{"id":278,"date":"2023-03-13T10:46:24","date_gmt":"2023-03-13T10:46:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.villalia.com\/blog\/?p=278"},"modified":"2023-03-13T10:59:54","modified_gmt":"2023-03-13T10:59:54","slug":"la-toja-golf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.villalia.com\/blog\/en\/la-toja-golf\/","title":{"rendered":"The exclusive La Toja golf: history and legends from one of the most beautiful courses in Europe"},"content":{"rendered":"

Galicia is a fertile land full of delights. So, playing a few holes at La Toja golf course<\/b> is a unique experience that will bring joy at any time of the year. Its location, next to the Arousa estuary, makes this course one of the most highly valued in Spain. Also, its hole number 5 is, without doubt, the country\u2019s most spectacular.<\/p>\n

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History and trivia behind the course<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Jos\u00e9 Riestra L\u00f3pez was an aristocrat and businessman who had a great impact on the entire province <\/b>of Pontevedra. In fact, it was he who managed to bring electricity to the capital and he also created several social cafeterias for the poor. However, his most ambitious project was to create a spa on the island of La Toja<\/b>.<\/p>\n

It was possibly this island\u2019s legend of the donkey<\/b> that was partly responsible for this. The story goes that a resident of O Grove, a town near the island, had a donkey that was very sick. Not being valuable enough to slaughter it, the owner left it to its fate on the island so that it could spend its last days there.<\/p>\n

To his surprise, when he went back to bury the animal, he discovered it alive and well. And not just that, but it had been healed of its illness and was splashing around in the mud.<\/p>\n

The island\u2019s fame<\/b><\/h3>\n

This legend is what made the thermal waters that come from this place famous worldwide. However, it wasn\u2019t until 1841 that the water was proven to contain high levels of the mineral salts <\/b>sodium, calcium, iron and magnesium. This is what led the marquis to see the great potential of the place.<\/p>\n

He bought all the necessary land from the Spanish State and dealt with the various licences and permits required. Since its opening, in 1907, it has become a unique spot<\/b>. Until then, no other tourist complex had a golf course, hotel and spa.<\/p>\n

This is what attracted aristocrats from all over Europe to try out its facilities. Following its initial success, the facility became a benchmark in the continent. The first golf course on the island had only five holes<\/b> that were reserved only for the marquis\u2019 most select guests. Also, he was the one who designed them.<\/p>\n

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