CENTRAL ALGARVE PACKAGES

The Algarve, a mere two to three hours flight from most European capitals, has been a magnet to many discerning golfers for almost three decades. Portugal's southernmost province is justly famous for its spectacular scenery along a fabulous coastline. Add to this some beautifully tended golf courses al within an easy drive, a friendly climate, two superb hotels with great leisure facilities, and you have the ultimate in year-round golfing destinations.

The central area of the Algarve is the most developed in terms of its tourism. The coastline here also changes to one of reddish/brown sandstone cliffs interspersed with rocky outcrops leading down to long beaches of golden sand. The area has become a 'mecca' for golfers around the world and some of Europe's very best golf resorts can be found here with such ‘household’ names as Vale do Lobo & Quinta do Lago.

You will find that the Central Algarve, with its mild climate, reasonably priced restaurants, breathtaking scenery, and excellent golf courses all combine to make it a memorable holiday.

Click on images for more hotel information, or click here for GOLF COURSES


Hotel Dona Filipa	Hotel Quinta do Lago	Vila Galé Nautico
5 star	5 star	4 star

3 night DONA FILIPA Hotel	6 night DONA FILIPA Hotel	3 night VILA GALE Hotel
Sharing twin/double room B&B Group B car rental from Faro airport 3 rounds of golf - Penina Championship course, San Lorenzo, Vilamoura Old	Sharing twin/double room B&B Group B car rental from Faro airport 5 rounds of golf - Penina Championship course, San Lorenzo, Vilamoura Old, Quinta do Lago, Vila Sol	Sharing twin/double room B&B Group B car rental from Faro airport 2 rounds of golf - Vilamoura Old, Salgados
Price per person from 520 euros	Price per person from 1,140 euros	Price per person from 420 euros


3 night QUINTA do LAGO Hotel	6 night QUINTA do LAGO Hotel	6 night VILA GALE Hotel
Sharing twin/double room B&B Group B car rental from Faro airport 3 rounds of golf - Penina Championship course, Palmares, San Lorenzo	Sharing twin/double room B&B Group B car rental from Faro airport 5 rounds of golf - Penina Championship course, Palmares, San Lorenzo, Quinta do Lago, Parque da Floresta	Sharing twin/double room B&B Group B car rental from Faro airport 5 rounds of golf - Vilamoura Old, Salgados, Millennium, Vila Sol, Quinta do Lago
Price per person from 520 euros	Price per person from 905 euros	Price per person from 770 euros

HOTELS

Hotel Dona Filipa

Located on the exclusive Vale do Lobo estate, just 100 metres from the beach, The Meridien Dona Filipa offers excellent service and amenities.The hotel is tastefully furnished in traditional Portuguese style. With a selection of fine restaurants and a wide range of leisure and sports facilities - including floodlit tennis courts, heated outdoor pool and one of the best golf courses in continental Europe, the renowned San Lorenzo Golf Course just a short drive away. In additon to their main Italian restaurant, they also have a Grill restaurant, the Atlantic Club which is famous for its port and cigar lounge and the San Lorenzo - a popular golfer's cocktail bar. Le Méridien offers a truly unique experience in every one of its stylish guest rooms and suites. Warm earth tones in addition to the luxurious sitting and work areas create an inviting ambiance for you to experience and enjoy.

Hotel Quinta do Lago

Set amidst almost 2,000 acres of rolling hills and pine woodlands, overlooking the tranquil estuary of the Ria Formosa, is the Algarve's most famous hotel... Hotel Quinta do Lago. Easily accessible, Hotel Quinta do Lago offers year-round sunshine, peace and seclusion, and a wealth of sporting activities including golf on some of Europe's best courses. At Hotel Quinta do Lago, guests enjoy life as it should be lived, relaxing in superbly appointed rooms and suites, and enjoying a choice of fine cuisine and wine, all complemented by attentive but discreet service. There are 121 well-appointed rooms and 20 suites, including a Royal Suite with its own private pool. All have air conditioning, balconies, satellite television, safety-deposit boxes, video players, internet data port system telephone lines and mini bar in every room. Hotel Quinta do Lago also provides non-smoking accommodation. The objective has been to recapture a style of authentic Algarvian life - tranquil, captivating and revitalising, filled with the fragrances of this beautiful region.

Hotel Vila Galé Nautico

The Vila Galé Náutico Hotel is located in the centre of Armação de Pêra, right in the heart of the Algarve. The Naútico Hotel enjoys a privileged location, only a few steps away from the beach. Armação de Pêra is one of the most talked-about spots in the Algarve and the Náutico Hotel offers excellent 4-star service. With a ‘navy’-style décor, the Náutico Hotel features 211 rooms and 22 junior suites. The nautical décor gives you a feeling that you might be travelling on the deep blue sea while never having left Armação de Pêra. Should you wish to stay away from the beach, the Náutico Hotel offers you outdoor pools (adults only and for children) together with a heated indoor pool. Plus a Jacuzzi and Turkish bath. And if you’re a lover of good food, don’t miss the opportunity to try out the Bolina Restaurant or to taste some of the best snacks at the bar of the swimming pool.

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GOLF

Quinta do Lago South
	Designed by William Mitchell, this 6,488 metre, par 72 championship course, set in undulating hills and pine forest, has hosted the Portuguese Open seven times. A truly wonderful course, ideally designed to test the scratch golfer, it can also be enjoyed by the handicap golfer. The layout favours the long hitter but correct placement of shots is needed to score well. Strategic bunkering, occasional water hazards and large, contoured greens are the main challenges. The signature hole is the beautiful par 3 15th with a long carry (190 metres) over a large lake to a well-guarded green set amongst pine trees. The 8th, 10th and 18th are also excellent & testing par fours. This is a course that demands accuracy on your club selection as the greens are also wide and long.
Quinta do Lago North
	The terrain of Quinta do Lago north, formerly Ria Formosa, has the Algarve’s sandy soil, covered by pine trees, heather, and wild flowers, which is similar to the South course. It offers however, very different challenges. The course has four magnificent par five holes. The par fours are generally doglegs, with the exception of holes 10 and 13. The par threes are influenced by the ocean breezes while on holes 13 and 18 lakes come into play. The course was designed by several architects - William Mitchell, Joseph Lee and Rocky Roquemore. Probably the most memorable hole here is the 200 metre par 3 fifteenth, with a large lake which you have to carry. The green is set in a semicircle of umbrella pines and you get to it across a distinctive wooden bridge. Very picturesque.
San Lorenzo
	The superb and well frequented San Lorenzo Golf Course, designed by Joseph Lee and owned by Le Meridien Dona Filipa, has long been regarded as one of the best golf courses in Europe. The course is unique when it comes to outstanding views, a calm and tranquil setting, and shows nature at its best. The golf club is a member of the Audubon Co-operative Sanctuary System. The course features large fast greens and undulating fairways which meander through avenues of pine trees. There are some spectacular holes overlooking the sea, which border lakes abundant with wildlife. The daunting 18th, with a semi-island green, to quote a cliché, is one of the best finishing holes in golf. San Lorenzo is beautifully maintained and set in an unspoilt area of natural beauty.
Salgados
	Situated in one of the best-known regions of the Algarve, to the west of Albufeira, Salgados Golf is already a 'postcard' of Portuguese golf. In fact, the proximity of the sea and the variety of lakes make this a very interesting test of golfing skills, different from other courses in the Algarve. If you stay in the Albufeira area with its fantastic holiday attractions, Salgados Golf is on your doorstep. Salgados Golf, which opened in September 1994 has the feel of a Scottish links course but with a Florida atmosphere - lots of sun and water. Salgados Golf is situated just three miles to the west of the popular resort of Albufeira, a colourful fishing resort with plenty of apres golf! Salgados is an interesting test which we highly recommend, but you might need plenty of balls if you are not careful.
Vilamoura Old
	This is the original Vilamoura course and the one everyone wants to play. Why? The answer is that this is a wonderfully understated layout and a pleasure to play from start to finish. It's attractively tree-lined with many clever holes to test your skill and strategy. Often described as the Grande Dame of Algarve courses, it meanders throughout impressive pine trees and gently undulating natural terrain. Although it only opened in 1969, the course was completely renovated and modernised 27 years later, though no major changes were made to the actual layout. In addition to raising the Vilamoura Old Course to new heights of quality, an attractive clubhouse and adjacent putting green were also built at that time. Tee times can be very hard to get at peak times and some people book 12 months ahead !
Vilamoura Millennium
	The arrival of the Millennium Course made Vilamoura one of the main - if not the main - European golf destinations. This conventional Par-72 course opened in the year 2000, although the completely refurbished back nine holes - formerly part of the 27-hole Laguna Course - had been completed in their original configuration a decade before. The well-established UK golf Architects Hawtree & Sons were contracted to plan this modification and design work which has culminated in the creation of the new, exciting 18-hole Millennium Golf Course. Refurbishment to the existing nine holes commenced in May 1999 and included the complete rebuilding of the tees, greens and bunkers. Changes were made to the layout or structure of the old nine holes, but several new design features were incorporated with a view to simplifying the strategy of the course and in order to make it more golfer-friendly.
Vila Sol
	Situated at the heart of one of the Algarve's most developed resort areas between Vilamoura and Quinta do Lago, Vila Sol is a picture postcard of Portuguese golf. Though opened only in July 1991 the course already shows a considerable degree of maturity as a result of its excellent upkeep. This course, winding through an immense pine wood, in which fig trees, oaks and almond trees also feature, is the work of the famous English architect Donald Steel. It is a typical inland golf course of the British school, with narrow fairways which demand accurate driving. Players have several lakes and bunkers to contend with - as well as fast greens. Vila Sol earned high marks when it hosted the Portuguese Open in 1992 and 1993 and the tour pros heaped praise upon the excellent playing conditions and the quality of its greens.