deBarra Irish Bar And Grill

A hugely popular eating place for both residents as well as visitors of Quinta do Lago, it is located in the main shopping center of the town. This bar and grill brings an international and cosmopolitan feature to this immensely popular resort town. Being a 100% Irish owned Bar, you can expect the famed “Irish hospitability” in this establishment. The bar is situated beside the North Course, one of the most popular of Quinta do Lago golf courses and in summer, an outside deck is added that overlooks the 13th hole of the North Course. So after a round of golf, come and cool here and try their selection of tapas, salads and of course great Irish beef stake. The Bar and Grill is open from the morning; their Irish breakfast is something worth trying before you start your day in the sun. Is the outside too hot for you? Then relax in front of the several screens present throughout the bar showing one sport event after another.

Casa Velha Restaurant

If you are holidaying in Quinta do Lago with your significant other and want a romantic dinner, then this is the place to be. The restaurant has timeless charm, comfort and elegance. Situated in one of the best points of Quinta do Lago, you can see the whole resort, the golf courses as well as the lake from the restaurant. The restaurant has its own history; this was the place from where Andre Jordon, he man who started Quinta do Lago envisioned the resort and the golf courses from its vantage hill top position. This was the place from where he planned the whole resort, made the place the first club house as the golf courses started and then its first restaurant. In fact, Casa Velha, which means “Old House” in Portuguese, was the first restaurant of its type in whole of Algarve!
The great thing about this restaurant is that, they source all their food items from local sellers. That is why the menu changes with the season as only the freshest and locally grown food items are incorporated in the menu. Their meat dishes especially beef and lamb are the best choices and the cuisine is basically classic French with modern twists. The place also has a wide wine collection and knowledgeable sommeliers who are eager to help you in your selection.

Gigi’s Beach Restaurant

Sometime good food may come without the frills and ambiance of a five star restaurant or hotel; and this beach restaurant of Quinta do Lago is the perfect example of it. Located in the Quinta do Lago beach, this restaurant is an all-time favorite with residents of the resort town. You will find locals rubbing shoulder with stars of Formula 1, royalty and pop stars during the busy tourist season. Be sure to book early for a dinner that will be unforgettable to say the least. This is of course a seafood restaurant and the reason why people line to eat here is because the owner, Gigi makes sure that he is the one the fishermen see first as they return with the day’s first catch! Menus are decided only after he selects the best succulent fishes from the day’s catch. This popular restaurant also has a wide selection of wine.

The three golf courses will offer you a great chance to play the most challenging round of golf every day. Each of the golf courses is designed to offer something new to the golfers and they have to adjust their game accordingly. For your benefit, here is a short introduction to what kinds of challenges you might face in two of the Quinta do Lago golf courses:

The North Course

Designed by two architects, this golf course is adjacent to Ria Formosa and is a par 72 golf course. Spread over an area of 6,000 meters, it was co designed by William Mitchell and Joseph Lee. Golfers who play for the first time here are often fooled by the gentle looking downhill tee shot which marks the beginning of their round. The course has four fine par 5 holes and you have to be very accurate when you are off the tee at the many dog-legs. One of the most outstanding challenging holes of the North Course is the downhill par 3 14th hole. There are bunkers on the both side of this green hole which will challenge even the most jaded golf player. While playing at the fantastic 480 meter par 5 finishing hole and to set up the ideal second shot, you have to drive over a lake and between fairway bunkers. The approach to this hole is a steep rise to the green. There are long walks between some of the green and tees; so hiring a buggy available in the club house is a good idea. The handicap allowed here for men is 28 and for women it is 36.
The South Course

This was the first of the three Quinta do Lago golf courses. Spread over an area of 6,448 meter, this par 72 championship course was designed by William Mitchell. He designed the golf course in such a way that it could challenge a scratch golfer to do his/her best while providing an enjoyable game to a handicap golfer. If you are a long hitter, this course is designed perfectly for you; though with long hits you will also need to place the shots accurately to win your game in golf course. The main challenges of this favorite of all Quinta do Lago golf courses are the contoured greens, water hazards that crop up occasionally and the strategically placed bunkers. The best and the signature hole of the South Course is the par 3 15th hole. To play it, you will have to hit a long carry of nearly 190 meters over a quite a large lake and then place it in a well-guarded green that is set among pine trees. If you are a low handicap player, you will specially love to play the 18th, 10th and the 8th par 4 holes. While playing this course, you will have to select your golf clubs very accurately so as to play the long and wide greens perfectly.  The handicaps allowed in this Quinta do Lago golf course is maximum 28 for men and 36 for women.

Important tournaments are held here and the place offers a chance for playing golf all year through thanks to the pleasant weather of the place in summer as well as winter. If all this has spurred the interest of playing a round of golf in Quinta do Lago, here are some more details that will be useful for you:

• Spread over an area of 550 hectars, there are three golf courses within Quinta do Lago. In each course, golfers can experience lush, generous fairways that are sporadically with clusters of heather, pine, wild flowers and broom. The greens are carefully tended making the golf courses some of the best Portugal has to offer. The courses offer enough challenge to golfers in form a natural water bodies as well as bunkers that break the landscape now and then. As for the three golf courses, each offers in them a challenge that is unique to it only.

• The North Course was designed by two architects and is one of the first golf courses built in Quinta do Lago. Holes 1 to 5 was designed by William Mitchell in 1974 along with hole 15 to 18. As for holes 6 to 14, they were co-designed by Rocky Rocquermore and Joseph Lee. Both of the designers are from USA and this part of the golf course was opened in 1989. There is quite a difference between the designs of these two architects; William Mitchell designed a terrain that was typical for Quinta do Lago. The area is sandy and strewn around with trees like heather, gorse, pine and wild flowers. The later two designed a more superb terrain, sandy but littered with umbrella pines. The North Course specially looks great in spring when wild flowers cover the rough. Penn Bent Grass was used for creating the greens which made it possible to play high quality golf all year through. As for the tees and fairways, Bermuda 419 hybrid was used to produce swards that are top quality and playable all throughout the year.

• The South Course is the oldest of the golf courses of Quinta do Lago, and totally designed by William Mitchell of USA. It was opened in 1974 and since then has hosted “Portuguese Open championship” more than eight times. For tour players, this is the favorite golf course of Quinta do Lago and it is par 72 course with 6,500 meter with a beautiful natural setting. In its backdrop is the natural reserve of Ria Formosa while lakes, wild vegetation and umbrella pines surround the holes in the South Course. In each hole, golfers get a generous landing areas off the tees and the woodland pines’ setting provide a perfect routing.

• The last and the newest golf course in Quinta do Lago is Laranjal. Built in 2009, this course was designed by Jorge Santana da Silva. It was originally an orange grove which has now been turned into a challenging golf course. It is spread over an area of 6,480 with five par 3s, eight par 4s, and five par 5s amongst cork oaks, umbrella pines and orange trees. The course also has natural water bodies and 5 really spectacular lakes. To guarantee good putting all year through, Penn A4 grass has been used on the greens and Bermuda on the fairways.

The whole Algarve region, in which Quinta do Lago is situated is known for its golf courses. The great thing about golf courses in Quinta do Lago is that, they were the ones that put the region in the maps of golf enthusiasts.

The resort town is just 10 minutes by car from Faro, the main airport in the region. Quinta do Lago offers visitors plenty of ways to enjoy their vacation. Apart from the beautiful and award winning beach, there are various sporting facilities in and around the resort. Main is golf with the golf course of Quinta do Lago being one of the best in Europe. There is also tennis centers and other sports complex.

As for staying in Quinta do Lago, holiday apartments are one of the best options you have. There are various types of holiday apartments in Quinta do Lago to suit every pocket. Most of them are within walking distance of the main golf course and other attraction of the resort town; while there are others which are available in the nearby towns and cities. Wherever you chose, you can be assured that the environment will be safe. In most places, you will find the atmosphere around your Quinta do Lago holiday apartment friendly, serene and relaxing. Most of them have amenities like swimming pool, fitness centers and some even come with catered meals.

Depending on your purpose of visit, which can be anything from attending a golf tournament (major golf tournament are held in Quinta do Lago) or honeymoon, you can choose one of the many holiday apartments available in the market. If you are here just with your partner, you can always go for self-catered units that come with a basic kitchen and kitchen accessories like a microwave, fridge and basic kitchenware. Don’t want to cook on your holiday? Then choose the bed and breakfast units or those that have catered meals or restaurant within their premise.

As for location, again it will depend much on the reason of your visit. If you are here to play golf, then choose those that are just beside the golf courses so that you don’t have to spend time and money for visiting the golf course. If basking in the sun is the reason for coming to Algarve, then there are many beaches front Quinta do Lago holiday apartments available. Since the resort town is close to RIA Formosa Natural Park, many of the tourists who come here love to go for nature hikes along with unique eco-system. If that is your reason of visit, choose a holiday apartment just outside the Park which will help you to spot myriad seasonal birds who come here during winter.

The price of renting a holiday apartment in Quinta do Lago will vary according to season. Summer is the most popular time to visit this region, so be ready to pay a good amount for your renting, especially if you are renting a catered luxury holiday apartment. If you are not that eager to pay full price, then try coming here during the off seasons of winter or spring when the rental rates drop quite a bit. But whenever you come, first search online for the best rates and while renting a holiday apartment, don’t forget to bargain a bit.

There are many reasons why renting a holiday apartment is the best way of enjoying your Quinta do Lago holiday. If you are staying in one of those self-catered holiday apartments, you can save a lot on your dinner and lunch. Fresh food items are readily available in the stores and there are some fantastic open air markets in the nearby towns you can shop in. If you or your partner loves to cook, then try creating new dishes with the freshest sea foods available in those open air markets. Your Quinta do Lago will become all the more memorable due to these cooking sessions.

The attraction of Quinta do Lago is three fold; first there is the picturesque Quinta do Lago sea beach, one of the safest sea beaches in Europe that has been awarded the prestigious European Union Blue Ribbon award. Secondly, the natural park of RIA Formosa is just beside this region making it a great place for hiking and nature walks. Last and the most important are the golf courses in and around Quinta do Lago that are among the best in Europe and world over.

So it is no wonder that holiday villas in Quinta do Lago are some of the most sought after real estate properties in the region. If you are thinking of purchasing or investing in real estate property, then this market is one of the best options you have. Still wondering at the reasons why you should buy a Quinta do Lago property? Then here are some reasons that tell you why:

First of all, Quinta do Lago and Algarve region is general is a great holiday destination. Not only in summer; holiday makers come to this region all throughout the year. Once you come to this beautiful land, it is very natural that you will fall in love with it and want to visit it again and again. So if you invest in a Quinta do Lago property now, you don’t have to wonder about where to stay or how much your holiday villas are going to cost you for the rest of your life! It will be your retreat from the hustle and bustle of life; since Quinta do Lago is just 5 minutes by car from Faro, which is turn is connected to most European cities by flight (of around 3 hours), you can readily come to your retreat whenever you feel the need to escape.

Even when you are not visiting your property in Quinta do Lago, your holiday villa can earn well for you. As said before nearly a million tourists visit the area in summer and you can get a good portion of your investment back by renting it to them.

Not only in summer, in winter also Quinta do Lago is a hot destination thanks to its beautiful yet challenging golf courses. So if you buy a property within a short distance from Quinta do Lago golf courses, you can expect earnings from your property practically all throughout the year.

Capital appreciation has increased significantly in recent years in Portugal especially in the Algarve region. The prices double every 7 to 10 years giving you a good return once you decide to sell your Quinta do Lago property.

Security is a high concern for many when buying property in a foreign land. But in this matter also, Quinta do Lago properties wins hands down. Within the Quinta do Lago town, burglaries and other such crimes are virtually absent and your property will stay as it is without any trouble.

For those at the retirement stage of life, a property in Quinta do Lago can be a good choice. The climate here is very pleasant and the natural environment around the area will invigorate anyone with good health. Cost of living is also not that high in comparison to major cities and countries of Europe.

So you see, whether for personal use or for investment purpose, buying a real estate property in Quinta do Lago is nothing but beneficial to you. With so many properties in market, there will be one for you that will suit both your budget and your taste.

If you are thinking about a holiday in Algarve region of Portugal, consider Quinta do Lago as your destination. In fact, the resort and golf course in Quinta do Lago was the first place that put Algarve in the world map; especially in those people’s map who love golfing when doing their Quinta do Lago  Holidays.

Today Quinta do Lago is a much awarded golf resort on Europe and a very popular resort with hotels, villas and rental homes for all kinds of budget. Coming to the place does not mean you can only play golf; there are so many other activities to be pursued here that it is a great family destination. If you are thinking for coming to this place this summer, here are some information that you can use:

How To Get to Quinta do Lago

The best way to visit Algarve and Quinta do Lago in general is fly there. The nearest airport is Faro which is only a 15 by car. The airport of Faro is well connected to all the major cities of Europe and most flights take about 3 hours to reach here. If you want to enjoy the beauty of the Algarve region in general, then drive down from Lisbon to enjoy the scenic beauty of the roads. Quinta do Lago is highly accessible by road from any part of Portugal.

Staying In Quinta Do Lago

There are many accommodations available in the area. Apart from the main golf resort and hotel Quinta do Lago, there are many hotels and villa rental services about 5 minutes from the main area which can suit every kind of budget. If that is not enough, the tourist towns of Vilamoura, is just 10 minutes by car from Quinta do Lago. So getting a place to stay in your budget will not be such a problem.

The Algarve Climate

One of the many reasons for the attraction of Algarve region is its weather. It stays pleasant all through the year. Even in peak summer, the temperature remains around 30^o C; and the afternoons are very pleasant due to the cool breeze that blows from the sea. The temperature remains very enjoyable during the winter as well thanks to its Mediterranean climate. Playing golf at that time is a great experience in itself; and that is what draws golf enthusiasts form north European countries whose winters are not hospitable for playing golf!

Things To Do

Apart from the obvious i.e. playing golf, there are many things to do and sights to see in Quinta do Lago. First is of course the beach of Quinta do Lago. It is adjacent to the hotel Quinta do Lago and is one of the safest beaches in Europe. It has been awarded the blue flag for its safety, cleanliness and accessibility features. The beauty of the beach in this resort town is that, it is a parallel spit beach. It means the sea is on both the side of the beach and visitors have to cross a long wooden walkway to reach it. With 300 sunny days all throughout the year, sunbathing is the best way to spend your Quinta do Lago holiday.

If golf is not your forte, then there is the Ria Formosa Natural Park for you to see. This wetland is very vital for the conservation of the whole Algarve region and best efforts are done to protect it. Since the time Quinta do Lago was being developed, the developers made sure that the fragile environment of the area was never disturbed. That tradition is still continuing today. So if you are a great nature fan, then you love the nature trails and hikes that are organized around the area.

The Quinta do Lago hike takes about 40 minutes and covers both the marsh of Ria Formosa and the surrounding woods. The both flora and fauna differ in the two parts and it will be explained to you by your guide in either Portuguese or English.

The man behind this foremost golf course of Europe is Andre Jordan, a leading property developer of Portugal. It was his vision that saw a stunning golf course among the forest swamp of Quinta do Lago way back in 1970. The area that was developed was 550 hectare-site that was owned by Pinto de Magalhaes family. This family had been the owner for nearly 300 years but it was Andre Jordan who saw the possibility of the site when he stopped at the old farm house and viewed the unspoiled pine terrain that slowly rolled into the nearby beach. He was mesmerized by the view and knew that so will be those who come here for a holiday.

It took about a year for Jordan to purchase the property and he had in his side some of the best international collaborators whose reputations were impeccable. Pedro Vasconcellos along with Luis Nobre Guedes led the team of architecture and engineers who drew and executed the first Master Plan. The idea was to build a resort where visitors will get a chance to stay and play a tranquil round of golf in all the privacy and seclusion they wanted. Quinta do Lago was touted as the ultimate leisure resort for leading an active and sporting life. The property was advertised in leading European and American countries and interested buyers lined up to buy their place in Quinta do Lago. The crème de la crème of American and European society was seen buying and the place became the meeting point of industrialist, politicians, aristocracy and artists. More than 50 plots where sold within a week in 1974, such was the demand of the property.

But the military coup of 1974 threw a spanner in the plan of Andre Jordan as the new Portuguese government took over the control of Quinta do Lago. The region saw a slump in development but the golf course managed to maintain its grandeur thanks to Mario Barruncho. The real estate segment of the area especially suffered with many investors distancing from the project due to the revolution. Still Jordan did not lose hope for the resurrection of the area; when the Planal was returned back to the shareholders in 1981, he started approaching big businesses in place of individual plot owners to turn the debt-ridden property into a cash-rich one. His efforts bore fruit and soon Quinta do Lago was transformed from an 8-million dollar debt property to one with a value of 30 million dollars!

Since then, the golf resort and its surrounding real estate property have only seen a surge in value and demand. The group responsible for the development has changed hand since 1987 to present day. In 1987, Andre Jordon sold Planal that oversaw Quinta do Lago to a consortium made of British shareholders whose head was David Thompson and Roger Abraham. The latter left the Planal in 1989 and Domingos da Silva was installed as the administrative head. He was responsible for further developing the luxury image of Quinta do Lago in face of stiff competition from other nearby luxury resorts and courses. By the 1990s, the resort was the undisputed leader when it came to luxury golf not only in Algarve but also in whole of Europe. It was also a recipient of many awards which sealed its reputation.

At present, the owner of Quinta do Lago is the O’Brian family from Ireland who brought the Planal from Thompson family in 1998.