Golf Tour

Portugal is slowly inscribing its name in the international golf circuits. Possessing some of the most exceptional courses, not only in Europe but in the entire world, this is still an unknown nook for many golfers, but that’s what makes its discovery so much more inviting! Besides exploring this secret world, on this tour, you may also witness the best Portugal has to offer in other areas.

San Lorenzo Golf Club

Where else could we begin this tour? Algarve, Portugal’s main tourist destination, is much more than sun and sand, as it offers many luxurious golf courses. Considered Portugal’s best golf course in 2005 and over the last years, one of the best in Europe, the San Lorenzo Golf Club is located only a few kilometres from the Faro airport and is part of the Quinta do Lago complex.

Opened: 1988
Architect: Joseph Lee
Number of holes: 18
Par: 72
Location: Almancil, Algarve

Oceânico ‘Old Course’ Golf Club

One of Algarve’s most renowned courses, the “Old Course” is located in Vilamoura – one of the region’s main tourist centres – and is any golfer’s dream. Profoundly remodelled and modernized in 1996, but maintaining the original configurations which made it famous, it is now equipped with infrastructures that put it next to the best golf courses in the world.

Opened: 1969
Architect: Frank Pennink
Number of holes: 18
Par: 73
Location: Vilamoura, Algarve

Tróia Golf Club

After crossing beautiful Alentejo – where you could and should make several stops to enjoy, for example, the exquisite local gastronomy – we’ve reached the Tróia Peninsula, right outside Setúbal. The Tróia Golf Club’s location is simply fabulous – on the peninsula’s extremity, with breathtaking views over the Sado estuary, one of Portugal’s wildlife sanctuaries.

Opened: 1980
Architect: Robert Trent Jones
Number of holes: 18
Par: 72
Location: Tróia, Setúbal

Oitavos Dunes

Specifically conceived to be one of the best golf courses in Europe, it is safe to say “mission accomplished”! Besides the exceptional quality of the green and the infrastructures that complete the complex, its location is the course’s greatest advantage. Close to Cascais – one of the most luxurious areas of metropolitan Lisbon – in Quinta da Marinha, it is situated on Europe’s extremity, with an endless view of the beautiful Atlantic Ocean. It presently hosts the Portugal Open.

Opened: 2001
Architect: Arthur Hills
Number of holes: 18
Par: 71
Location: Quinta da Marinha, Cascais

Estela Golf Club

Heading North, close to the city of Oporto and “green” Minho, we’ll encounter a lovely stronghold with a view of the sea. The Estela Golf Club is a wonderful surprise and, as the best golf course located north of the Tejo River, it has already hosted various international competitions.

Opened: 1988
Architect: Duarte Sotto-Mayor
Number of holes: 18
Par: 72
Location: Estela, Póvoa de Varzim

Furnas Golf Course

Across the Atlantic Ocean, we head towards the Archipelago Azores, a collection of rare beauty and stunning landscapes. There we’ll also find the Furnas Golf Course, a scottish-inspired course, befitting seeing as that is its architect’s nationality. Originally built with only 9 holes, its extension was duplicated in 1989, making it a modern and attractive destination for any golf enthusiast.

Opened: 1939
Architects: Mackenzie Ross and Cameron & Powell
Number of holes: 18
Par: 72
Location: Lagoa das Furnas, Ilha de S. Miguel

Porto Santo Golf

From the Azores to Madeira, we’ve reached the island that is most probably the East Atlantic’s main tourist destination. Famous for its casinos and five star hotels, Madeira also has equally exquisite golf courses. In this case, the recent Porto Santo Golf is one of the country’s most beautiful, surrounded by landscapes that only this region can offer.

Opened: 2004
Architect: Severiano Ballesteros
Number of holes: 18
Par: 72
Location: Porto Santo, Ilha de Porto Santo

Oceânico Victoria Golf Course

Lastly, we return to the place where we started – Algarve – Portugal’s main golf centre. Very close to the already mentioned “Old Course”, the Oceânico Victoria is also unmissable. Although it was only inaugurated in 2004, it is already considered one of the best golf courses in the country and is the host of many internationally renowned tournaments.

Opened: 2004
Architect: Arnold Palmer
Number of holes: 18
Par: 72
Location: Vilamoura, Algarve