Parque da Floresta
Parque da Floresta is the original name of one of the Algarve's most distinctive courses, the Pepe Gancedo design that opened near Budens in 1987 and today plays as the golf of the Santo Antonio resort. A par 71 routed through dramatic valleys above the Costa Vicentina, it is the course many travelers still ask for by its old name.
Photo: Parque da Floresta via Google.
The verdict
Parque da Floresta was, for many golfers, the name that first put the far western Algarve on the trip map. Pepe Gancedo, the Spanish amateur champion who became one of the most distinctive course architects of his generation, laid it out in 1987 across a tumbling site of valleys and ridges near Budens, well beyond the resort strip. Over the years the surrounding development was rebranded as Santo Antonio Villas, Golf and Spa, but the course itself is the same Gancedo original, and plenty of regulars still call it Parque da Floresta.
It remains one of the boldest pieces of design in Portugal, a par 71 of about 5,712 meters that asks more questions of strategy than of strength. For a player who relishes a course with a strong character, set apart from the crowd near the protected coast, it is a memorable round. We profile the same course under its current branding at Santo Antonio Golf. See also our best of Portugal ranking and the golf in Portugal guide.
Parque da Floresta at a glance
- Course opened
- 1987
- Designer
- Pepe Gancedo
- Type
- Hillside valleys
- Par
- 71
- Holes
- 18
- Yardage
- About 5,712 m
Designer, opening year, name history and layout verified June 2026 from Santo Antonio, GolfPass and Algarve golf sources. Parque da Floresta, designed by Pepe Gancedo, opened in 1987 near Budens as a par 71 of about 5,712 meters and now operates as the course of the Santo Antonio Villas, Golf and Spa resort. Green fees are an indicative 2026 guide from around 87 euros in the shoulder seasons to about 124 euros at peak, often with a shared buggy. Rates vary by season; always confirm the current rate directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Gancedo was famous for refusing to bulldoze a site into submission, and Parque da Floresta is the clearest example of that instinct on the Algarve. He let the holes follow the natural valleys and crests, so the round is a sequence of tee shots that fall away into hollows and approaches that climb back to greens cut into the hillside.
The carries are what every visitor remembers. Several holes demand a confident strike over a barranca or a band of rough scrub straight off the tee, and there is no bailing out short on the toughest of them. The greens sit at angles to the approach, often perched, so a steady mid iron struck the right distance is worth more than any amount of extra driver.
Above all it is the sense of place. The course threads through hills with the Atlantic and the wild Costa Vicentina close by, quiet and largely undeveloped on the playing corridors, and that seclusion is a big part of why the Parque da Floresta name has stuck with golfers for nearly forty years.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Open to visiting golfers and Santo Antonio resort guests year round; trip bookings welcome |
| Green fee | An indicative 2026 guide from around 87 euros in the shoulder seasons to about 124 euros at peak, often with a shared buggy included |
| Booking | Reserve online, through the Santo Antonio resort or with your trip planner; a buggy is strongly recommended for the terrain |
| On the day | Steep elevation change, blind shots and forced carries; plot your way around; standard golf dress code with collared shirts |
| Getting there | Near Budens beyond Lagos in the far western Algarve, about 95 km and 75 minutes from Faro airport |
| Best months | Spring and autumn are ideal; mild year round, with the wind funneling through the valleys |
Fees and access verified June 2026; the indicative green fees reflect 2026 pricing and vary by season, so always confirm the current rate and tee availability directly before booking. Book a tee time through our trip desk.
Where to stay nearby
The course sits within the Santo Antonio Villas, Golf and Spa resort, so on site villas, dining and a spa make an easy base in the far western Algarve. Salema, Sagres and the wild beaches of the Costa Vicentina are nearby, and the historic town of Lagos is a short drive east for evenings out.
For a fuller western Algarve trip, pair Parque da Floresta with the seaside golf of Palmares at Lagos and the hillside test at Boavista.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Budens and Lagos.
Build an Algarve golf trip
We book the tee times at Parque da Floresta, set you up in the far western Algarve near Budens and Lagos and build the rest of an Algarve golf week around your golf. Tell us roughly when and who is traveling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Parque da Floresta questions
Is Parque da Floresta the same as Santo Antonio Golf?
Yes. Parque da Floresta is the original name of the Pepe Gancedo course near Budens, which now operates as the 18 hole course of the Santo Antonio Villas, Golf and Spa resort. The layout is the same; only the resort branding changed.
Who designed Parque da Floresta and when did it open?
It was designed by the Spanish architect Pepe Gancedo and opened in 1987 in the far western Algarve near Budens, one of his most dramatic routings across steep valley terrain.
What makes Parque da Floresta distinctive?
It is a par 71 of about 5,712 meters built into a landscape of valleys and ridges, full of elevation change, blind shots and forced carries. It rewards plotting and accuracy over distance and feels remote, close to the protected Costa Vicentina coast.
What are green fees at Parque da Floresta?
Green fees are an indicative 2026 guide from around 87 euros in the shoulder seasons to about 124 euros at peak, often quoted with a shared buggy. Always confirm the current rate directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, name history and layout verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.