San Lorenzo Golf Course
San Lorenzo is the course that golfers in the know name first when asked for the best in the Algarve. A Joseph Lee design from 1988, it runs through umbrella pine to the edge of the Ria Formosa nature reserve, where the lagoon, the birdlife and a run of stunning closing holes make it one of the most admired layouts in all of Portugal.
Photo: San Lorenzo Golf Course via Google.
The verdict
San Lorenzo opened in 1988 to a design by the American architect Joseph Lee, working with Rocky Roquemore, and it has spent the years since at or near the top of every serious ranking of Portuguese golf. The setting is the draw: the course occupies a sheltered corner of the Quinta do Lago estate where the land falls away to the Ria Formosa lagoon, a protected wetland alive with herons and flamingos, and the closing holes play right along the water.
It is a course that rewards thought over power, with pines framing the early holes and the wind off the Atlantic stiffening the test near the coast. Access is managed and resort guests come first, which keeps it quiet and pristine, so it plays as a genuine bucket list round on a central Algarve trip. See our best of Portugal ranking and the golf in Portugal guide.
San Lorenzo at a glance
- Course opened
- 1988
- Designer
- Joseph Lee
- Type
- Parkland, coastal
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 6,247 m
- Green fee
- Upper
Designer, year and par verified June 2026 from Top 100 Golf Courses, Leading Courses and the resort. San Lorenzo, designed by Joseph Lee with Rocky Roquemore, opened in 1988 on the Ria Formosa at Quinta do Lago, a par 72 of about 6,247 meters. Green fees sit at the upper end of the Algarve market, with an indicative 2026 high season rate around 150 to 165 euros and priority for guests of the linked resort hotels. Rates vary by season; always confirm the current rate directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The front nine sets the scene through stands of umbrella pine, a gentle, attractive parkland warm up that gives little hint of the drama to come. The course turns toward the lagoon on the back nine, and that is where San Lorenzo earns its reputation, the land opening out to the Ria Formosa and the wind becoming a real factor on the run for home.
The sixth and seventh play out along the water, but it is the closing stretch that golfers remember, the par 3 eighth over an inlet and the par 5 eighteenth curving back along the lagoon with the wetland on one side and the clubhouse beyond the green. These are among the most photographed holes in Portuguese golf, and they reward a brave, well struck shot under pressure.
It is a course of two halves, the calm of the pines giving way to the exposure of the coast, and it is the second half that lingers. As the centerpiece of a Quinta do Lago golf trip, it sits alongside some of the best courses on the peninsula and ranks with the finest of them.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Managed access; guests of the linked resort hotels get priority tee times, with visitor rounds available through operators |
| Green fee | Upper end of the Algarve market, an indicative 2026 high season rate around 150 to 165 euros |
| Booking | Reserve well ahead through your hotel, a tee time operator or your trip planner; carts available |
| On the day | Walkable parkland turning to exposed coastal holes; standard golf dress code with collared shirts |
| Getting there | At Quinta do Lago near Almancil, about 20 km and twenty five minutes from Faro airport |
| Best months | Spring and autumn are ideal; mild year round, with the lagoon holes at their best in light wind |
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
San Lorenzo sits inside the Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo resort estates, the most polished golf address in the Algarve, with five star hotels, villas and a wealth of dining a short drive from the first tee. Staying within the estate buys priority tee times and the shortest of transfers to the course.
For a fuller central Algarve trip, pair San Lorenzo with the lakes and pines of Quinta do Lago South, the heathland of Laranjal and the cliffside drama of Vale do Lobo Royal.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near San Lorenzo.
Build an Algarve golf trip
We book the tee times at San Lorenzo, set you up in Quinta do Lago or Vale do Lobo and build the rest of a central 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.
San Lorenzo questions
Who designed San Lorenzo and when did it open?
San Lorenzo was designed by the American architect Joseph Lee, with Rocky Roquemore, and opened in 1988 on the edge of the Ria Formosa nature reserve at Quinta do Lago in the central Algarve.
What is the par and length at San Lorenzo?
It is a par 72 of about 6,247 meters, routed through umbrella pine and along the Ria Formosa lagoon, with several of the most photographed closing holes in Portuguese golf.
What are green fees at San Lorenzo?
San Lorenzo sits at the upper end of the Algarve market, with an indicative 2026 high season green fee around 150 to 165 euros and priority given to guests of the linked resort hotels. Always confirm the current rate directly before booking.
Can visitors play San Lorenzo?
Yes, though access is managed and guests of the associated hotels get priority tee times. Visiting golfers can play through tee time operators and trip planners, with advance booking strongly advised in peak spring and autumn.
Related
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, year and par verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.