San Lorenzo closed for a major renovation on 19 October 2026 and is not due to reopen until mid-2028. Here are the closest alternatives, from Quinta do Lago South next door to the Vilamoura courses San Lorenzo itself recommends.
If San Lorenzo was on your Algarve list, you will need a plan B. The course on the edge of the Ria Formosa lagoon, one of the most celebrated in the Algarve, closed on 19 October 2026 for extensive renovations and is scheduled to reopen in mid-2028. Here is what we know about the closure and the best courses to play instead, all within half an hour of the Quinta do Lago estate.
Is San Lorenzo golf course closed?
Yes. Hotel Quinta do Lago, on the same estate, states that San Lorenzo "will be closed from 19.10.2026 for extensive renovations and is scheduled to reopen in mid-2028". Some golf booking sites give spring 2028 instead, so treat any reopening date as provisional until the club confirms it. At the time of writing, no details have been published about the architect or exactly what the renovation will change.
Before the closure, the course had been running from temporary facilities after a fire destroyed its clubhouse. San Lorenzo was designed by Joseph Lee and Rocky Roquemore and opened in 1988, with holes running right along the lagoon. The course's own website now invites golfers to book one of the four Vilamoura Golf courses instead.
Quinta do Lago South: the closest match
If you wanted San Lorenzo for its setting, Quinta do Lago South is the obvious replacement. It is about five minutes away by car, on the same estate, and it also borders the Ria Formosa Natural Park. Designed by William Mitchell and opened in 1974, it has hosted the Portuguese Open several times and was named Portugal's Best Golf Course at the 2024 World Golf Awards.
It is not cheap: green fees on the club's own online booking run from about €188 to €264, depending on the season (see current South green fees). You need a handicap certificate, with a maximum of 28 for men and 36 for ladies.
Quinta do Lago North and Pinheiros Altos: next door
Quinta do Lago North shares South's clubhouse and is also about five minutes from San Lorenzo, with green fees from about €170. If you can only play one of the two, our Quinta do Lago South vs North comparison explains how they differ.
Pinheiros Altos is San Lorenzo's direct neighbour, around seven minutes by road, and is usually the cheapest round in this corner of the Golden Triangle (current green fees). It has 27 holes, played as three nines. Recent player reviews flag patchy conditioning, so read a few before you book.
Vale do Lobo: sea views instead of the lagoon
About 15 minutes west, Vale do Lobo has two courses. The Royal is known for its clifftop holes above the beach, and the Ocean is classic coastal parkland. You swap San Lorenzo's lagoon for the Atlantic. Our Royal vs Ocean comparison will help you choose.
The Vilamoura courses: where San Lorenzo sends its golfers
San Lorenzo's own website points golfers towards the four Vilamoura Golf courses, around 30 minutes away by car. The headline act is the Old Course, Frank Pennink's 1969 pine-lined classic, which won Portugal's Best Golf Course at the 2025 World Golf Awards. Expect green fees from about €215.
For less, Millennium and Laguna start at around €88 and Pinhal at about €101. Our Vilamoura golf courses page compares all of them side by side.
Where to stay near Quinta do Lago
Staying on the estate puts South, North and Pinheiros Altos within a few minutes' drive. The five-star Hotel Quinta do Lago sits beside the lagoon and scores 9.1 on Booking.com. For more options at different prices, see our guide to hotels near Quinta do Lago golf.
Quinta do Lago is only about 22 km from Faro Airport by road, so a pre-booked airport transfer is a simple way to arrive with your clubs if you don't plan to hire a car.
Want to compare more options in the area? Our Almancil and Golden Triangle golf courses page lists every course nearby with green fees, handicap rules and hotels.
