Lisbon Ladies?
City Gates to Golf
Breaks
The simple pleasure of being in Lisbon is enhanced by its
delightful gastronomy, its old and new parts of town, shopping, the café
culture and welcome from the ever willing to please Portuguese people. Lisbon in itself is worth a visit with easy
access from London
Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester to Lisbon up to 9 times a day with TAP.
But why stop there when there is so much to see and do. Maximise your stay in Lisbon and sample some
of the stunning unspoilt golf courses and hotels within 45 minutes of this
lovely city.
I was lucky enough to be invited to join a trip to do just this
recently on a trip to the Centro Region.
Arriving in Lisbon we were swiftly shuttled to Dolce Campo
Real just 45 minutes away, we were met by a friendly welcome at the clubhouse
bar for some local delicacies before being given the opportunity to sample
their golf course. Sadly it rained, no
it didn’t rain it tipped it down allowing us only 9 holes of enjoyment, but
those 9 holes were playable, even in those conditions the greens ran true and
stood up to the wet sodden feet trampling across them, the tee boxes were in
good condition and the fairways played well.
It is easy to stay and play one golf course, and you would enjoy yourself,
but being given some information about alternatives could be just as
welcome. We were given this when we
visited Hotel Areias do Sexio just 15 minutes from Dolce Campo Real, a small
boutique hotel which prides itself on home grown local food with a twist of
sophistication, encapsulating traditional recipes and adding a hint of modern
taste to create mouth-watering delights.
That night we stayed in a delightful rooms in Dolce Campo
Real overlooking the golf course and comfy bed followed by breakfast the next
day. In fairness I think I need to play
it all again and give it the full positive response it deserves in better
conditions.
Day two heralded a trip to the popular Praia D’El Rey Marriott
Golf and Beach Resort, a golf resort known worldwide and it is easy to
understand why. The golf course offers
so much variety from Links style golf on the coastline to more parkland feel
golf holes, wrestling the wind on some holes and have welcome respite on
others. Top quality greens followed inviting
fairways. A unique blend of all things
good in golf followed by a lovely lunch in the clubhouse.
A break from the norm was a trip to Alcobaca a cobbled
street village with its monastery standing proud in the centre commanding its
well-deserved place in history. A
designated UNESCO site in 1989 built almost 900 years ago it is a fine example of
Cistercian architecture in Europe and the largest primitive Gothic church built
in Portugal in the Middle Ages.
It is difficult to visit Portugal and not be greeted by an
amazing array of fish dishes, we experienced one such restaurant in Nazaré.
Access is from the coastal town by way of a funicular to the top of this
unassuming restaurant providing unfussy yet tasty Portuguese fayre.
Our next stop to lay our heads was Bom Sucesso Design
Resort, Leisure and Golf. Simply
stunning apartments in this extensive complex where we each had not only square
footage beyond all expectations but also had a neat 18 hole golf course on site
too. With some interesting holes to keep
you talking in the clubhouse into the small hours of the night and hankering
after a replay to better that score.
Holes set high up afford views across this lovely part of the world, enjoy
the natural landscape and maximise some great closing holes.
The town of Obidos being a stone’s throw away enables the
visiting golfers (and non-golfers) to stroll amongst the intertwined cobbled
streets and lose yourself in this romantic walled city. Known as a literary town, it puts Hay-on-Wye
to shame with all embracing approach to ‘study’ areas open to all. Design being a major element of these
‘libraries’ to ensure a relaxing and welcome break from the hustle and bustle
of everyday life. Don’t be surprised to
see a grocery store in the ‘library’ businesses cohabit in harmony to create
‘the feel’. Sample the Literary Man
Hotel for fine food and a gin bar where you will be mixed with a gin ‘cocktail’
to suit your personality – I got a fruity one!
Staying that night at the Royal Obidos Spa and Golf Resort,
the recent winner of the 2016 golf resort of the year by IAGTO, whose interior
was voluptuous yet retaining comfort and
welcome to this boutique hotel. The golf
course heralded yet another surprise in golf for the Centro Region allowing
views with a stunning golf course as the foreground with easy to
play fairways and subtle undulating greens to keep you on your toes!
It was sad to leave this relatively unspoilt part of
Portugal, which I would recommend to golfers worldwide to come along and relax and
to blend into this welcoming region
Golf breaks can be booked with www.redteebreaks.com
sarah@redteebreaks.com
For further information on Flights with TAP, visit www.flytap.com or call
0345 601 0932. Prices start at £124 return
including all taxes and surcharges.
With amazing golf packages to incorporate the four resorts in Centro Region or to extend your stay in Lisbon contact sarah@redteebreaks.com or visit www.redteebreaks.com
Article as appeared in Golf South and Golf North Spring 2016
Article as appeared in Golf South and Golf North Spring 2016
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