Portugal, especially the Algarve, has become one of the prime golf holiday destinations with countless options available. However, if your companions do not share your love of the sport or if you would simply like to switch things up, fishing serves as a great alternative. Both activities complement each other and do not require you to be busy the whole time.

Why Portugal is Ideal for Both

Stretching over 150 km, Algarve’s coastline means that you are always a stone’s throw from the ocean. Almost all golf resorts, and villages are within a short driving distance from fishing spots be it rocky coastline for shore fishing, or marinas for boat rentals. The fishing is popular with both tourists and locals and the weather is great for fishing most of the year.

When booking an apartment or a villa near a golf course, it is incredibly easy to spend a day golfing and then spend the afternoon and evening fishing at a lake. Or it is easy to spend a few days fishing and a few days golfing. This is a very flexible and useful activity if you are trying to please a lot of people.

What Fishing Options Are Available

If you want a shoreline fishing option, that is an easy one and very low key. You can fish off the coast from harbours, piers, and from rocky beaches and if you need to buy or rent fishing gear, most towns have shops that sell them. You are mainly fishing for bream, bass, and mullett, so that is not very demanding.

For something more substantial, deep sea fishing trips are widely available from marinas like Vilamoura, Lagos and Portim o. These trips take you several miles offshore where you’ll fish for larger species such as tuna, amberjack and grouper. The boats provide all the equipment and the crew will help if you’ve not done it before, so it’s accessible even if fishing isn’t normally your thing. Half-day trips work well because they don’t eat up your entire day, leaving time for something like golf.

The key to a good multi-activity holiday is not overloading the schedule. If you\u2019re keen on both fishing and golf, you might want to alternate days with one of the activities rather than trying to do both in one day. Golf in the morning can be tiring, and spending the afternoon on a boat in the sun might be more effort than you\u2019d expect.

Another approach is to split your group. If some people want to fish and others want to golf, you can book different activities for the same day and meet up later. Most of the golf courses and fishing trips are close enough to each other that this works without anyone being stuck miles away.

Practical Considerations

During summer, fishing charters and golf courses get busy, so advance booking is recommended. Fishing charters allow online booking and golf courses have websites for booking tee times. If your accommodation is a villa or apartment that includes a kitchen, it’s a worthwhile experience to catch fish and enjoy it for dinner that evening.

Portugal is well organized for multi-activity holidays, and golf and fishing are well paired.

Year after year Portugal has been a top country for British golfers. With great quality courses, great weather, and a short flight from most UK airports, it is an easy holiday. Especially The Algarve, which is a popular and well reviewed golfing destination in Europe, has many accomodations and a great variety of affordable courses.

Why the Algarve Works for Golf

The Algarve is the home to 40 golf courses with top designs and names in the industry. The climate is great for golfing all year, with just a few exceptions. Unlike the UK where a round of golf in the winter may become a washout, Algarve has has mild winters and dry, warm summers. It is a gama changer destination in the winter months.

There are many types of courses to choose from. Some are along the resorts and golf villages where you can rent an entire apartment or villa right on the fairways. Most, however, are standalone and a short drive from the fairways, but are close to the main towns on the coast. Popular areas include Vilamoura, Quinta do Lago, Vale do Lobo and Carvoeiro, all of which have a good selection of multi courses plus ample accommodation.

Where you stay if travelling for golf should obviously be close to the courses you want to play. Golf villages like Balaia or resorts around Vilamoura are ideal as you can walk to the course or have a very short drive. These regions have apartments to rent which offer more room than a hotel and with a group or family is more economical.

Self-catering apartments are popular with golfers because you are not bound to hotel meal times, plus you can come and go freely. An apartment with a kitchen can be really useful as you can prepare breakfast if you are playing a round of golf early in the morning. Many golf villages also offer a pool and a bar and restaurant, so you have places to socialize if you choose to do that in the evenings.

For your accommodation to be close to the nightlife and restaurants, you can choose places like Lagos, Albufeira or Tavira. In these towns, you have more choice of restaurants and activities to do when you are not playing golf. However, you will have to drive to most golf courses which I hope is not a problem.

The Algarve has a very simple way to book tee times which can be done online. The only thing you need to keep in mind is that in summer, golf courses can be more expensive. Depending on the course, twilight rates can be a useful to save some money if playing early in the day is not a problem.

Considering how many different courses you will want to play during your trip, it might be beneficial to look into different golf passes or packages as they will give you a discounted rate. You can find some of these deals through booking agents that specialize in golf vacations as they will have better deals and will be able to help you find your accommodations and rental cars.

When to Go

Spring and Autumn are probably the best season to go for a golf holiday in Portugal. It is still warm during these seasons just not as hot as July/August mid-summer and the courses will be less crowded. July and August can get really busy and playing in 35-degree heat is not the most fun. Winter is a quieter and cheaper time to go, and while the weather is more unpredictable, you will still get a fair amount decent golf days.

If you are looking for a long weekend or a week trip, Portugal is a great option for a golfing break. It has good quality courses, great facilities, and is easy to organize with not a lot of hassle.

Algarve is home to some of the best golfing facilities in Europe, but even the most avid players need to relax every once in a while. If you are residing in one of the region’s golf villages or apartments, and would like to try something different, consider going fishing. The coastline is excellent for fishing, and you do not need to be an expert to enjoy a full day of fishing.

Shore Fishing Along the Coast

Fishing is one of the activities you can do in Algarve without a boat. There are many spots along the coast where you can fish from the rocks or harbor walls, and you will often see locals doing the same. Lagos, Sagres and Albufeira all have good access points, and fishing can be surprisingly good depending on the season. You can mainly catch bream, bass, and mullet. While the fishing is not going to be very good, it is a good time to spend a few hours.

In each of the larger towns and some of the smaller ones too, there are rod and bait rentals available. Fishing tackle isn’t too expensive and the employees that work there can point you to the best fishing holes. Just note that some of these spots are very popular amongst other anglers, especially on the weekends so if you are trying to get a good spot, head out very early.

Deep Sea Fishing Trips

For a more entertaining experience, many of the larger marinas have deep sea fishing trips available. The largest of which is located in Vilamoura and there are also fishing trips available in Lagos, Portimão, and Albufeira. The deep sea fishing trips are usually half a day to a full day and are catered tp people with no experience.

Once offshore and fishing deeper, begin targeting larger fish, this includes the amberjack, tuna, barracuda and grouper. They even teach you how to use the fishing gear, and it’ll be no problem. Some trips are bottom fishing, where you use a weighted line, and others are trolling, where the captain pulls a lure behind the boat. Both differen methods are effective, and the choice may come down to whichever the captain thinks is the most effective.

There are shared boat trips and private boat charters. Many shared boat trips cost approximately €60-€100 each and are available for half a day. Private boat charters are more expensive, but offer greater control over the timing of the trip, and where you prefer to fish.

Deef Sea Fishing Practicalities

Most fishing trips start with you boarding the boat early in the morning, often around 7 or 8, so be prepared for an early start. Fishing in the deep sea takes a while, so you also need to prepare to be out in the sun for longer periods of time. The boats are also out in the sun for long periods of time, however, they usually have a shelter. Make sure to bring some sun cream, a hat, and some water.

If you land yourself a decent catch, your crew will clean and fillet it, and you can take it to your apartment to prepare. If self-catering it makes the trip feel particularly worthwhile. More self-catering fishing is worthwhile.

Fishing won’t take the place of golf but is a great alternative for a day doing something different. It’s easily fitted around your other plans and the Algarve has the coastline and good weather for it.

Even though Portugal has brilliant golf courses, they might not be that interesting for every family member, which is why fishing is now available for family members not on the course and want to stay close to the apartment or villa for the day. Portugal now has fishing on offer to give family members something different to do for the day and vary their time spent on shore.

With the available golf fishing holidays now available, family members not on the golf course can enjoy the shore fishing along the coast near Vilamoura as well as Lagos which takes only an afternoon to try your luck at catching carp and even bream or bass off the rocks or from the harbour walls. There is no need to bring your own fishing tackle as you can grab some from the local tackle fishing shop near the shore fishing point.

If you preferred a bit more of an instruction, many charter boats offering half-day and full-day trips are accessible. A lack of experience is not an issue at all. All of the larger marinas from the coast will have trip runs. All of the equipment will be ready for you, and the crew will explain how to do everything. This is an easy setup for children who want to try it. Depending on the season, you can expect to catch larger fish such as tuna, amberjack, and groupers. This is a different pace than golf – sometimes you are just waiting, but once you get a bite, it’s full of excitement.

The best part of this holiday is how you get to combine golf and fishing, both of which are outdoors and at a reasonable pace. If you are renting an apartment with a sizeable kitchen, you can ask the boat crew to cut your catch, which you can grill that evening. This is not activity you’d get to do on a daily basis, but it gives the holiday a more exciting feature.

Getting a fishing trip is simple with a marina or bookable online. There is a price difference if you are sharing a boat or have a boat for yourself, but you will have to pay around €50-€80 for a half-day shared trip including your fishing kit and bite alarms. If you are travelling with a group or family, a private charter might work out with value.

For Portugal, the weather and the coastline are able to host, both for golf and fishing, so if you’re after a holiday where people can do different things without being miles apart, Portugal is worth considering.

Sports holidays are ever popular with people in the UK, no more so than golf, which is a very popular sport to play in other countries where the climate might be better and there may be decent golf courses. The quality of the golf courses will depend on where you are in the world and countries like Portugal are renowned for the quality of the golf courses. This is well known all over the world, and it can help you to get in some good rounds of golf whilst on holiday.

Many people travel to places like Portugal as amateur golfers but it can be good for the more experienced pro too, who doesn’t want to play professionally whilst away but who wants to enjoy a relaxing game or two. There are many reasons why golf is considered to be a fun and relaxing sport, not least because of the beautiful settings you can find yourself in, therefore making golf a more popular pastime for people of all ages and standards.

Portugal is a good destination for some sun this summer. Despite all of the troubles with taking holidays abroad, Portugal is one of the better bets and there are still holidays available that can be booked for the summer months.

Why is Portugal a good holiday destination? It has something for everyone, children and adults alike. The weather, for one, is a good selling point and it is mild, and really rather warm during the summer. There is generally a very pleasant breeze though, making it comfortable for walking and exploring, and taking part in activities like golf and other sports. Equally, if you want to sunbathe, it will be hot enough for this – having a pool nearby will make it the ultimate relaxing holiday experience!

Portugal has holiday options for all budgets and can provide lots of options for families. Accommodation can be found for reasonable prices and will often be part of a golf resort or other holiday destination, with beautiful views.

Having a good holiday is as much about the accommodation as it is about the setting and the activities. In the years to come, you’ll remember the accommodation vividly as it’s where you spent much of your time. If the apartment has beautiful views and lovely spacious rooms, this will stick in your mind.

Decide what you want from your holiday apartment before you begin your search, establishing what you are looking for to save you time. If you know that you need good kitchen facilities, or you would like a second toilet or bathroom, you can filter your search results by these factors when looking. If you have lots of results still, then you can begin thinking about the things that would be an added bonus, like a balcony or other outdoor area. Choosing a good apartment will ensure you have a comfortable holiday and will set the scene for your Portuguese holiday.