Portugal. One country, three distinct worlds.
It begins in Lisbon, where tiled streets, centuries of history and the energy of the capital set the pace. From there, the Experience moves to Comporta, where rice fields, dunes and the Atlantic create an entirely different Portugal. Then comes the Algarve, where dramatic coastline, wine country and some of the country’s most compelling golf bring the journey south to its finale.
Connecting it all is Lee Derrick. After more than 30 years in luxury travel and hospitality, Lee knows a thing or two about bringing people together. He’s engaging, endlessly curious and has never met a stranger. Throughout the Experience, Lee will be there guiding the group, sharing the moments that happen on and off the golf course, and making sure the stories are every bit as memorable as the places.
And there will be plenty to talk about. Five rounds of golf. Sintra and Cascais. Comporta. Time on the Algarve coast. Portuguese wine. Rare access to The Els Club. And somewhere along the way, probably the story of why Lee believes a 6-iron is the only club anyone really needs.
Touch down in Lisbon and make your way to Bairro Alto Hotel, right in the heart of the city. Get settled, then step outside for a first look at the tiled façades, winding streets and unmistakable character of the Portuguese capital. Lee will be there, introductions will begin, and the names you’ve only just learned will soon become the people you’re sharing the next eight nights with.
Tonight, Lee brings everyone together around the table for the Welcome Dinner. It’s the first chance to settle in, get to know the group and start talking about what lies ahead. Five rounds. Three very different sides of Portugal. And plenty that nobody can predict yet. Tomorrow, head for the Atlantic and put the first tee in the ground at Oitavos Dunes.
There’s something different about the first morning in a new country. No airport. No unpacking. Nowhere to get to just yet. Take your time over breakfast and let it sink in: you’re in Lisbon, the Experience is underway, and the first round of golf in Portugal is waiting just down the coast. Soon enough, the clubs will be loaded and the Atlantic will be calling.
Oitavos Dunes is a fitting place to find out what everyone brought with them. Set among coastal dunes and umbrella pines near the Atlantic, the course introduces the group to a distinctly Portuguese setting for golf, and to one another on the course. The first scorecards come out, the first matches take shape, and somewhere along the way everyone starts figuring out who they might want as a partner later in the week.
Keep the day on the coast with an early dinner in Cascais. By now, there are shots worth celebrating, a few worth forgetting and probably some early opinions about the golf. Settle in around the table and let the stories begin. There are four rounds still ahead, and tomorrow Portugal changes the subject completely.
Leave Lisbon behind for a day and head into the forested hills of Sintra, where palaces, historic estates and centuries of Portuguese history create a world that feels far removed from the capital. Today is about slowing down, looking around and discovering why this remarkable place has captured imaginations for generations.
From Sintra, the day makes its way back toward the Atlantic and Cascais for lunch by the sea. It’s one of those distinctly Portuguese days where the scenery keeps changing, the conversation keeps going and there’s no scorecard demanding anyone’s attention.
Back in Lisbon, the evening is completely open. Find a table somewhere that looks interesting, wander the streets around Bairro Alto or ask the Garmany Experience Team where the night should lead. Tomorrow, it’s time to leave Lisbon behind. Comporta is next.
Enjoy breakfast and one last morning in Lisbon before checking out and beginning the journey south. The capital has been home for the opening days of the Experience, but Portugal is about to look and feel very different. Next stop: Comporta.
Rice fields, sand dunes, pine forests and long stretches of Atlantic coastline replace the energy of Lisbon as the group arrives in Comporta. Here, the acclaimed Dunas Course at Terras da Comporta feels like an extension of the landscape itself. It’s round two, but today is just as much about discovering this quieter, wilder side of Portugal as it is about the golf.
After the final putt, there’s no need to leave Comporta just yet. An early dinner at Comporta Café keeps everyone by the beach a little longer before continuing south to the Algarve and settling into Victoria Golf Resort & Spa. Lisbon already feels a world away. Tomorrow morning, a completely new chapter begins.
After Lisbon, Comporta and yesterday’s journey south, today begins differently. The bags are unpacked, the Algarve is home for the next several nights, and there’s finally time to settle in. Take your time over breakfast, enjoy a slower start and get acquainted with the pace of southern Portugal. The next chapter of the Experience starts right here.
The Old Course at Vilamoura has been part of the Algarve golf story for generations. Mature umbrella pines frame the fairways, giving the round a completely different character from the open coastal landscapes already encountered farther north. Two rounds have introduced two sides of Portuguese golf. This one adds another.
After a few days of moving, exploring and getting to know Portugal together, there’s something pretty wonderful about having absolutely nowhere you need to be. Stay on property, head into Vilamoura for dinner or ask the Garmany Experience Team for a recommendation. Tomorrow, the clubs stay put and the Algarve takes center stage.
Today, the clubs stay behind and the Algarve gets its turn to show off. Head out on the water for a leisurely cruise along a coastline carved into cliffs, hidden coves and sea caves. After several days seeing Portugal from streets, fairways and winding roads, the view from the water changes everything.
Back on land, the day continues at Arvad Winery for a tasting and lunch. This is another side of southern Portugal, one shaped by the land, the climate and what ends up in the glass. Settle in, taste what’s being poured and enjoy an afternoon where there is nowhere else the group needs to be.
After a full day on the coast and at the winery, the evening is open. Head back to the resort, venture out if the mood strikes or simply call it an early night. Tomorrow brings one of the most anticipated moments of the Experience: The Els Club.
Some golf courses are famous because everyone knows them. The Els Club is compelling for the opposite reason. This ultra-private club offers the kind of access that is difficult to come by, making today about far more than adding another course to the list. Step inside, take it all in and enjoy a side of golf in Portugal very few ever get to experience.
Ernie Els put his name on this place, and there’s always a chance the man himself could be around. No promises, of course. Either way, today is meant to be enjoyed without rushing through it. Play the golf, spend time at the club and let the experience behind the gates be the story.
Tonight is deliberately left open. After a day at The Els Club, there’s nowhere else the group needs to be. Relax, find dinner or see where the evening goes. Tomorrow brings the final round at Monte Rei and one last night together in Portugal.
There’s still one more scorecard to fill. The final round takes the group to Monte Rei, where the North Course brings one last test and a fitting finish to five very different rounds across Portugal. By now, the pairings feel familiar, the stories have accumulated and everyone knows exactly whose game travels and whose might need a little help from Lee’s 6-iron philosophy.
Tonight, gather for the Farewell Dinner and look back on just how much Portugal has fit into eight nights. Lisbon feels a long way from here. So does that first dinner with a table full of new faces. Somewhere between the Atlantic, Sintra, Comporta, the Algarve and five rounds of golf, a group came together.
There will be favorite courses and favorite meals, shots worth remembering and others that will improve considerably in the retelling. But the best souvenir from Portugal may be the easiest one to pack: a few new names in the group chat and a very good reason to use them again.
There’s time for one final breakfast before the bags are packed and the journey home begins. Eight nights ago, Lisbon was waiting and most of the faces around the table were new. Now there are stories attached to all of them.
The Garmany Experience Team will handle the transfer to the airport while the conversation turns to a much better question: where should everyone go next? Because the end of one Bucket List Experience has a funny way of getting people thinking about the next one. Safe travels. Until next time.
CANCELLATIONS AND CHANGES
Once tee times and accommodations have been booked and confirmed, and the requisite deposits have been placed, there are no refunds of any deposits or final payments made by Guests or the representative club, except as provided in the 24-Hour Cancellation Policy below.
Garmany Golf strongly recommends travel insurance to protect any Guest against any unforeseen circumstances that may cause a Guest or club to cancel participation in any Experience. We are happy to assist with a quote based on your birthdate and state of residency by reaching out to concierge@garmanygolf.com, or you can explore a ‘Quick Quote’ below:
24-HOUR CANCELLATION POLICY
Guests may cancel their booking within 24 hours of the time of purchase and receive a full refund, provided that the booking was made at least 4 months prior to the scheduled Experience start date. Cancellations made after this 24-hour period will be subject to the standard cancellation policy outlined above.
ADDITIONAL AND OPTIONAL BOOKINGS, AND PAYMENTS
At the request of a Guest, a Garmany Golf Concierge will be happy to book any non golfing tour, activity or additional round of golf before or during the Experience. Please be aware that an administrative or booking fee may be added to any such booking. In the event of such a fee, the Guest will be notified in advance of the fee and have the opportunity to decline the booking confirmation.
All Guests agree to provide a valid credit card in advance of the Experience that may be used for payment for any additional tour, activity or additional (non included) round of golf booked during the Experience for the Guest.
RESPONSIBILITY
Garmany Golf, as the tour operator, and its selling agents, act only as agents in securing and booking the hotel accommodations and other land tour services provided by others as independent contractors. Garmany Golf, its selling agents or the specified air carriers assume and accept no liability for injury, loss, damage, accident, delay, changes or inconvenience caused by: any force majeure – health risks – reason of war or threat of war – riots – civil strife – terrorist activity – industrial disputes – acts, omission, neglect, delay or default of any person engaged in providing any tour services including transportation and accommodation – technical problems to transport – closure or congestion of airports or ports – building work – extended hotel closure – cancellations or changes of schedules by airlines – interruption or failure of public utilities outside the control of the hotel and similar events beyond our control, including storms, tempests and hurricanes.
Garmany Golf is not liable for loss, damage or theft of luggage or personal belongings, for personal injury, accident or illness on any vehicle or at any place throughout the tour. Garmany Golf reserves the right to cancel an Experience if circumstances so require. In the event of such, Garmany Golf will make a full refund to travelers of all payments received in respect of the Experience. Such a refund of payments will be the full extent of Garmany Golf’s obligation and liability to travelers. Garmany Golf is not responsible or liable for any property damage caused by a Guest. The Guest assumes all responsibility for incidental charges, damages and any necessary replacements needed that may have been caused by the Guest’s visit.
Some doors simply don’t open very often.
The Els Club Vilamoura is Ernie Els’ first private club in Europe, an invitation-only retreat created around a course he and his design team completely reimagined in the Algarve.
Opened in 2025 and already named the World’s Best Private Golf Club, this is golf intentionally kept private, personal and away from the crowds. For Garmany Guests, the opportunity is simple: step inside a world few visiting golfers ever get to experience, and enjoy a day at The Els Club as it was meant to be enjoyed.
Dunas feels as though it was discovered rather than built. David McLay-Kidd shaped the course through Comporta’s sandy terrain, with wide corridors, native vegetation and rugged bunkering giving it a natural, almost elemental quality. It’s golf that belongs completely to its surroundings.
And the golf world noticed quickly. Dunas was named World’s Best New Golf Course in 2023 and Europe’s Best Golf Course in 2024 and 2025, while Terras da Comporta was named World’s Best Golf Course in 2024.
But the accolades only tell part of the story. This is the round that introduces Guests to Comporta, a quieter, wilder Portugal where the landscape sets the pace.
Long before the Algarve became one of Europe’s great golf destinations, The Old Course was already defining what golf here could be. Opened in 1969 and laid out by Frank Pennink, it winds through mature umbrella pines with the kind of character that only comes with time.
There is an elegance to the place that feels refreshingly understated. Tree-lined corridors reward imagination and position, while decades of history give the round a sense of permanence. After the raw, modern landscape of Dunas, The Old Course offers something entirely different: a classic walk through the roots of golf in the Algarve.
Jack Nicklaus designed the North Course at Monte Rei across the rolling landscape of the eastern Algarve, giving each hole room to stand on its own. Broad fairways move through dramatic bunkering, water hazards and changing elevations, with an emphasis on strategy rather than brute force.
The result is a course with a sense of space, privacy and occasion from the opening tee to the final green. Distinctive, beautifully presented and unmistakably Nicklaus, Monte Rei has earned its place among Portugal’s most celebrated courses.
Arthur Hills designed Oitavos Dunes through the natural landscape of the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park, where fairways move between umbrella pines, coastal dunes and views toward the Atlantic.
Firm playing surfaces, exposed stretches and ever-present coastal conditions give the course its character. Rather than overpowering the setting, Oitavos works with it, creating a distinctive blend of woodland and links-inspired golf on one of Portugal’s most dramatic stretches of coastline.
Your Host
Lee Derrick may just be the most interesting man in the world.
With more than 30 years in luxury travel and hospitality, Lee has built a career spanning international markets, global relationships and some of the industry’s most respected hospitality brands. Today, he leads International Business Development for Garmany Golf, bringing a global perspective and a lifetime of experience to the people and places that make travel extraordinary.
But the résumé only tells part of the story. Lee is a certified yoga instructor, an endlessly curious traveler, a natural storyteller and one of those rare people who can strike up a conversation with just about anyone, anywhere. Engaging, charismatic and genuinely interested in the people around him, Lee has never met a stranger.
Spend a little time with him and you’ll understand. There is always another story, another perspective and probably another surprising thing about Lee you haven’t discovered yet.
At Garmany Golf, we believe your journey should be as extraordinary as the courses you play. With curated luxury, exclusive insider access, seamless planning, and the option of a personal host, we create unforgettable golf experiences tailored to you.
Driven by a relentless pursuit of excellence, Garmany Golf thoughtfully curates every detail to craft Experiences that transcend expectations—delivering personalized service and meticulous care at every step of our Guest’s journey.
Our enduring relationships with world-class Partners- including celebrated golf clubs, distinguished luxury hotels, and elite local transportation providers- enable us to deliver seamless service and exclusive access that define every Garmany Experience.
From the first conversation to the final farewell, the Garmany Experience Team orchestrates every detail with precision and care—remaining available throughout the Experience to ensure it unfolds seamlessly and feels effortless from beginning to end.
Answers to your most important questions, crafted for a seamless Experience.
A few details are worth knowing before your Portugal Experience begins:
Airports: Plan to arrive at Lisbon Airport (LIS) on May 24. On June 1, the group will transfer from the Algarve to Lisbon Airport (LIS) for departure.
All ground transfers are included.Buggies (carts) are included for all rounds as caddies are not popular in this region.
Every Garmany Experience is thoughtfully curated to bring together world-class golf, exceptional hospitality, and unforgettable moments, all seamlessly orchestrated from start to finish.
While each Experience is uniquely designed around the destination, most include:
• Luxury accommodations at premier properties
• Tee times at Bucket List Golf Courses
• Private transportation with knowledgeable, professional drivers
• Personalized concierge service from the Garmany Experience Team
• Handpicked activities that go beyond the fairways, immersing you in the culture, cuisine, and character of the destination
From the moment you arrive, every detail is thoughtfully managed by the Garmany Team. All that is left for you to do is play the game you love, embrace the destination, and enjoy an Experience designed to create memories that last a lifetime.
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