Vidago Palace Golf Course

Vidago Palace Golf Course sits in the mountainous Trás-os-Montes region of northern Portugal, adjacent to the historic Vidago Palace Hotel, a Belle Époque spa resort dating to the early twentieth century. The course was originally designed by Mackenzie Ross in the 1930s and later modified by Cameron and Powell. Ross, best known for his redesign of Turnberry's Ailsa Course, brought his experience with parkland layouts to this remote inland setting, where the terrain offers natural elevation change and mature woodland. The routing moves through rolling, forested land with fairways framed by pine, oak, and chestnut trees. The elevation shifts provide variety in shot values and create natural amphitheater settings for several holes. Water features appear on a handful of holes, and the design incorporates strategic bunkering that reflects Ross's emphasis on positioning over pure length. The course benefits from the cooler climate and higher altitude of the region, which distinguishes it from Portugal's better-known coastal layouts. Vidago Palace serves primarily as a resort amenity for guests of the renovated hotel, which has maintained its reputation as a thermal spa destination. The course offers a quieter, more secluded golf experience compared to the Algarve's resort corridors, appealing to those seeking a combination of historic architecture, natural landscape, and a less commercial atmosphere. The surrounding area remains relatively undeveloped, preserving the sense of retreat that originally attracted spa visitors to Vidago more than a century ago.