The summer holidays are almost here and it’s time to plan what to do during that precious couple of weeks away from the unpredictable British weather and under the Iberian sunshine.
If you are travelling to Spain and want to include some padel in your holiday activities (or you just want to start practising), this two-part guide (read part two here) from our new contributor and Spanish padel expert, Joaquin Serna Sanchez, will help you combine the world’s best sport with the Mediterranean lifestyle.
Alicante
Here you’ll find the best paella in Spain, but it’s forbidden to eat it at night or to ask if you can add chorizo (the Spaniards consider both requests as a culinary crime).
If you wish to play padel in the morning, have a nice swim at the beach and then go to a terrace to eat tapas before taking a siesta, there are clubs in Alicante that make this plan possible.
The most highly recommended is the Bela Padel Center, named after the best player in the history of padel, Fernando Belasteguín. It has 14 courts and is less than 10 minutes by car from Cabo de la Huerta, an exceptional spot that combines simple routes and coves to enjoy the Mediterranean Sea.
The price per court will vary depending on the time of day, but on average it is €20 for an hour and a half (€5 per person).
If you’re staying in Benidorm, a city that in summer turns English, you can organise your holidays at the PadelPoint club, located in the Melia Villaitana hotel. It has seven padel courts, a bar and a shop specialising in padel products.
It is also close to Terra Mítica, one of the best fun parks in Spain, as well as the Terra Natura zoo, ideal for children.
Other interesting options in the Alicante province are Blupadel, Padel Club Alicante Indoor (where you can record your games on video) and Club PadelAlex.
Málaga
The Andalusian city is one of the most popular tourist destinations for the British, who especially enjoy Malagueta Beach and marvelling at the incredible fish recipes served in its restaurants, with sardine skewers as the star dish.
When you visit the Muslim fortification of La Alcazaba and walk along Calle Larios, you have several options to practise your bandeja before having a Victoria beer.
Ático Pádel Club is one of the locals’ favourites. It is located in the heart of the city centre and has a terrace with splendid views for when the sun is falling.
The only downside is that the club is on top of a building and if your smash over the back wall is too good, you may have to stop the game to buy more balls.
If you prefer to rub shoulders with Marbella’s glitterati in the luxurious casinos, apartments and cars, you can play at Bellamar Padel, which also has courts to practise the football version of padel: padbol.
The club also has a gym, a large terrace and numerous tournaments in summer for the most competitive players. In addition, one of its courts has the measures and materials used on the World Padel Tour.
Other clubs that may interest you in Malaga are: Club de Pádel-Tenis Mirador, Marbella Sports & Padel Club and Club de Pádel Cerrado del Águila (home of professional tournaments during the summer).
Tenerife
Tenerife offers a wide range of activities that can easily combine with padel. A visit to the Teide National Park and its volcano is a must, as well as a walk through the Barranco del Infierno and a swim in the Playa de las Américas, which has fine golden sand and is bathed by the Atlantic Ocean.
In this part of the Canary Islands, a quality option is Aqua Padel. This club has four courts (one outdoor and three indoor) and 1000m2 of spa circuit, Turkish bath and sauna, as well as a professional gym.
You can also play at the Padelcan Tenerife Padel Club (see top pic), located in the middle of nature in the Anaga Rural Park.
It also has a children’s playroom and one of its best kept secrets is the recipe for choripán (a mini chorizo calzone typical of Argentina) served in its café.
Other top facilities in Tenerife are: Club Pádel Punta del Rey, Mantra Pádel, and Club de Pádel Las Palmeras.
Barcelona
We obviously could not miss the ‘Condal City’ off this list. You must admire Salvador Dalí‘s delightful architecture in many of the city’s hidden buildings, as well as the Sagrada Familia, Parc Güell and the Gothic Quarter.
In addition, you can’t miss the typical bread with tomato (pan tumaca), the local butifarra sausage and homemade Catalan crème brûlée.
If you want to focus your trip to the Catalan city exclusively on padel, you can do so through the Barcelona Padel Experience.
You can select the competition package to take part in amateur tournaments; the flexible package that includes daily lessons and good hotels, or the customised one to make it your own way.
You can also go to Nick Club Pádel Barcelona, which has up to eight panoramic courts and 4,800 square metres dedicated to padel. If you are a little fussy about the material of the courts, you should know that all of them are certified by Adidas.
Other quality clubs to play in and around Barcelona are the Real Club de Polo, Pádel Indoor Barcelona and the Club Esportiu Laietà.
Palma de Mallorca
The Mediterranean Island has marvellous natural spots and coves, including S’Amarador and Torrent De Pareis, as well as magnificent cuisine including ensaimada, a dessert that you will find hard to forget.
Palma is where most of the island’s padel facilities are to be found, with two special recommendations:
The first is Pins Padel Club House, which is located in the middle of a pine forest overlooking the sea and has a restaurant with high quality cuisine for a reasonable price.
The second is close to Can Pere Antoni beach and is Pádel Portixol, which has 10 courts (six of them World Padel Tour), a swimming pool, spa and a large gym.
Other facilities in the Balearic Islands include Pádel La Salle, Pádel Club Mallorca and Udyr Sport.
