Vilamoura Victoria
The Victoria course is the tournament heart of Vilamoura, an Arnold Palmer design opened in 2004 that has hosted the Portugal Masters every October since 2007. A par 72 of about 7,273 yards from the back, it is the one round in town where you can play the same finish the European Tour plays for the trophy.
The verdict
Vilamoura already had a deep bench of courses when the Victoria opened in 2004, but Arnold Palmer's design gave the town something it had lacked, a stadium scale championship course built to host a professional event. Three years later the Portugal Masters arrived, and it has returned every autumn since, which makes Victoria the most recognizable layout on the central Algarve and the round most visiting groups put at the top of the list.
It plays like a modern tournament course rather than an old world classic. Fairways are wide and forgiving off the tee, the trouble is the water that laces the property and the large, quick greens that demand a committed approach. From the forward tees it is an enjoyable, photogenic resort round; from the Palmer tees it is long and serious. Either way, the conditioning is tournament grade and the sense of occasion is real. Within the Vilamoura cluster it is the headline act, easily paired with the Old Course and the others without changing hotel.
Vilamoura Victoria at a glance
- Opened
- 2004
- Designer
- Arnold Palmer
- Type
- Resort parkland
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 7,273 yds
- Green fee
- From about €194
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Dom Pedro Golf and leading course databases. Indicative green fees run from roughly €151 in the December and January low season to about €194 per round in the September and October high season, with twilight rounds from around €83 (2026). Fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Victoria rewards the player who keeps the ball dry. The par 5s are the scoring holes, reachable in two for the longer hitter but defended by lakes that make the go or lay up decision a real one, the same gambles the Tour field weighs on Sunday at the Portugal Masters.
The finish is where the course earns its reputation. Water tightens the approaches into the closing greens and the 18th plays back toward the grandstand area, a genuine risk and reward closer that has decided more than one title. Standing on those tees as a visitor, with the same hazards in front of you, is the moment that justifies the round.
What lingers afterward is the scale and the polish, the length from the back markers, the room to swing on the wide corridors, and greens that roll true and quick. Victoria is not subtle links golf, it is big, modern championship golf done very well, and it is the course most groups remember as the centerpiece of a Vilamoura trip.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Pay and play resort course open to visitors; the flagship of the Vilamoura golf complex |
| Green fee | From about €151 low season to roughly €194 in the autumn high season, twilight from around €83 (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | Reserve online or through a Vilamoura specialist; multi course packages across the complex cut the per round cost |
| On the day | Buggies common given the length; soft spikes and standard golf attire expected |
| Getting there | Vilamoura on the central Algarve, about 25 minutes from Faro Airport |
| Best months | March to May and September to November; the Portugal Masters is staged here each autumn |
Access and fees verified June 2026; resort rates change with season and demand, so always confirm directly with the course or your trip planner before booking.
Where to stay nearby
The beauty of a Victoria round is that everything is on the doorstep. Vilamoura packs six courses, a marina full of restaurants and a string of resort hotels into one walkable resort town, so a group can play a different course each morning and never face a long transfer. It is one of the most efficient golf bases in Europe.
Base yourself at one of the Vilamoura resort properties and you can fold Victoria together with the wooded Old Course, the parkland of Laguna and the wider Algarve's marquee names in a single trip. For a couple or a buddies group, it is hard to beat for variety per mile.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts in Vilamoura.
Build a Vilamoura golf trip
We book the Victoria tee time, pair it with the rest of the Vilamoura cluster and the best of the Algarve, and arrange the lodging around it. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Vilamoura Victoria questions
Why is Vilamoura Victoria famous?
Vilamoura Victoria has been the permanent host of the Portugal Masters on the European Tour every year since 2007. The Arnold Palmer design opened in 2004 and is the tournament centerpiece of the six course Vilamoura golf complex.
What is the par and length of Vilamoura Victoria?
Vilamoura Victoria is a par 72 measuring about 7,273 yards from the back Palmer tees, with multiple forward tees that make it playable for resort golfers of all standards.
How much does it cost to play Vilamoura Victoria?
Indicative 2026 green fees run from about 151 euros in low season to roughly 194 euros per round in the autumn high season, with twilight rounds lower. Dom Pedro multi course packages reduce the per round cost. Always confirm the current rate directly before booking.
Which other courses are near Vilamoura Victoria?
Victoria shares the Vilamoura complex with the Old Course, Pinhal, Laguna and Millennium, plus several more courses within a short drive across the central Algarve, which makes a multi round trip simple to arrange.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.