Ombria Golf Course

Ombria sits in the hills north of Loulé, around thirty minutes from Faro airport, on the site of a former fruit farm. Opened in 2023, it's an 18-hole, par-71 course designed by the Portuguese architect Jorge Santana da Silva, who built it around the property's old water channels, lime kilns and stone walls rather than clearing them away. The course holds GEO Foundation certification, reflecting the scale of the environmental restoration behind it, including replanted native oak woodland and rehabilitated riverside habitat.

The two nines play very differently. The front nine climbs through the valley with real elevation change, elevated tees and a run of holes that demand precise course management from the first shot. The back nine settles into gentler, more open parkland, giving the round a distinct rhythm rather than eighteen holes cut from the same cloth. It's a buggy-only course, which suits the terrain well.

Since opening, Ombria has matured into one of the best-conditioned courses in the Algarve, regularly drawing comparisons to the region's longer-established names. The clubhouse is built into the old farm ruins, with a restaurant, bar, pro shop and locker rooms, plus access to the wider Viceroy at Ombria resort, including its pools and spa. There's no driving range on site yet, so warm up on the practice green before you tee off. For golfers who've played the Algarve's coastal courses and want something different inland, Ombria is well worth the detour.