The best of Lisbon’s glorious Golf Coast

With brilliant golf courses, 5-star hotels and Michelin-starred dining, Lisbon’s Golf Coast deserves all the accolades usually reserved for its more celebrated neighbour, the Algarve. Here’s why.

The region lies west of Portugal’s capital on the Atlantic Coast and is home to more than 20 golf courses within a range of 40 km, some designed by the world’s most famous course architects.

Known for its superb year-round climate, its peaceful atmosphere and fantastic wine and gastronomy, the Lisbon Golf Coast is a true golfing paradise.

The Oitavos

Just 20 minutes from Lisbon, but in a tranquil world of its own close to beautiful beaches, The Oitavos is a luxurious 5-star haven with a world-class golf course and over 140 rooms and suites with balconies with ocean or golf course views.

Several quality restaurants, a spa, gym, multiple swimming pools, and an Equestrian Centre compliment Oitavos Dunes, the superb Arthur Hills-designed links golf course. It’s a wonderfully natural course with a backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean and Sintra mountains. All Square rates this as the 3rd best golf course in Portugal and the 19th best in all of Europe.

Penha Longa Golf Resort

Set in the beautiful National Park of the Sintra Mountains, the 5-star Penha Longa Resort is just 25 km from Lisbon. It’s incredibly luxurious with a palatial spa and almost 200 rooms made up of standard rooms, suites, and a selection of luxury villas.

You can enjoy Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Thai food, but it’s best known for offering three restaurants each with a Michelin star. LAB by Sergi Arola has its roots in the Mediterranean, Midori is the only Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant in Portugal, and The Eneko Lisboa is run by Eneko Atxa, who currently holds six Michelin stars.

At the resort there are 27 golf holes that make the most of the stunning surroundings. Penha Longa Atlantic Championship Golf Course was designed by famed architect Robert Trent Jones Jr and hosted the Portuguese Open three times in 1994, 1995 and 2010. The course weaves across sloping terrain with several holes offering incredible views of the surrounding landscape and hills.

Troia Design Hotel

5-star decadence situated along the Atlantic coastline not far from the ancient Castelo de Palmela Castle atop the Serra de Arrabida hills. There’s over 60 modern rooms, and more than 140 contemporary apartments and residential suites with balcony views of the Arrabida mountains and pristine beaches.

Great food and bar experiences go along with the elegant spa with its pool and 14 treatment rooms, two roof-top swimming pools, gym, an infinity pool and children’s pool, and a kids club.

Robert Trent Jones Sr designed the golf course here where the elements will add challenge to your round at this excellent exposed coastal layout. There’s ocean views at every hole, and the third hole made it into RTJ Sr’s ideal 18-hole course. He described it as one the greatest holes he has ever designed.

Hotel Palacio Estoril Golf & Spa

Sheer luxury at this 5-star resort which featured in the 1969 James Bond movie On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. There’s over 160 rooms including classic rooms, superior rooms, superior deluxe rooms, junior suites, executive suites, deluxe suites and duplex suites. 

It’s home to The Banyan Tree Spa which follows a luxurious new approach to Asian spa therapy and is run by one of the world’s most luxurious spa chains, focusing on a non-clinical and holistic approach. The nearest town centre is Cascais, a 20-minute walk along the beautiful coastline.

Enjoy great food at the Grill Four Seasons Restaurant, while the relaxing Bougainvillea Terrace overlooks the garden and pool, and the suave Bar Estoril, a favourite haunt of spies during World War II, is a great place to soak up history.

The beautiful Palacio Estoril Golf is the closest golf course about 20 minutes away, a Mackenzie Ross-designed championship course which has held the Portuguese Open. Guests at the hotel also have special privileges with access to Oitavos Golf, Penha Longa, Quinta da Marinha, Belas and Aroeira I & II, all within a 30 minute drive.

Hotel Quinta da Marinha Golf Resort

More 5-star luxury, this time set in a beautiful location in Cascais, just 25 km from the cosmopolitan capital. Almost 200 rooms provide gorgeous mountain and ocean views, and there’s 30 villas as options to enjoy this peaceful sanctuary. There’s an outdoor swimming pool with views over the golf course, spa and health club.

The Five Pines and Rocca restaurants serve Mediterranean cuisine, and Bar Trent Jones is a lovely place to enjoy a cocktail or local wines.

The bar is named after legendary course architect Robert Trent Jones Snr, who designed the superb golf course here. It’s a parkland style layout with views over the Atlantic and surrounding Sintra mountains, the perfect setting for your golf break to Lisbon.

Hotel Dolce CampoReal Lisbon Golf Resort

This 5-star resort is nestled in the Torres Vedras district in western Portugal, just 30 minutes north of Lisbon. It has 151 well-appointed rooms and suites with terraces from where you can almost touch the local wine country, rugged mountains and the majestic beaches of Santa Cruz.

Additionally you can choose self-catering accommodation, located outside the hotel main building, a great option for families or groups of friends, with full access to the hotel’s world-class service and amenities. There’s three restaurants offering the best of Portuguese and international cuisine, two bars with outdoor terraces, swimming pools, a health club, spa, and tennis courts.

The golf course at the resort was designed by the renowned Donald Steel and opened in 2005. It blends effortlessly into the surrounding countryside and offers a fun challenge. The conditioning is great and you’ll get to enjoy the protected landscape of the Socorro and Archeira Mountains.

For a superb 4-star option, there’s the Hotel Pestana Sintra.