, Verona and Paradiso del Garda it is best to ask the club office.
