Quinta de Cima

Quinta de Cima sits on the eastern Algarve, in the quieter stretch of coast between Tavira and the Spanish border — a part of the region that has largely escaped the overdevelopment that transformed the western Algarve into a resort corridor. Vila Nova de Cacela is a small, whitewashed village perched above the Ria Formosa lagoon system, and the golf course draws directly on that landscape: wide-open terrain, umbrella pines, cork oaks, and the kind of dry, fragrant air that defines inland Algarve in summer.

Quinta de Cima is the newer of 2 courses at the Quinta da Ria resort, and it plays with a more championship ambition than its sibling — longer, more demanding off the tee, with water hazards and strategic bunkering that reward accurate ball-striking over sheer power. The design makes good use of elevation changes across the property, opening up views toward the coast and the barrier islands of the Ria Formosa natural park.

The eastern Algarve attracts golfers who want the region's reliable sunshine and fast-draining turf without the crowds that cluster around Vilamoura or Vale do Lobo. Quinta de Cima fits that profile well — serious enough to satisfy low-handicappers, scenic enough to keep a wide range of golfers thoroughly engaged across all 18 holes.