More than 40 top-quality and challenging golf courses are the reason for the Algarve being chosen by the readers of the influential British magazine "Today's Golfer" as the best golf destination in Europe by 2020.
"The Algarve is to be congratulated on another well-deserved victory," said Kevin Brown, editor of the magazine. "The region has a lot to offer, not only inside but also outside the golf courses. It's no wonder golfers want to revisit this destination again and again. This is the fourth year in a row that the Algarve has been voted 'Number One', clearly the most sought-after destination ever by our readers", he assured.
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But if the choice of a specialized publication was not enough to attest to the unique attributes of the Portuguese region for the sport, the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO), made up of 700 tourism agents from more than 60 countries, corroborated and reinforced the opinion about the South of Portugal. In the 20th edition of the IAGTO Awards, the organization has crowned the Algarve, for the third time, with the same title: it is the best European place to play golf. Portugal had already won this award in 2006 and 2014.
"The quality and diversity of the infrastructures that the Algarve offers for golf, the ease of access to the destination through frequent connections with Faro airport, and the cost-benefit ratio" dictate the harmony of preference, explained IAGTO president Peter Walton. To these arguments we can add the luxury real estate sector, the natural beauty of the region, the beaches, the gastronomy, the popular Algarve lifestyle and the legendary climatethat allows golf to be played all year round. "The Algarve has always put the experience of golf visitors at the top of its agenda", he stressed.
But in a year shaped by unusual health reasons worldwide, what's the point of this large investment combined with the award collection?
Nobody expected 2020 to be what it is, but anyone who thinks the pandemic has hit the quality or health safety of the resorts that abound from one end of the region to the other, from Vila do Bispo to Castro Marim, or that by visiting the Algarve, they will be deprived of this sport is mistaken.
Not only did the golf courses reopen early this summer, complying with the strictest safety protocols (dictated by the General Directorate of Health and also by the Portuguese Golf Federation), but also the 2020 Portugal Masterswas anticipated and promises a historic edition. The only Portuguese tournament of the European Tour, the main European golf circuit, will take place from 10 to 13 September at the Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course, in Vilamoura. Therefore, the investment and the continued concern with visitors have made the Algarve, against the greatest adversity, consolidate itself as a bulletproof destination.
"The permanence in Portugal of a competition of this magnitude is also a message of hope to golfers from all over the world who visit us, and to national companies that, in due time, knew how to meet the demands and expectations of a Clean & Safe destination”, praised the president of Turismo de Portugal, Luís Araújo.
Related: Clean & Safe is the new quality label for tourism in Portugal
More than a holiday place, the Algarve is a place to live, adds "Forbes", which every year assesses the best places in the world to live. The decisions made by the editors of the "International Living" section of this American magazine are based on factors such as climate, hospitality, safety or standard of living. Here too, the award is not unprecedented. It was the third time in the last four years that Portugal was elected the best place in the world to live in 2020.
Related: 12 reasons to invest in luxury homes in the Algarve
So, if you are not only looking for golf resorts in sunny regions, but also looking for villas or apartments to buy, be sure to contact LUXIMOS Christie's International Real Estate, which will take you to exceptional places such as Cacela Velha, considered by the international press as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, and where Monte Rei - Golf & Country Club is built, a development designed by former American golfer Jack Nicklaus. This luxurious resort is located one step from the beach and has luxury villas overlooking both theswimming pool and the best golf course in the country and the fourth best in Europe.
But if you like Albufeira's busy life better, you should visit the Pine Cliffs Resort, near Falésia Beach, Vilamoura's largest. It's a unique place with an exclusive world waiting for you, like almost everything that characterises the Algarve's offer.
Related: Finding paradise in a luxury property in the Algarve
