Belek vs the Algarve: which delivers better value for serious golfers?

This is the comparison I have most often with clients who are deciding between their second Algarve trip and their first Turkey trip. Here is the honest head-to-head.

Courses: Belek wins on quantity and on green fee value. Carya Golf Club is ranked in the global top 100 and charges approximately €90 per round. The equivalent course in the Algarve (Quinta do Lago South, also top 100 calibre) charges €160–200. PGA Sultan, Tat International, and National Golf Club collectively form a 5-course roster that would challenge anything the Algarve can put against them.

Course quality head-to-head: the Algarve wins on consistency and on the very top end. Monte Rei and San Lorenzo are, in my view, better individual courses than anything Belek has. But the Algarve's middle tier (Vilamoura, Dom Pedro Laguna) is no better than Belek's middle tier (Gloria Golf, Cornelia). At comparable quality, Belek is 30–40% cheaper.

Hotels: Belek wins comprehensively at the 5-star all-inclusive tier. The Regnum Carya, Maxx Royal, and Kempinski offer accommodation and food quality that match or exceed anything in the Algarve at a price point that is significantly lower. The Algarve wins at the boutique end — Conrad Algarve, Quinta do Lago Hotel, Bela Vista — where Turkey has less to offer.

Weather: both are excellent from April to October. Belek is hotter in July and August (35–40°C is possible) and that can affect afternoon golf. The Algarve stays cooler (28–32°C maximum in peak summer) because of the Atlantic influence. Both are reliably dry from May to September.

Logistics: the Algarve wins narrowly. Faro is a 2.5-hour flight. Antalya is 3.5–4 hours. The time zone difference (Turkey is GMT+3, no time difference in summer) is negligible. The main Belek complication is currency — Turkish lira means some things are very cheap and some things are priced in euros or dollars, which can be confusing.

Food and culture: the Algarve wins for most British golfers, simply because the food environment is more familiar. Belek's hotel food is excellent; outside the hotel compounds it's more inconsistent. For golfers who want to explore restaurants and town centres, Portugal is easier.

My recommendation: if you are on a strict budget or want the best green-fee-for-money ratio in Europe, Belek is the answer. If you want the best individual courses, the best non-golfing options, or the best boutique accommodation, the Algarve is the answer. The ideal solution, which several of our most adventurous clients take up: alternate years.