There is one question golf aggregators never answer: of the dozens of golf courses in Algarve, which one suits your game? They list names, but offer no judgement and, above all, none of the experience of the people who actually run the courses. That is what this guide sets out: the Pestana Hotel Group’s courses, one by one, with the official figures and the kind of player each one suits.
What Pestana has to offer here is unique in Portugal: six established courses of its own, five in Algarve and one on the edge of Sintra, with 117 holes between them, plus a brand-new seventh, Ferragudo, which opened on the 1st of July 2026. At every one, the right hotel sits next to the first hole, so choosing the course means choosing the holiday.
And now is the time. With the worst of the heat gone but the sunshine still here, September, October and November are prime golfing season in Algarve. Choose the course and let the autumn take care of the rest.
Pestana golf at a glance
Courses: 6 established (5 in Algarve, 1 in Sintra) with 117 holes, plus the new Ferragudo (18 holes, opened in July 2026).
The largest: Vila Sol, 27 holes in three combinations.
Where to start: Silves and Alto, par 70.
Best season in Algarve: autumn, with highs of 23 °C in October.
Pestana’s golf courses, one by one
The table has the official figures; the profiles below give each course its character.
| Course | Where | Holes | Meters | Par |
| Vila Sol | Vilamoura | 27 | 6,274-6,393 | 72 |
| Gramacho | Carvoeiro | 18 | 6,107 | 72 |
| Vale da Pinta | Carvoeiro | 18 | 6,127 | 71 |
| Silves Golf | Silves | 18 | 5,592 | 70 |
| Alto Golf | Alvor | 18 | 5,432 | 70 |
| Beloura | Cascais-Sintra | 18 | 5,716 | 72 |
| Ferragudo (new) | Ferragudo | 18 | Opening phase | Opening phase |
Pestana Vila Sol: the giant of Vilamoura
Vila Sol is the group’s largest course: 27 playable holes in three 18-hole combinations, between 6,274 and 6,393 meters, par 72, right in Vilamoura since 1991. You need never play the same round twice, which makes it ideal if you are staying several days and want a change of course without a change of base.
Gramacho and Vale da Pinta: the Carvoeiro duel
Carvoeiro has two classics side by side. Gramacho (1991; 18 holes, 6,107 meters, par 72) is a Ronald Fream and Nick Price design. Its neighbour Vale da Pinta, from 1992, answers with 18 holes, 6,127 meters and par 71, laid out among centuries-old olive trees. Together, they make Carvoeiro the place for golfers who like to compare two courses in one weekend.
Pestana Silves Golf: the course that catches the winter sun
Set in a valley below the Serra de Monchique and dating from 2006, Silves Golf is the newest of the established courses: 18 holes, 5,592 meters, par 70. Shorter and designed for precision play, it is an excellent introduction for high handicappers, while still testing the low ones.
Pestana Alto Golf: a master’s farewell
Alto Golf, in Alvor, holds a piece of history. Opened in 1991, with 18 holes, 5,432 meters and par 70, it was the last course designed by Sir Henry Cotton, three-time winner of the Open Championship and one of the great figures of European golf. Compact, with open views, it is perfect for a half-day round and an afternoon on the beach.
Pestana Beloura: golf on the edge of Sintra
The only course outside Algarve lies between Cascais and Sintra, about 30 minutes from Lisbon. Beloura, from 1994, was designed by the American architect Rocky Roquemore and has 18 holes, 5,716 meters and par 72. It suits anyone who wants golf, the Sintra hills and the capital in the same short break.
Pestana Ferragudo Golf: new for 2026
The seventh course is the newest, and now the group’s calling card. Pestana Ferragudo Golf has 18 holes next to the fishing village of Ferragudo, with a modern design worked into the landscape, and it officially opened on the 1st of July 2026. It is still in its launch phase and the full technical specifications have yet to be published, but no debut in Algarve golf has been more eagerly awaited this year.
Which course for which golfer?
- First-timers or high handicaps. Start with Silves Golf or Alto Golf: both par 70, they are the shortest courses in the portfolio, and on both precision counts for more than distance.
- Low handicappers looking for a test. Vale da Pinta, par 71, and Gramacho reward strategy; Vila Sol, in its longest combinations of up to 6,393 meters, is a complete test.
- Groups of mixed ability. With three 18-hole combinations, Vila Sol lets everyone play a course that suits them without splitting up the group.
- Golfers who like to try something new. Ferragudo has only just opened, so few people have played it yet.
- Without leaving Greater Lisbon. Beloura pairs Rocky Roquemore’s design with the Sintra microclimate, half an hour from the capital.
- Those who want to learn. The Pestana Academy caters for every level, from private lessons to golf clinics, and there are buggies available at the courses.
When is the best time to play golf in Algarve?
Summer in Algarve belongs to the beach; golf prefers autumn. According to IPMA’s climate normals for Faro, the average high drops from 26.4 °C in September to a perfect 23.3 °C in October, which still gets 227 hours of sunshine, and even November holds on to highs of 19.6 °C. That means short sleeves without the midday heat, fairways getting their first rain and courses at their best. It is also the season when Algarve’s tournament calendar fills up, as we reported in Golf in the Algarve: legends are coming to Vilamoura in 2026, and where to play with Pestana. For everything beyond the courses, the official Visit Algarve portal will help you plan your days off the fairways.
Where to stay: the hotel next to the 1st hole
This is the advantage of playing on home ground: you sleep next to the course. In Vilamoura, the Pestana Vila Sol sits inside the 27-hole golf resort itself. In Carvoeiro, the Pestana Carvoeiro is the obvious base for the Gramacho-Vale da Pinta duel, and it is close to the new Ferragudo. In Alvor, the Pestana Alvor Praia pairs Alto Golf with Três Irmãos beach for the afternoons after your round. And in Sintra, the Pestana Sintra Golf opens onto Beloura. For the official introduction to the courses, region by region, see our article Golfing in two of Portugal’s regions; this guide covers the next step: choosing and booking.
Your next tee time
From Vila Sol’s complete test to Ferragudo’s debut, there is a Pestana course for every stage of your game, and a whole autumn ahead to find yours. Pick the course from the table, book the hotel next to the first hole and reserve your tee time on the official Pestana Golf website; for everything else Algarve offers beyond the green, turn to Visit Portugal.
Frequently asked questions about Pestana’s golf courses
Seven: Vila Sol (Vilamoura), Gramacho and Vale da Pinta (Carvoeiro), Silves Golf, Alto Golf (Alvor) and the new Ferragudo in Algarve, plus Beloura, between Cascais and Sintra. The six established courses add up to 117 holes.
Vila Sol, in Vilamoura: 27 playable holes in three 18-hole combinations, between 6,274 and 6,393 meters, par 72.
Silves Golf and Alto Golf, both par 70 and the shortest in the portfolio, favour precision play and are ideal for starting out; the Pestana Academy gives lessons at every level.
In the autumn: in October, Faro has average highs of 23.3 °C and 227 hours of sunshine, the perfect balance: warm, but comfortable for 18 holes.
It is the group’s seventh and newest course: 18 holes next to the village of Ferragudo, with a modern design set into the landscape. It officially opened on the 1st of July 2026 and is still in its launch phase.
Yes: Beloura, between Cascais and Sintra, about 30 minutes from the capital, with 18 holes and par 72, designed by Rocky Roquemore.
