Destination Guides - Golf Holidays Carvoeiro

The Pestana Golf Resort, which includes the Pinta and Gramacho Courses, is situated close to the town of Lagoa, 4 km from the village of Carvoeiro, 10 km from the village Portimão and 30 minutes away from Faro International Airport. Designed by Ronald Fream, currently one of the most respected architects and whose style involves the preservation of nature in his projects, Vale da Pinta is a championship course which runs through ancient olive groves and along the gentle hills to the north of Carvoeiro.

This is a well laid out and interesting course. Set in a truly Algarve landscape with almond, olive and carob trees decorating the course that rolls through small valleys and hills. Some of the olive trees are reputed to be in the region of 1,500 years old.

Two holes that deserve special mention are the par-3 tenth and the par-5 thirteenth. The former has a large bunker defending the green against your shot, the latter, winds through a valley for 541 metres.

True to North American golfing concepts, Fream has created wide, deep greens protected by a total of 59 similarly sized bunkers. The challenges posed by the course are adaptable to differing levels of skill. This is achieved by the presence of five sets of tees for each of its holes. So those players with handicaps ranging from scratch to 12 can play off the black marks placed further back. White marks are for those handicapped between 13 and 20. For ladies there are red marks (from scratch to 28 handicap), and blue marks for lady beginners.

The sister course, ‘Gramacho’, was originally a double 9 but has now been re-designed as a full 18 hole course (ignore those other websites which still describe it as a 9 hole played twice!).

Literally overlooking the fairways of one of the finest golf courses in the Central Western Algarve, our accommodation in Vale de Pinta & Gramacho is a golfers dream come true, especially as you'll only have to travel a little further to add some variety to your favourite sporting pastime at the other championship golf courses that are part of the prestigious Pestana Golf Resort just outside the charming coastal village of Carvoeiro.

Villa and apartment rentals in Vale de Pinta and Gramacho could well be ideal for you if golf is your primary motive for visiting Carvoeiro and the Algarve. As you would expect from the Pestana organisation, the resort boasts exceptional facilities and onsite amenities. The Pinta or Gramacho Clubhouse caters for up to 200 guests. With a wonderful view over the courses to the mountains beyond, the Clubhouse Restaurant offers breakfast and dinner, with a traditional Portuguese or International cuisine.

Also open for lunches and dinners, it offers an "à la carte" menu and snacks during the day. Guests staying at Pestana Quinta do Gramacho qualify for temporary membership benefits and discounts at Pestana Golf Resort, which features two 18 hole golf courses, an impressive Clubhouse with a giant TV screen, Tennis Court, Bowling Green and Golf Academy.

Golf Villas in Carvoeiro> - click here to view

Click on the links below to read a brief description of the different areas associated with the village, along with some information about the local golf and beaches

Carvoeiro Overview | Rocha Brava | Areias dos Moinhos | Carvoeiro Clube | Sesmarias Village | Mato Serrao & Colina Branca | Carvoeiro Golf Locations | Carvoeiro Beaches