Oporto Golf Club, Espinho, classic seaside links fairways above the Atlantic near Porto
Ranked · our verdicts, 2026

The Best Golf Courses in Porto and the North

Northern Portugal is the country's golf for golfers who already know the Algarve. It holds the oldest club on the Iberian peninsula, Oporto Golf Club, founded by British port traders in 1890, a pair of windswept Atlantic links, and a scatter of green parkland and mountain courses running inland into the Douro and the Minho. Prices are lower, crowds thinner and the wine extraordinary. Here are the seven rounds we would build a Porto week around, ranked.

Plan a Porto trip See the ranking

By the GolfForKings editorial desk · Editorial policy · Last reviewed June 2026

Photograph: Oporto Golf Club, via Google

How we chose them

We rank on the quality and character of the golf first, then on what each course adds to a traveling golfer's week: variety against the others on this list, the welcome, and what the green fee buys. The north is not a packaged golf coast like the Algarve; it is a working part of Portugal where a handful of good courses sit among the vineyards, the river cities and the Atlantic beaches. That suits the golfer who wants two or three rounds wrapped around Porto, the Douro valley and the food, at prices that undercut the south. Where we quote a fee it is the club's published or operator listed 2026 rate, marked indicative; always confirm directly before booking, and note that the historic clubs limit visitor access.

The ranking

01

Oporto Golf Club

Founded 1890 · Espinho · seaside links · oldest club in Iberia · confirm visitor access

The historic number one, and a genuine pilgrimage. Founded in 1890 by Britons working in the port wine trade, Oporto Golf Club at Espinho is the oldest golf club on the Iberian peninsula and one of the oldest in continental Europe, behind only a handful in France and Belgium. The course is a short, old fashioned seaside links, not long on the card but defended by small, wavy greens and the wind off the nearby Atlantic, a true links examination in miniature. It is a private members' club that welcomes visitors on weekday windows, so the round comes with history you can feel; confirm access and rates directly before traveling.

Plan a Porto golf trip

02

Estela Golf Club

Opened 1989 · Povoa de Varzim · Atlantic links · par 72 · indicative 55 to 85 euro

The north's true links, and its most exposed test. Estela runs along the dunes and the Atlantic shore at Povoa de Varzim, around 40 minutes north of Porto, a par 72 laid out beside the sea where the wind is a constant playing partner and the ocean is in view from almost every hole. It was voted among the best courses in Portugal and remains the round that links lovers cross the country for, firm, breezy and honest, with first class facilities and big views. At an indicative 55 to 85 euro it is also one of the best value seaside rounds in the country.

Plan a Porto golf trip

03

Vidago Palace Golf Course

Mackenzie Ross original, remodeled 2010 · Vidago · par 72 · indicative 55 to 90 euro

The grand hotel round, deep in the spa country of Trás os Montes. The original nine holes were laid out by Philip Mackenzie Ross, the architect who rebuilt Turnberry, and the Cameron Powell company expanded and remodeled the course to a full par 72 championship layout when the belle epoque Vidago Palace hotel was restored, reopening in 2010. The result threads through wooded hills and stone walled estate land below one of Portugal's most beautiful hotels, a round to play slowly and combine with the spa. Indicative 2026 fees run around 55 to 90 euro, with stay and play rates through the palace.

Plan a Porto golf trip

04

Club de Golfe de Miramar

Founded 1932 · Arcozelo · 9 hole links, par 35 · confirm fees directly

The charming short links, ten minutes south of the city at Arcozelo. Established in 1932, Miramar is one of Portugal's oldest courses, a traditional nine hole links of par 35 running close to the beach, designed in part by Frank Gordon and Artur Mariani Jr. It is the easy going historic round, perfect for a relaxed afternoon, a quick game before lunch by the sea, or an introduction to Portuguese links golf for a mixed group. Modest in length but full of character, it pairs naturally with Oporto Golf Club just down the coast. Rates move with season, so confirm directly before booking.

Plan a Porto golf trip

05

Amarante Golf Club

Mountain parkland · Amarante · par 68 · indicative 45 to 75 euro

The mountain round, 50 minutes northeast of Porto above the pretty river town of Amarante. Laid out across steep, wooded slopes on the edge of the Marao mountains, it is a short, tight, dramatically sited parkland where the views down the valley are as much the point as the golf, and a couple of vertiginous tee shots stay in the memory. It is not long and rewards accuracy over power, which makes it a fun, scenic change of pace between the coastal links and the Douro. At an indicative 45 to 75 euro it is the affordable adventure on the card.

Plan a Porto golf trip

06

Ponte de Lima Golf Club

Minho valley parkland · Ponte de Lima · par 71 · indicative 45 to 70 euro

The green Minho round, up toward the Spanish border in Portugal's lushest corner. Ponte de Lima winds through the hills above one of the country's oldest and prettiest towns, a rolling parkland of vineyards, pine and eucalyptus with the Lima valley spread below and some genuinely demanding climbs and drops. It is the round to play on the way to or from a Minho or Galicia leg, friendly and scenic rather than a championship test, and excellent value. Indicative 2026 fees run around 45 to 70 euro; pair it with the vinho verde for which the region is famous.

Plan a Porto golf trip

07

Montebelo Golf Club

Beira parkland · Viseu · par 72 · indicative 45 to 75 euro

The inland championship round, around 80 minutes southeast of Porto near Viseu, on the way to the Douro and the Serra da Estrela. Montebelo is a full length par 72 parkland set across rolling Beira countryside with mountain backdrops, the most complete inland course in the north and a genuine test from the back tees, with water, elevation change and length. It is the round for the group that wants a proper championship layout away from the coast, attached to a comfortable resort hotel. Indicative 2026 fees run around 45 to 75 euro, often packaged with the hotel.

Plan a Porto golf trip

Fees are indicative 2026 rates from club and operator listings, verified June 2026; the historic clubs limit visitor access and rates swing with season, so always confirm directly before booking. Check tee time availability.

Building the trip

Base in Porto and play the coast, then push inland. The city puts Miramar and Oporto Golf Club 10 to 20 minutes south and Estela 40 minutes north, three rounds of historic and links golf from one of Europe's most characterful city bases, with the port lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia across the river for the evenings. For the second half of the week, drive east into wine country: Amarante and Ponte de Lima for the mountain and Minho rounds, Montebelo toward Viseu, and Vidago Palace as the grand finale in the spa hills of Trás os Montes, ideally with a Douro valley river cruise or a vineyard stay in between. For the wider country see our Golf in Portugal hub, the best courses in Portugal ranking, and our Portugal golf holidays page for how a concierge builds the week.

Plan your Porto golf trip

The oldest club in Iberia, two Atlantic links and a grand palace round in the wine hills, all cheaper and quieter than the Algarve: tell us roughly when and who is traveling, and one concierge prices the week to the head, with no obligation.

Porto golf questions

What is the best golf course in Porto?

Oporto Golf Club at Espinho, founded in 1890 by British port wine traders and the oldest golf club on the Iberian peninsula. It is a short, classic seaside links with small, well defended greens where the wind off the Atlantic is the main defence. It is a members' club that welcomes visitors on weekday windows, so confirm access directly before booking. Always confirm fees directly before booking.

How much do green fees cost in Porto and the north in 2026?

Roughly 50 to 100 euro depending on course and season, well below Algarve prices. Estela, Vidago Palace and Amarante sit in the 50 to 90 euro band; Oporto Golf Club is a members' club where visitor access and rates are arranged directly. All fees are indicative for 2026; always confirm directly before booking.

Is there a links course near Porto?

Two. Oporto Golf Club at Espinho is the historic links, founded 1890, and Estela Golf Club at Povoa de Varzim, north of the city, is a true seaside links laid along the dunes and the Atlantic shore. Both play firm and windy, a complete change of character from the parkland and mountain courses inland.

When is the best time to play golf in northern Portugal?

Spring and autumn, roughly April to June and September to October, give the warmest dry days and the firmest turf. The north is greener and cooler than the Algarve, with more Atlantic weather, so pack for wind and the odd shower year round. Summer is warm and reliable; winter is mild on the coast but wetter inland in the Douro and Trás os Montes.

Related

All best lists Golf in Portugal Best courses in Portugal Hidden gems in Portugal Algarve vs Lisbon Coast Portugal golf holidays How to plan Portugal Home

The Tee Sheet

Course openings, ranking shake ups and the booking windows that matter. Every other week.

Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Rankings are our editorial verdicts; fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.