The Algarve has long been richly blessed with fine courses, including many of the very best golf courses in Portugal. But Ombria, five miles from Loule and just 30 minutes from Faro airport, is a mere babe having opened in 2023.
It’s the handiwork of Jorge Santana da Silva, a Portuguese architect who cut his design teeth under the mentorship of Robert Trent Jones Senior in Madeira in 1981.
The layout is a sensible playing length for holidaying golfers, set out in two separate loops either side of a residential development.
The back-to-back par 3s at 4 and 5 will catch your eye heading out, while the short, downhill par-4 18th will bring hopes of a closing birdie if you can safely negotiate the sand.
Surrounded by rolling hills, olive groves and beautifully clear streams, the course has achieved GEO-certified status for its dedication to sustainable practices including the restoration of the river habitat, the planting of 700 oak trees, the use of solar and geothermal energy and more.
The clubhouse is home to the Case E Fora restaurant, which serves classic bar food with a Portuguese twist.
From the castle-top terrace, you can relax under the warm Algarvian sunshine and soak up glorious sunsets and mountain views, while enjoying one of the extensive range of cocktails, craft beers or fine local wines.
And the beautiful, newly opened Viceroy at Ombria Algarve hotel means you can now stay right by the golf course and enjoy six further restaurants and bars serving regional wines and locally inspired dishes – complete with home-grown produce – or relax in the Spa by Viceroy with its indoor thermal pool.
