2026 Is Young — And Exactly the Right Time to Rethink Travel

2026 is still young — and this is exactly the moment to rethink your travel plans!

Golf, indulgence, time — and the freedom to do things differently.

In this issue: the Algarve with the Ombria Golf Resort, and a look at a completely different kind of golf trip. Two different concepts, one common thread: quality over haste.

Happy discovering…

The NineteenGolf.Guide Team

📍 Viceroy at Ombria Algarve, Portugal

Golf, Savour, Breathe — In Exactly That Order

The village-style Viceroy at Ombria Algarve, newly opened in 2024, sits in the Portuguese hinterland — surrounded by green hills, small farms and charming villages. Far from the coastal promenade, and that’s exactly what makes the difference: more relaxed, more natural, and wonderfully free of crowds.

Perhaps you spend the morning walking through the woods, past quiet waterfalls and clear rivers. Perhaps you spend the afternoon in a vineyard — sun on your face, a glass of local wine in hand. And perhaps you round off the day with a round of golf as the sun sinks behind the green hills. How does that sound to you?

A different side of the Algarve

Beyond what really matters to us golfers — the resort’s own golf course — there’s plenty more waiting for you here. Whether it’s bike hire, a pottery class, an olive oil workshop or a trip to local wineries: perfect for getting to know the Algarve’s creative and indulgent side.

More space to unwind

With the scent of citrus trees and figs in the air, you sink into pure relaxation at the 2,000 m² The Spa by Viceroy. Indoor pool, spa suite, heated indoor and outdoor pools, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi.

Ombria Kitchen

Eating at Ombria feels like an evening in a real Algarve kitchen: warm, welcoming and built on a farm-to-table philosophy. Fresh bread, fragrant olive oil — everything rustic, regional and uncomplicated. Exactly how you eat in the Algarve.

Valley view or golf view

The rooms, suites and residences combine Mediterranean design with floor-to-ceiling windows that practically bring the landscape into the room — with views over the valley and the golf course. Everything is designed with real care and offers exactly what you need for relaxed days.

The Algarve, As Golfers Love It

Named Best New Golf Course at the World Golf Awards and set within a LEED-certified, sustainable resort, the Viceroy at Ombria Algarve is setting new standards for the modern golf holiday — if that’s not a sign to tee it up yourself, what is?

More Fairway Included

Whether it’s a weekend round or a golf marathon: there are plenty of packages — from two to five nights, with complimentary rounds of golf, breakfast, and optional tee times at Quinta do Lago, San Lorenzo, or the legendary Vilamoura Old Course.

View the offers

Around the Viceroy at Ombria Algarve, some of the region’s best courses are waiting for you: Vilamoura is around 15 minutes away, Vale do Lobo and Quinta do Lago about 30 minutes. Ideal, then, for standing on the fairway in the morning — and letting the day wind down with a glass of Vinho Verde in the evening.

Vale do Lobo

Vale do Lobo is doubly dangerous: two courses beckon. The Royal Course, with its iconic tee shot over the red cliffs — and the Ocean Course, where the fairways all but dip into the sea.

Quinta do Lago

Quinta do Lago serves up the golfer’s triple: the South Course with tournament pedigree, the North Course freshly modernised — and Laranjal, the young upstart with plenty of water in play.

Vilamoura

Vilamoura has 4×18 reasons for golfing bliss: the Old Course as the classic, Pinhal with strategy among the pines, Laguna with water and a links feel — and Millennium as the modern all-rounder.

Faro Airport is just 29 km away — perfect for a quick arrival and an even quicker start to your relaxation. Edelweiss Air flies there several times a week, and your golf luggage travels free.

Fly Edelweiss

Golf, Savour, Drift — Par Excellence.

Why the River Is Defining a New Way to Travel in 2026.

It feels surprisingly comfortable when the hotel on the river simply comes along with you. How do we know that so precisely? Because we’ve experienced it ourselves. You travel in style and at ease — always heading straight to wherever the next fairway is waiting. While your boutique hotel glides across Europe’s most beautiful river landscapes, you move effortlessly from green to green, without ever having to drive yourself.

📍 On Europe’s most beautiful waterways

Aboard the Excellence Crown

Excellence Golf Trophy `26

7 Days, 3–9 October 2026

The Excellence Golf Trophy 2026 brings together four first-class courses in Alsace and along the Rhine, combined with indulgence and exchange among like-minded golfers. On board, a supporting programme awaits that’s second to none: culinary highlights from top chefs, a carefully curated wine pairing, and hosted entertainment with Rainer Maria Salzgeber make this trip a must on any golfer’s calendar.

Secure Your Trophy Spot Now

What convinces us about a river golf trip is the overall experience:

Excellence Golf Trophy ’26

On board:

PGA pro Andrea Mantoan, Rainer Maria Salzgeber and GaultMillau expert Geny Hess.

The all-inclusive golf package

The no-stress feeling on board: green fees and tee times are locked in, and the transfer including golf luggage runs quietly in the background.

With a pro on board

With PGA pros like Andrea Mantoan or Ralf Lehmann on board, every round turns into coaching almost without you noticing.

A taster golf trial

5 days from green to green on the Upper Rhine — relaxed, by ship, accompanied by golf pro Ralf Lehmann.

Nineteen On Board

Golf river trips slow you down more than you’d expect.

The ship as a calm home base.

Golf as the highlight of the day.

And in between, time that suddenly ticks more slowly.

Read the travel report now

Excellence Nera

Yacht Vibes on the Adriatic

Glide aboard the Excellence Nera through the Adriatic to hidden coves and charming harbour towns. With a maximum of 39 guests on board, you experience a genuine boutique feeling. You enjoy plenty of privacy, jumping straight from the swim platform into the emerald-blue sea — relaxation par excellence. Stylish, intimate, and with the luxury of simply letting yourself drift.

Discover the Excellence Nera