The original 550 hectare site, "Quinta dos Ramalhos" (Ramalhos Estate) contained the ruins of an old farmhouse (today “Casa Velha”, having been rebuilt as a restaurant in 1972) and a stone pine forest adjacent to both the Ria Formosa and the growing resort of Vale do Lobo which had been founded eight years earlier.

Jordan’s company, Planal, acquired the property on the 20th December 1971. The large beach-lined estate had been previously owned by the Pinto de Magalhães family for more than 300 years. Within three years, a bridge to the beach had been built, the lake was created over the salty sands, and 27 holes of golf designed by architect William F. Mitchell had been completed. This planted the foundations of the resort that is today, a visit to Quinta do Lago without a photo of the bridge to the beach is most certainly an opportunity wasted.

Following the 1974 Carnation revolution, Andre Jordan returned to Brazil, leaving the Portuguese state to manage the resort. The inauguration of the golf courses in 1974 was presided over by revolutionary leader Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho, and in 1976 the Portuguese Open was held in Quinta do Lago for the first time.

In 1981 Portuguese politics stabilized and Quinta do Lago management was returned to Planal, and Jordan returned to Portugal. The Portuguese Open was again held in Quinta do Lago in 1984-86. In 1986 the Four Seasons Country Club opened in the heart of Quinta, followed by the Four Seasons Fairways; neither resort is related to the CanadianFour Seasons Hotels and Resorts group.

In 1987 Jordan sold the resort (i.e. Planal, the holding company) to a consortium of British shareholders headed by Roger Abraham, a former banker at Chase Manhattan Bank, and food entrepreneur David Thompson. By 1989 Abraham had withdrawn and Thompson headed the resort alone. The Portuguese Open was held in the resort again in 1988-90 and in 2001.

There are three, spectacular, golf courses in Quinta do Lago:

North Course : Par 72 – 6,126 meters

South Course : Par 72 – 6,488 meters

Laranjal : Par 72 – 6,480 meters

Quinta do Lago Properties

Quinta do Lago is a unique and distinctly upmarket resort. One would not be surprised to learn that many properties in this area run into the millions. But this is an area unlike any other, with some of the best golf courses the Algarve has to offer, a range of exceptional fine dining restaurants as well as an excellent services and maintenance division solely for Quinta do Lago residents.

A general guide on pricing follows below:

• 1 bedroom apartments in Quinta do Lago : From €350,000

• 2 & 3 bedroom apartments in Quinta do Lago : From €500,000

• 2 bedroom + townhouses, linked villa in Quinta do Lago : From €400,000

• Detached villas in Quinta do Lago : From €2,000,000

There is a strict building code within the Quinta do Lago resort limiting the size and number of properties that can be built. The surrounding protected nature reserve ensures the serenity of an area known throughout Europe as one of the leading luxury resorts.

Due to the exclusive nature of the properties and their owners in this particular area, not all properties are available for online publication. If you are looking for something specific in Quinta do Lago please contact us and we will be happy to provide you with details of all currently available properties in this area.