Quinta do Lago
Fresh from celebrating its landmark 50th anniversary in 2022, Quinta do Lago needs no introduction. While the major draw is undoubtedly its trio of 18-hole courses, the line-up of facilities away from the fairways elevates the resort to heights few European destinations can match.
The Algarve is beloved by golfers for good reason: magnificent views, more sun than California and world-class venues like this one. To many, the headline act is the South course, an eight-time Portuguese Open host, which was transformed by a €7 million overhaul in 2021. The renovation saw every bunker on the course reinstated to its original size, while Bermuda-419 grass has been introduced to make the surfaces more durable and sustainable.
The adjacent North course was redesigned in 2014 through an enviable collaboration between Beau Welling and Paul Mcginley. The layout features some beautiful holes, but there’s also plenty of challenge to be found, with four par 5s and some tricky doglegs.
Quinta do Lago’s third layout is the Laranjal, named after the orange groves it passes through. A testing course for golfers of all abilities, almost half its holes are par fours. The real prize is the views: you pass no fewer than five beautiful lakes, while fragrant air from the orange trees gives the course a unique flavour.
After your round, take your pick from 14 diverse bars and restaurants, a selection that sets out to put locally sourced Mediterranean food in the spotlight. There’s also The Campus, a state-ofthe-art sport and wellness hub designed to suit both professional athletes and amateurs, while golfers can strive to improve at the Taylormade Performance
Centre or the world’s only Paul Mcginley Academy. As the sun sets, there are few better spots in European golf to retire to than the boutique Magnolia Hotel, or few better places to start your day before tackling your next course.