Ombria is the Algarve course that faces away from the sea. It opened in April 2023 on a 153-hectare estate in the hills north of Loulé, near the village of Querença. Streams and old trees shape the routing, and steep ground means every round is played from a buggy. The estate’s centrepiece is a five-star hotel run by Viceroy, and the course was named Best New Golf Course at the 2024 World Golf Awards. Come for a quieter, greener day than the coastal strip offers.
Ombria Golf Course green fees and tee times.
Book through Ombria’s Golfmanager page, linked from the resort website, by email to golfombria@ombria.com, or by phone on +351 289 413 900. You give your name, nationality, handicap and email, and the tee time only stands once the reservations team emails a confirmation. Ombria does not publish a rate card online; the price for your date appears when you choose a tee time, and prepayment is due at booking or by the release date. Every green fee includes a buggy, shared between two players; a private buggy costs extra, subject to availability, and drivers must be 18 or over. The club’s rules set maximum handicaps of 28 EGA for men and 36 for women. Tee times run every 10 minutes from the 1st tee only, and small groups may be joined up to make a four. Free changes or cancellations need five days’ notice for up to eight players, 15 days for nine to 16, and 30 days for larger groups.
The round, in perspective.
Jorge Santana da Silva designed a par 71 of 5,802 metres from the back tees, with a club set of 5,350 metres and a forward set of 4,518. The card is unusual: six par 3s, five par 5s and only seven par 4s. Water arrives early. The 2nd, a 518-metre par 5, has a stream in play at almost every turn and is the hole the club rates among its hardest. The river returns at the 3rd, and the 8th, a 295-metre par 4, has a stone river wall. The 5th is a 183-metre par 3 played over a sharp drop, the 12th is a par 5 to a raised green, and an old oak defines the par-3 17th. The course holds GEO Foundation certification, golf’s best-known environmental ecolabel.
Know before you go.
Handicap
Men 28, ladies 36 (EGA)
Buggies
Included and compulsory; drivers 18+
Clubs
One bag per player; no sharing sets
Dress
Collar and sleeves; no jeans; soft spikes only
Pace of play
4 hours 30 minutes for 18 holes
Cancellation
5 days’ notice for groups up to 8
Make the trip work.
Ombria is short by Algarve standards, so the challenge comes from slopes, water and the run of par 3s rather than distance. Club selection on the 5th and 11th, both over 180 metres, matters more than the driver. The club runs a fleet of 50 geofenced buggies, and management can restrict where they go on the day, so follow the starter’s routing. The club hires clubs and carts, and the clubhouse has a restaurant and bar, locker rooms, a pool, sauna and gym. The practice area is a putting green and a chipping green; there is no full driving range listed, so warm up elsewhere if you need to hit balls. Personal coolers and drinks bought elsewhere are not allowed on the course.
Faro airport is usually quoted at 25 to 30 minutes by car. Drive north to Loulé, then take the road towards Querença; the resort’s address is on Estrada do Olival, in the parish of Tôr. Loulé town centre is about 6 km south. Public transport is thin in the hills, so a hire car or hotel transfer makes sense, especially if you plan to play other courses near the coast.
The Viceroy at Ombria Algarve, which opened in 2024, is the obvious base: a five-star hotel at the heart of the resort with 65 one- and two-bedroom apartments alongside, so groups can mix rooms and self-catering. Staying on site puts the first tee a short drive away and avoids the climb from the coast each morning. For more choice and lower prices, Loulé has town-centre guesthouses within a few miles, and the coastal resorts of Vilamoura and Quarteira are within easy reach by car.
Make a trip of it.
Pestana Vila Sol and The Old Course at Vilamoura are the nearest coastal pairings, and Vale do Lobo and Quinta do Lago sit a little further east near Almancil. Ombria makes a good contrast day after those flat, pine-lined layouts. Off the course, the Fonte Benémola trail follows a stream valley a few kilometres north-east, beyond Querença village, and Loulé’s domed covered market is a short drive south.
Find your season.
Ombria plays all year, with the Viceroy open alongside it. As elsewhere in the Algarve, spring and autumn are the busiest golf months, and winter brings most of the year’s rain. The club suspends play if at least four greens flood. Thunderstorms are handled by a buzzer: play is suspended, groups return to the clubhouse, and the course is reassessed every 15 minutes before you resume where you stopped.
Yes. Ombria is open to visitors as well as hotel guests and residents. You book a tee time online, by email or by phone and pay in advance. A handicap within the club’s limits of 28 for men and 36 for women is required, and the buggy is already in the price.
Is Ombria a hard course?
It is short at 5,802 metres from the back, but the terrain makes up for it. Streams cross several front-nine holes, the 2nd has water at nearly every turn, and the six par 3s include two over 180 metres. The club runs it as a buggy-only course.
How far is Ombria from the beach?
Ombria lies in the hills north of Loulé rather than on the coast. Quarteira and Vilamoura, the nearest beach towns, are a short drive south. Hotel guests who want a beach day usually drive or arrange a transfer.
Who designed Ombria golf course?
Portuguese architect Jorge Santana da Silva. The course opened in April 2023, routed around old rivers and trees, and won Best New Golf Course at the World Golf Awards in November 2024. It also holds GEO Foundation certification for its sustainable design.
Last checked 10 November 2026. This is an independent planning guide, not a first-hand review or a booking service. Check live availability, access, fees and travel details with the operator before booking. Airport suggestions are starting points for route planning.
