Quinta do Lago: just a short drive from Faro International Airport, this one-of-a-kind resort, founded in 1972, is a symbol of sophistication and excellence, boasting some of the region’s most spectacular villas, townhouses and low-level apartments (two-storey max.). Featuring a series of ‘developments’, properties enjoy views that range from lush fairways or fresh and seawater lakes to centuries-old scented pine forests and golden beaches, depending on their location within the resort.
Generous plot sizes and the exceptional privacy they afford, ensure that Quinta do Lago remains popular with buyers. Quinta do Lago develops over 810ha, within the picturesque Ria Formosa Nature Reserve – one of the last unspoilt coastal zones in Europe and established as a Nature Reserve with UNESCO protected status. This paradise holds an impressive diversity of flora and fauna and in order to protect its outstanding beauty, Quinta do Lago is regulated by a Master Plan that defends a strict low-density building policy and thus, stipulates that only a very low percentage of the land can be built on.
Additionally, Quinta do Lago is a well-known premier golf destination boasting one of Europe’s finest practice facilities – the Paul McGinley Golf Academy – and five golf courses of exceptional renown. The iconic South Course, eight-time host of the Portuguese Open, was designed by William Mitchell. Its challenging 18-hole layout favours the long-hitter yet demands skill and precision in positioning the ball if you want to achieve a low score. Re-entering the spotlight, the North Course was redesigned in 2014 by renowned golf architect Beau Welling in close collaboration with Paul McGinley. The new layout has been built to the highest specifications and redeveloped with the emphasis firmly on precision and strategy. It was voted “Europe’s Best New Golf Course” at the World Golf Awards in November. The Laranjal Course, a relatively recent addition, yet quick to earn a reputation for its beautiful lakes and lush umbrella pines, cork oaks and orange trees, was voted Portugal’s Best Golf Course at the Portuguese Travel Awards in 2011. Pinheiros Altos was conceived by Ronald Fream and features three very different sets of nine holes. The first winds its way through pine groves. The second, the original back-nine, develops over gently rolling terrain. Its 8th hole (17th), with its green on a little island, has become Pinheiros Altos’s signature hole. The newly developed third 9-hole course is deemed the most demanding, and is well known for its spectacular views and dangerous eighth hole. Masterminded by Joseph Lee and Rocky Roquemore, San Lorenzo Golf Course was named the 24th best golf course in the world by Golf World magazine. Its 18 holes develop through the unspoilt south-eastern corner of Quinta do Lago, with stunning Bermuda grass fairways providing perfect playing conditions.
In short, if you are looking for natural beauty, while enjoying a peaceful, stylish lifestyle and some of the best golf courses in the Algarve, Quinta do Lago is without doubt the right path to take.
