The simple pleasure of being in Lisbon is enhanced by its delightful gastronomy, its old and new parts of town, shopping, the café culture and welcome from the ever willing to please Portuguese people.  Lisbon in itself is worth a visit with easy access from London Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester to Lisbon up to 9 times a day with TAP.

But why stop there when there is so much to see and do.  Maximise your stay in Lisbon and sample some of the stunning unspoilt golf courses and hotels within 45 minutes of this lovely city.

I was lucky enough to be invited to join a trip to do just this recently on a trip to the Centro Region.

Arriving in Lisbon we were swiftly shuttled to Dolce Campo Real just 45 minutes away, we were met by a friendly welcome at the clubhouse bar for some local delicacies before being given the opportunity to sample their golf course.  Sadly it rained, no it didn’t rain it tipped it down allowing us only 9 holes of enjoyment, but those 9 holes were playable, even in those conditions the greens ran true and stood up to the wet sodden feet trampling across them, the tee boxes were in good condition and the fairways played well.  It is easy to stay and play one golf course, and you would enjoy yourself, but being given some information about alternatives could be just as welcome.  We were given this when we visited Hotel Areias do Sexio just 15 minutes from Dolce Campo Real, a small boutique hotel which prides itself on home grown local food with a twist of sophistication, encapsulating traditional recipes and adding a hint of modern taste to create mouth-watering delights.