Algarve - Golf Courses

Alto Golf
Golf course and resort near Portimão:
18 Holes PAR 72

Balaia Golf
Executive Golf course within the Balaia Golf Village near Albufeira
9 Holes PAR 27

Benamor Golf
Golf course in the Eastern Algarve near Tavira
18 Holes PAR 71

Boavista Golf
Golf course and resort in the western Algarve near Lagos
18 Holes PAR 72

Castro Marim Golf
Golf course and resort near the Spanish border
18 Holes PAR 72

Morgado do Reguemgo
Golf course near Portimão:
18 Holes PAR 73

Palmares
Golf course near Lagos:
18 Holes PAR 72

Parque da Floresta
Golf course and resort between Lagos and Vila do Bispo:
18 Holes PAR 72

Penina Golf
Golf courses and hotel near Alvor:
Championship Course: 18 Holes PAR 73
Resort Course: 18 Holes PAR 71
Academy Course: 9 Holes PAR 30/60

Pestana Golf
Golf courses and resort near Lagoa:
Gramacho Course: PAR 72
18 Fairways/27 Tees & Greens
Pinta Course: 18 Holes PAR 71

Pine Cliffs Golf
Golf Course and resort near Albufeira:
9 Holes PAR 32

Pinheiros Altos
Golf course and resort near Quinta do Lago:
18 Holes PAR 72
+9 holes under construction

Quinta da Ria: 18 Holes PAR 72 ( Golf Course near Tavira )

Quinta da Cima: 18 Holes PAR 72 ( Golf Course near Tavira )

Quint do Lago
Golf Course and resort ( near Almancil )
South Course: 18 Holes PAR 72
North Course: 18 Holes PAR 72

Salgados
Golf course near Armação de Pêra:
18 Holes PAR 72

San Lourenzo Golf
Golfplatz am Rande des Quinta do Lago Resort:
18 Holes PAR 72

Vale de Milho
Golf course and resort ( near Carvoeiro )
9 Holes with 2 different flag positions PAR 27/ 54

Vale do Lobo Golf
Golf course and resort between Almancil and Quarteira:
Ocean Course: 18 Holes PAR 70
Royal Course: 18 Holes PAR 72

Vila Sol Golf
Golf Course, Hotel & Resort ( near Quarteira ) 27 Holes PAR 72

Vilamoura Golf
Laguna Course: 18 Holes PAR 72
Millennium Course: 18 Holes PAR 72
Pinhal Course: 18 Holes PAR 72
The Old Course: 18 Holes PAR 73
Victoria Course: 18 holes PAR 72

Beaches - Lagoa

Praia de Armação de Pêra
Large, family friendly sandy beach opposite the Armação de Pêra tourist centre promenade. Very busy during the summer season.

Praia de Caneiros
Pretty sandy beach in a rocky bay, east of Ferragudo, the fishing village near Portimao.

Praia do Carvoeiro
Small sandy beach in the sheltered bay of the renowned resort of Carvoeiro, located in the centre of the village.

Praia de Ferragudo
Large sandy beach (former name: "Praia Grande") with ideal facilities, situated on the mouth of the Arade River opposite Praia da Rocha.

Praia do Pintadinho

Sandy beach with calm waters east of the fishing village of Ferragudo, protected by smaller rocks.

Praia GrandeLarge
sandy beach between Salgados and Armação de Pêra. No infrastructures, ideal for nature lovers.

Praia da Sra. da Rocha
Sandy beach, located in a bay next the famous Nossa Sra. da Rocha chapel west of Armação de Pêra.

Praia do Vale de Centeanes
Located several miles east of Carvoeiro in a bay embedded in steep rocks, the beach is accessible on foot via a long stretch of stone steps.

Beaches -Faro

Praia da Barreta
Very isolated sandy beach, on the island Ilha Deserta opposite Faro. Access only by ferryboat from Faro.

Praia da Culatra-MarIsolated sandy beach on the island Ilha da Culatra between Faro and Olhão. Access by ferryboat from Olhão (30 min.)

Praia de Faro - Mar
Popular, endless sandy beach on the Ilha de Faro peninsula with access from Faro by a one-lane bridge. You can walk for miles to the west up to Vilamoura.

Praia da Ilha do Farol - Mar
Isolated sandy beach, located on the lighthouse island “Ilha do Farol” opposite Faro.

Beaches - Aljezur

Praia de Amado: for surfers and lovers of nature

The beach of Amado is very much sought after by extreme sportspersons. It has already been the venue of several national and international Surf and Body Board competitions.

Praia de Amoreira: for families

The beach of Amoreira is beautifully located close to the town of Aljezur.Here you can take a swimm in the sea and in the river. Extensive beach and dunes. It is tending to become more and more frequented. Appreciate the detail of the black rock at the northern top of the beach, it does remind one of a reclining giant.

Praia da Arrifana

The beach of Arrifana, extends for a sandy beach with more than half km extension . It forms a type of small bay, that for it is less beaten by waves. In the south top a vertical rock exists in the middle of the sea, that reminds of a gigantic statue. Outsite high season it is much asked by surfers and body boarder's. Close to the ruins,once built by the Arabs, you can enjoy one of the most beautiful panorama of the Vicentina coast.

Praia de Bordeira

In spite of being close to the village of Carrapateira, it is designated as Beach of Bordeira,because of the little river that crosses at the south top of the large sandy beach with it's extensive dunes (the largest one in the Algarve!). It is a calm, little frequented beach that invites you to have a relaxing vacation.There are years in which a pond is formed between the beach and the tarred road, where children can play freely.

Praia da Carriagem

The beach of Carriagem, located in the Costa Vicentina in th district of Aljezur close to Rogil, is not very frequented and ideal for lovers of nature.

Praia de Vale Figueiras

With an extensive sandy beach and still little frequented, the beach of Vale Figueira is located south of the town of Aljezur. Ideal for surfers and lovers of nature.

Praia de Monte Clérigo

The beach of Monte Clérigo, a blue flag beach, is located about 10 km from the town of Aljezur. It is ideal for families because it is a large sandy beach with reasonable facilities.

Praia de Odeceixe-Mar

You can have a pleasant walk at low tide. In the south of the Praia de Odeceixe there is a second bay, only accessible by low tide, it is called Praia da Adega.The estuary of the river Seixe provides excellent conditions for canoeing and boat trips.

Praia da Samouqueira

A small and not very frequented beach. Small sandy spots mixed with gravel. Ideal for lovers of nature.

Praia de Vales dos Homens

The beach Vale dos Homens is located close to Rogil between Praia Carriagem and Praia de Samouqueira. It is little frequented and an ideal place for lovers of nature.

Beaches- Albufeira

Praia dos Aveiros
Small sandy beach embedded in a rocky bay of the cliffs of Praia da Oura east of Albufeira.

Praia de Belharucas
Pretty sandy beach adjacent to the Praia de Falésia, located opposite the Pine Cliffs rock formations found in front of the Sheraton Algarve Hotel and Pine Cliffs Resort. During low tide you can walk to the next beach Praia de Olhos d'Agua located in a small bay west of Praia de Belharucas.


Praia do Evaristo
Ideally located small sandy beach west of Albufeira. Excellent fish restaurant on the beach.

Praia do Evaristo
Ideally located small sandy beach west of Albufeira. Excellent fish restaurant on the beach.

Praia da Falésia Alfamar
Pretty large sandy beach opposite the Alfamar hotel with scenic sandstone cliffs. Ideal for a long walk in an eastern direction to Vilamoura and to the west to Olhos d'Agua.

Praia da Falésia
Pretty large sandy beach opposite the Pine Cliffs scenic rock formations. Ideal for a long walk to the east, all the way to Vilamoura if you can manage it!


Praia da Falésia
Pretty large sandy beach opposite the Pine Cliffs scenic rock formations. Ideal for a long walk to the east, all the way to Vilamoura if you can manage it!


Praia de Manuel Lourenço
Small sandy beach east of Praia da Galé set in a little bay, surrounded by rocks.


Praia de Olhos d'Água
Small sandy beach of the up-and-coming village of Olhos d´Água, beautifully located in a small bay, surrounded by rocks and also partially used by local fishermen


Praia da Oura Leste
Smaller sandy beach with rocky bays to the east of the Praia da Oura near Albufeira.


Praia da Oura
Long sandy beach east of Albufeira near the amusement quarter, surrounded by rocks, very busy during the summer season.


Praia de São Rafael
Sandy beach in a small bay surrounded by cliffs west of Albufeira.


Praia da Sta. Eulália
Beautifully located, long stretch of sand east of Albufeira, protected by rocks to the west.

The Algarve history - its setlers-

The first people in the Algarve, were the Phoenicians and the Carthaginians.

They will live from the resources of the coast.

But the most important facts in the Algarve's history is the five centuries of Arab occupation, visible in the architecture, (Mosques, castles, whitewashed houses, with their terraces and chimneys), in the agriculture, vegetation, and in names beginning with Al.

The Arabs built solid defense fortifications. The development of agriculture was notable as new techniques and plant species were introduced. The Arabs introduced the plough as well as watermills to bring water up from wells. They also introduced new irrigation methods namely the construction of dams and dikes, thus transforming barren zones into cultivated areas and orchards.

When D. Afonso III took the throne, part of the Algarve had already fallen into the hands of the Christians. The "knights Templar" and the "Knights Hospitallers", military orders, helped to retake the area.

Since 1249, and until the Republic proclamation, the Portuguese monarchs were entitled "King of Portugal and of the Algarves".
As the southwesternmost people of europe, the algarvian, were the natural leaders of that work of exploration which had been carried on during the middle age. The long shoreline, with its fine harbors, had been the training-ground of a race of adventurous seamen. It was impossible, moreover, to expand or reach new markets except by sea: the interposition of Castile and Aragon, so often hostile, completely prevented direct land routes to other European countries. Consequently the Portuguese merchants sent their goods by sea to England, Flanders, and Italy.

The Algarve was used as one of the main departure ports. The algarvios (people from the Algarve) were an important part of the maritime adventures .

The 1755 earthquake, which had its epicentre very close to Lagos, destroyed much of the Algarve. The tremors of destruction were felt everywhere and many important monuments were lost.

Today, the Algarve is a paradise, voted as one of the world's most desirable place to invest,

offering beautiful luxury resorts and golf courses.