09:03:32 Tuesday, 19th March

This really is a multifaceted city! In Porto you can find a variety of leisure activities, including golf, a great sport for being outdoors in contact with nature.

Porto has several golf courses with excellent conditions that are ideal for both veterans and beginners. In fact, Porto is home to the oldest golf club in the country, the Oporto Golf Club, in Espinho!

In the North of Portugal, the golf courses have been carefully designed, in keeping with nature, some of them by architects of national and international renown.

As was the case with football, golf was also brought to Portugal by the British, who visited or lived in the city, due to its link with the Port Wine trade. 

The Oporto Golf Club is the oldest golf club in the country and fourth oldest in Continental Europe, having been founded in 1890 by the British Port Wine producers. This club usually holds national and international tournaments between May and June, such as the Skeffington Cup, Dockery Cup and Kendall Cup, and has a par-71 course, with four par-3 holes, eleven par-4 holes and three par-5 holes. It also has a 6-hole pitch and putt course, to encourage children to play.

In Póvoa de Varzim you'll find the Golf Club Estela, which was founded in 1989. It overlooks the sea and enjoys a mild climate throughout the year. With regard to its characteristics, this is a par-72 course, with four par-3 holes, ten par-4 holes and four par-5 holes. Due to the 'Penncross Bent' grass, the greens are among the fastest in the country.

Close to Miramar Beach, which is in Vila Nova de Gaia, Club de Golf de Miramar was formed in 1931, so that the Portuguese could also enjoy playing golf, which had previously been associated with the British. This nine-hole, par-70 course with 35 for each of the rounds, has a fantastic view of Miramar Beach and is considered to be one of the best traditional nine-hole courses in the Iberian Peninsula.

In Vila Nova de Gaia, there is also the Golfe da Quinta do Fojo club. This is much more recent than those mentioned above, as the club was set up in 1997 and the course was built in 2002, which is comprised of six holes (par-20). This course is ideal for beginners, as you can play either 6, 12 or 18 holes.

Further North, in Amarante, there is the Golfe de Amarante course. This short 18-hole course with seven par-3 holes, eight par-4 holes and three par-5 holes was inaugurated in 1997. It has fast greens but the slopes require extra attention and concentration.