Lagos' two best-known courses could hardly be more different: Palmares' 27 holes above Meia Praia beach against Boavista's hillside round for around half the green fee. Here's how they compare.
If you are basing yourself in Lagos, the first golf decision is usually Palmares or Boavista. They are about 18 minutes apart by car. Palmares is the showpiece, with 27 holes running down towards the beach. Boavista is the hillside course on the edge of town, at a much lower green fee. Here is how they compare.
Palmares: 27 holes above Meia Praia
Palmares opened as an 18-hole course in 1975. Robert Trent Jones Jr. redesigned it in 2011, creating today's 27 holes in three nines:
Alvor (parkland on the hillside with tree-lined fairways), Lagos (parkland and lakes leading into the dunes) and Praia (links golf by the sea). The club says 90% of its tee boxes have ocean views. In October 2026 Jones's firm announced it was finishing improvements across all three nines, including wider fairways, more short grass around the greens, renovated bunkers and a new short-game area.
Green fees on the club's own online booking start at €138, are around €159 in late autumn and reach €183 in spring and early autumn (current Palmares green fees). In winter the club also sells an 18-hole rate with a shared buggy included, which was €105 when we checked. Palmares doesn't publish a handicap limit on its website, so bring your certificate and check when you book.
Boavista: hillside golf on the edge of Lagos
Boavista was designed by Howard Swan and opened in 2002, about nine minutes from Lagos town centre. It looks out over the Bay of Lagos to the east and the Monchique hills to the north. The 6th and 8th holes play over a ravine, and the 9th tee is the highest point on the course. The back nine drops down to streams, lakes and bridges.
It is par 71, measuring 6,167 metres from the back tees and 5,747 m from the whites. Its slope ratings (135 from the white tees) make it one of the tougher tests around Lagos. Boavista has the strictest handicap rule of the two: its own rules allow a maximum of 26 for men and 34 for ladies. When we checked in November 2026 the driving range was temporarily closed for repairs.
Boavista is much cheaper. Its online rate starts at about €74 in low season, and its published rates for November 2026 to December 2027 run from €86 to €126 (current Boavista green fees).
Which one should you play?
Choose Palmares for the setting: sea views from almost every tee, a links-style nine by the beach and the newly improved course. It is one of the most memorable rounds in the western Algarve, and the price reflects that. Choose Boavista if you want a demanding round with views at around half the price, or if you are staying in Lagos and want the course closest to town. Higher handicappers should note Boavista's limit of 26 for men before booking.
Where to stay
Both courses have accommodation on site. At Palmares, the Palmares Beach House Hotel is a small five-star boutique hotel that scores 8.9 on Booking.com, and the resort also has apartments next to the 10th hole. Boavista is a five-star resort village of villas, listed on Booking.com as Bela Colina Holidays - Boavista Golf & Spa, where it scores 9.1.
Lagos is about 85 to 95 km from Faro Airport by road. If you are not hiring a car, a pre-booked transfer is the easiest way to get there with your clubs.
Still deciding? Read our Boavista vs Espiche comparison, open the course comparator, or see all three Lagos courses on our Lagos golf courses page.
