The cosmopolitan city of Lisbon which is less than a 3-hour flight from the UK
We recently travelled to the cosmopolitan city of Lisbon which is less than a 3-hour flight from the UK. We rented a car ahead of our 4 day stay which we collected from the airport. This was a really simple and easy process, and we were on the road within an hour. Our first destination was less than 1 hours’ drive away to the beautiful Silver Coast resort called Praia D’El Rey Marriott Golf and Beach Resort. The Silver Coast is not only Portugal’s only marine nature reserve but is a mecca for surfers and golfers from around the world. The sun shining down on the whitewash buildings, the green meeting the sea and the smell of fragrant pine trees hit us as soon as we arrived.
1st Leg of the Silver Coast | Portugal
Once we checked in to the luxury 5-star Marriott Hotel our first view was the beach which boasted pristine shores and views of spectacular villas and apartments nestled in amongst the golf course. All 177 guestrooms have private terraces or balconies offering unique views of either the Atlantic Ocean or the beautiful 18 holes championship golf course and gardens. The hotel is very pleasant and contemporary and offers various restaurants, fitness centre, indoor and outdoor pool, jacuzzi, Turkish baths and spa and kids club. A complimentary shuttle bus is readily available for all guests to transport them a short distance to the golf courses and does a pickup and drop off service directly to and from your accommodation.
Praia Del Rey Golf Club
Simply a stunning backdrop to start our visit which is set among extensive pine forests and undulating dunes, with spectacular views over the Atlantic and the Berlengas Islands beyond. The lush fairways contract sharply with the deep bunkers, sloping greens and sand dunes, making it the complete golfing challenge. The course is a mixture of seaside links and parkland holes which offer the golfer a unique experience.
There is a nearby town called Ferrel which has quite a few bars and restaurants if you want to go out of the resort but stay local or there is a larger town called Peniche which is a larger fishing town. If you like seafood then there are many fish restaurants which come highly recommended and very affordable, with a range of bars all in proximity along the marina front. You will experience the relaxed, Portuguese lifestyle here.
West Cliffs Ocean and Golf Resort
Our second golf course visit is a world class experience and just 5 minutes away from Praia Del Rey. This is an outstanding course which will challenge the most passionate golfers. The varied landscape and natural terrain were maintained undisturbed as possible to create a unique and world class 18-hole seaside links golf course alongside the silver coast. Rolling sand dunes interspersed with coastal vegetation, while the pine groves overlook the ocean from above. The clubhouse offers a variety of food from light meals and snacks, to Grill meals from the Grill restaurant dining with dramatic views of the fairways and the Atlantic Ocean.
Our third visit was a couple of minutes’ drive away is the outstanding 5-star resort where luxury and tranquillity meets with nature Royal Obidos Spa and Golf Resort. The villas and apartments are carefully distributed in small villages by the resort, taking advantage of the contours of the golf course. Its implementation has been planned in order to take advantage of its amazing location, maximizing the views to the sea. Facilities include restaurants and bars, Pool and private pools for some villas.
Royal Obidos Golf Club.
Royal Obidos is an 18-hole golf course which was designed by the legend Severiano Ballesteros. He Applied his art in the design of the course which created a truly exceptional course here, honouring the high-quality standards of the resort. The course integrates subtly with the natural surroundings, taking advantage of the smoothly rising and falling terrain. After a day on the golf course, you can finish off with a drink at the clubhouse with spectacular views of the course and sea beyond.
A short drive away is a very touristy town called Obidos. This romantic and lively medieval town is one of the most picturesque places to visit, so if you love history and architecture, a maze of cobbled streets with white houses and colourful flowers in window boxes then this is the place you must visit. The town is set within well preserved castle walls and almost every shop will offer the famous Ginjinha de Obidos which is a cherry brandy served in a chocolate cup, for a mere 1 euro. There is also a larger town called Caldas Da Rainha is located a few miles away which has lots of distinguished architecture and shops.
2nd Leg of the Silver Coast | Portugal
Our second destination was the beautiful town of Cascais, a perfect holiday destination with its abundance of sandy shores, marina, restaurants, nightlife and museums and is in close proximity to the capital – Lisbon. 20 Minutes from the airport. We arrived all excited to check in and catch the last couple of hours of sunshine before realising that we had left our passports in the safe at the Marriott in Praia D’El Rey!! After a 2 hour round trip to collect them, we eventually touched based again in Cascais, just as the sun was setting.
We checked in to the 4-star Hotel Vila Gale Cascais which is pleasantly situated on the sea and only a few metres away from the famous Boca do Inferno, Marina and town centre. It’s an ideal location giving you breath taking views of the Atlantic Ocean and it had a restaurant, 2 bars and spa. The hotel has 233 rooms and suites which are all large and benefit from views of the Ocean. There is also 3 swimming pools and a playground surrounded by gardens.
The charming centre is surrounded by the natural scenery of the Serra de Sintra. As well as being a very beachy destination for holiday makers and surfers, it also lends itself a fantastic destination to play golf on the following courses: Oitavos Dunes Golf Course, Penha Longa Golf Course and Quinta de Marinah Golf Course. There is an endless choice of bars and restaurants and plenty of shops to keep everyone busy. The bars and restaurants range from Irish bars and around the world cuisine to the more traditional Portuguese bars and dining, ensuring that this area caters for everyone. An ideal location for a golfing holiday with your mates or to go away with your partner/couples.
Oitavos Dunes
The first golf course we visited in this area was Oitavos Dunes. This course is ranked number 55th best in the world and 1st for the best course in Portugal so it’s a must play for anyone wanting to be blown away with scenic sand dunes and landscaped fairways through the umbrella pine trees. This course has magnificent views of the Sintra Mountains, the Atlantic Ocean and Cabo da Roca. The Clubhouse delivers a perfect atmosphere for relaxing after a good round of golf or you can dine in the Verbasco Restaurant which uses local produce and typically Portuguese.
You can combine the challenge and excitement of playing one of the world’s great golf courses with relaxation and luxury with stay and play packages, staying onsite at the ultra-modern 5-star Oitavos made from steel and glass, allowing floods of natural light to shine through and bring the outside colours of blue, green and yellow inside. The hotel has 4 restaurants offering a wide variety of cuisine, a Spa and outdoor Pool. All with breath taking views of the course and ocean.
Penha Longa Resort
Our second golf course certainly has the wow factor when you first arrive and oozes 5-star service from the outset. The course has bold drives, courageous approaches and stunning greens and will test a variety of thrills. They have hosted the Portuguese Open and presents 27 holes that thread the shady valleys around the rich landscape.
We didn’t visit the hotel, but the 5-star resort offers luxury suites and rooms with onsite restaurants, a spa and pool all with exquisite views of the mountains and golf course.
Quinta da Marinha Golf Course
Our final visit before heading home was the 5-star Onyria Quinta Da Marinha Hotel and Golf Course. The hotel is set in the grounds of its own golf club and has everything you want to ensure you have a perfect golfing holiday. The golf course was designed by the legendary Robert Trent Jones Sr and is in tranquil surroundings with beaches and mountains nearby. The course stands in pine trees, mainly on the flat with some of the fairways flanked by small holiday apartment buildings with panoramic views over the Atlantic Ocean and the Sintra Mountains.
The hotel has rooms and suites all looking over the golf course and mountains. There is a Spa, 3 Restaurants and outdoor Pool area overlooking the golf course. It was the perfect end to our stay, sat on the terrace with the sun shining down on us with the pool and fairway for a view and of course a cheeky pint in hand!!
Overview
This golfing region is often overshadowed by the popularity of the Algarve; however, we cannot wait to come back and take you with us too. If you are looking for something a little different, the Silver Coast in Portugal offers an awesome golfing experience staying at superb hotels and playing golf with breath-taking views. Bring on 2022 and beyond!
Trip taken in November 2021 by Simon and Katherine Jackson