Silves Golf Course

Silves doesn't try to dazzle you with scale, it wins you over hole by hole. Opened in 2006 at the foot of the Monchique mountains, the course winds through orange and olive groves and working cork and citrus farms, with palm trees framing views that feel more like the working Algarve than the resort version.

The layout rewards attacking, well-placed golf over raw power. Recent changes have reshuffled the round, and what was once the opening hole now closes it: a genuine test where the tee shot has to thread between water on both sides, played out in full view of the new clubhouse terrace. In between, doglegs on the front nine ask for precise placement, while the back nine tightens up with more elevation change. It's a course low handicappers will find a real challenge to break par on, and one higher handicappers can enjoy without ever feeling overwhelmed, a rare balance, and probably why so many golfers here describe it as a course they keep coming back to.

The clubhouse restaurant, newly renovated, makes for a natural place to watch the last groups finish on the 18th. One honest note: there's no driving range on site, just a small practice green, so anyone wanting a proper warm-up should plan ahead. For golfers looking for an unpretentious, well-loved round away from the bigger-name courses, Silves is exactly that.