Algarve keeps golfers and their partners happy

The toughest thing about a winter vacation may be the simple task of selecting a destination that everyone agrees on. Avid golfers are often particularly hard to please, insisting as they (sometimes!) do that the winter vacation spot include a good selection of challenging courses.

The sad result is that couples often wind up going to the same place year after year, simply because the golfing is good. One destination that solves this problem (and may not come immediately to mind) is Portugal’s beautiful Algarve region. The Algarve offers history, sun, sand and interesting food to the non-golfer and a wide selection of challenging courses for duffers and pros.

The picturesque region, which is quite compact and easily navigated by car, offers tourists 17 golf courses. And the really good news for golfers is that a total of 14 new courses are now in the works.

So, the golfer will be happy in the Algarve, but what about his or her companion? A complete variety of water sports are available at the numerous resorts in the region, and the area’s key role in Portugal’s fabled sea-faring history is fascinating for anyone with a sense of adventure. Wide, clean beaches aboun and the ocean’s influence on the local menus produces some very interesting seafood dishes. Sun, sand, surf, history, interesting food, and, (of course) great golfing add up to an attractive destination for golfers and their widow(er)s alike.