The Best Golf Courses in the Algarve (2026 Green Fees)

The Algarve is one of Europe’s top golf destinations, with around 40 courses, mild winters and greens with views of the Atlantic. Whether you’re planning a golf trip or just want a round on holiday, here are the best golf courses in the Algarve, with 2026 green fees and tips.

Quick answer: for a bucket-list round, Monte Rei (about €200–280) or Quinta do Lago South. For iconic views, Vale do Lobo Royal and its famous clifftop hole. For views over Lagos bay, Palmares. For value, Boavista, Espiche or Morgado. The best season is October to April, and you should book tee times early in spring and autumn.

Why golf in the Algarve

The Algarve has been a golf destination since the 1960s. Winters are mild and mostly dry, Faro airport is close to most courses, and you can play a different course every day without long drives. The courses fall into three rough groups: the Golden Triangle near Almancil and Vilamoura, the Portimão and Lagos area in the west, and a few quieter courses in the east near Tavira and Spain.

Green fees below are rough guides for 18 holes and change a lot by season, time of day and how you book. Peak months (March to May and September to November) cost the most. Always check the club’s own site.

The best courses

Monte Rei (eastern Algarve)

A Jack Nicklaus signature course in the hills near Vila Real de Santo António, regularly rated the best in Portugal. Immaculate, quiet and expensive: green fees from about €200–280, usually including a shared buggy, which is compulsory. It’s about 45 minutes’ drive east of Faro, so it suits a day trip or a stay in Tavira. The course closed from April to September 2026 for a major renovation and reopened in September 2026. Its recommended handicap limits (24 for men, 32 for women) are stricter than most.

Quinta do Lago (South and Laranjal)

The heart of the Golden Triangle near Almancil. The South course (about €180–250) is a classic that has hosted the Portuguese Open, and Laranjal (usually a little cheaper than the South, often €160 or more in season) is a newer, beautifully landscaped course among the lakes and pines. Quinta do Lago also has a North course; visitor tee times there can be limited, so check before booking.

Vale do Lobo Royal

Home to one of the most photographed holes in Europe: the par-3 16th, played over red cliffs to a green above the beach. The tee shot is long, over a deep ravine, with the sea breeze to deal with. Green fees vary widely by season, from about €100 in quiet months (or with twilight rates) to around €190 in peak season. Vale do Lobo also has the Ocean course.

San Lorenzo

Set between the Ria Formosa lagoon and the sea, inside the Quinta do Lago estate, with stunning back-nine holes along the water. Designed by Joseph Lee, it’s one of the region’s most loved courses. Fees start from about €150 and rise to around €200 or more in peak months. Birdwatchers will enjoy the lagoon holes too.

Palmares (Lagos)

A 27-hole Robert Trent Jones Jr. layout with views over Meia Praia and Lagos bay, mixing links-style dunes and hillside holes. Its three loops of nine (Alvor, Lagos and Praia) are combined into different 18-hole rounds. About €100–130 (plus a buggy). The Alvor nine was closed for renovation for part of 2026, so check which loops are open when you book.

Penina (Portimão)

The Algarve’s first championship course, designed by Henry Cotton and opened in 1966, set on former rice fields. Flat, tree-lined and well guarded by water and bunkers. A classic with lots of history, with the Penina hotel on site for stay-and-play breaks.

Value courses

• Boavista (Lagos): sea views and a friendly feel, about €80–120 depending on the month.
• Espiche (near Luz): eco-friendly and natural, about €70–90.
• Morgado and Álamos (Portimão): two good-value courses side by side at the Morgado do Reguengo resort, now run by NAU Hotels, with views to the Monchique hills. Morgado is longer with big greens; Álamos is shorter and tighter. From about €45–65 in the quietest months to around €100.

Vilamoura

Vilamoura has several courses, including the Old Course, the oldest in the resort, with tall umbrella pines. In 2025 the Old Course, Pinhal, Laguna and Millennium were rebranded from Dom Pedro to Vilamoura Golf. The former Victoria course, long home of the Portugal Masters, has been rebuilt by Ernie Els as The Els Club Vilamoura. It hosted the first Portugal Invitational, the first PGA Tour Champions event in Portugal, from 31 July to 2 August 2026, won by Zach Johnson. It is a private members’ club, so most visitors can’t book a round there. Stick to the other Vilamoura courses. See things to do in Vilamoura.

Planning a golf trip

How many rounds?

Most visitors play three or four rounds in a week, with rest days for the beach. Mix one or two bucket-list courses with value courses to keep the cost down.

A sample week

• Based in the Golden Triangle: Quinta do Lago South, San Lorenzo, Vale do Lobo Royal and a Vilamoura course, all close together.
• Based in Lagos: Palmares, Boavista, Espiche, then a drive to Penina or Morgado.
• Add the east: one day at Monte Rei, combined with lunch in Tavira.

Tips

• Best season: October to April. Spring and autumn are the busiest (and priciest); midsummer is hot and quieter.
• Book tee times well ahead in peak season, and look for twilight rates and multi-round packages.
• Handicap certificates are often required at top courses. Some ask for a maximum handicap, often 28 for men and 36 for women.
• Buggies are compulsory at some courses and extra at others. Check what’s included in the price.
• Dress codes apply: collared shirts and no denim, as at most clubs.
• Golf clubs can be rented, and most airlines carry golf bags for a fee.
• Hire a car to reach different courses. The A22 motorway is toll-free. See car rental.
• Summer: if you play in July or August, book an early tee time and carry plenty of water.

Where to stay

Stay in the Golden Triangle (Quinta do Lago, Vale do Lobo, Vilamoura) for the top courses, or Lagos for Palmares and Boavista. See where to stay in the Algarve, luxury hotels in Albufeira or places to stay around Vilamoura. Book tee times: see golf experiences.

Golfing in winter? See the Algarve in winter.

FAQ

How many golf courses are there in the Algarve?

Around 40, most of them between Vilamoura and Lagos.

When is the best time to play golf in the Algarve?

October to April. Spring and autumn have the best weather but the highest green fees, while winter is cheaper and July and August are hot.

Do I need a handicap certificate?

At the top courses, usually yes, and many set a maximum handicap.

Can visitors play the Els Club Vilamoura?

Not usually. It is private, open to members and their guests, plus a limited number of guests at the Victoria Golf Resort & Spa.

From our sister blog: Our 7-day Algarve road trip itinerary on Sunset Travellers.

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