Quinta da Ria Golf Course

Located on a cliff that overlooks a beautiful sea inlet connected to the Ria Formosa, overlooking the ocean, Quinta da Ria Golf Course was designed by Rocky Roquemore and was inaugurated in 2002. It is inserted in the Ria Formosa Natural Park, in the Eastern Algarve, near Vila Nova de Cacela.

With a maximum length of only 6.053 meters, it’s a flat route, with wide fairways and medium size greens, but also with many bunkers and five lakes strategically placed, with some islands populated by fauna of various birds such as sultanas or coots. Olive trees, carob and almond trees complete the natural setting.

The 10th hole is perhaps the ex-libris, a par-4 of 422 meters, with out-of-bounds to the left and a long river that runs along the right edge of the fairway and protecting the green. Other reference holes are 5, a par-3 where you have to hit the ball over a lake to a green well protected by bunkers; 13, another par-3, 188 meters, which runs parallel to the Ria Formosa; and 16, a par-5 with a double dog-leg, between two large lakes.

Quinta da Ria is part of an enterprise that has yet another 18-hole course — Quinta de Cima – the designated Academy Course, one of six par-3 hole course with a length of 621 meters, which is part of excellent training facilities of the complex.

This spectacular 18 hole golf course is in the Ria Formosa Natural Park and spreads along an almost flat surface of 660.000 m2 down to the Ria Formosa itself, hanging over it and with a stunning view of the sea.