Oitavos Dunes Golf Club
Four kilometers from Cascais and just forty from Lisbon, the Oitavos Dunes Golf Club boasts the most fantastic views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Sintra mountain. We’re talking about a true links golfing experience. Anyone would think that the course has been here for over a hundred years when in fact it was created in 2011. The famed architect Arthur Hills made it his priority to emphasize the natural beauty of the site, showing profound respect for the magnificent surroundings. The fairways unfold under the shade of umbrella pines and the first holes spread over the gentle slopes of a hill down to the dunes. However, the challenging part of the round is on the way back. The most spectacular holes are swept by the winds that blow in from the ocean on the linksland. Whether surrounded by ravines, perched on devilishly steep slopes, or enclosed by the dunes, these last holes will provide the more adventurous players with an unforgettable experience. For the eco-conscious golfers, it is worthy to note that Oitavos Dunes was the first golf course in Europe to be named a Certified Gold Audebon Signature Sanctuary, the highest designation awarded by Audebon’s International’s Signature Sanctuary Program, golf’s strictest and most prestigious environmental program.
Discover the immense wine region of Alentejo
To the east of Lisbon lies the largest region of Portugal, covering about a third of the country. The plains unfold, and the hills roll gently down to the foot of the serious mountains situated in the north east, marking the border with Spain. Soils are varied and the DOP Alentejo has eight sub-regions producing a wide range of juicy red wines and fresh whites. The red wines are generally easy to drink, bursting with fruit and body so they’re a big favourite on the terraces of the Lisbon cafés and restaurants. But this big, fertile region has much more to offer than just wine. Known as the gastronomic soul of Portugal, it’s overflowing with rich, mouth-watering cheeses and meats, salt cod, peppery olive oils and wild mushrooms. The region has many amazing places to explore including L’AND Vineyards Resort, where you can enjoy a sensorial food and wine experience, or Herdade do Esporao, a history-laden winery, winner of the 2016 Best of Portuguese Wine Tourism award. Give in to temptation in one of the many gourmet restaurants in the region such as Divinus Restaurant, located in the old wine-cellar of a convent or Narcissus Fernandessi Restaurant, where tradition and modernity are combined to produce flavours you’ve never experienced before.
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