The official opening of the stunning Onyria Palmares Beach & Golf Resort, in Portugal's Algarve, has been performed by the man who has designed the 27-hole complex to stunning effect: American course architect Robert Trent Jones II.

My final visit was the the 'hop' to Madeira's little sister, which takes just a few minutes. Both airports examples of how much has been invested in the infrastructure for the two islands as when Madeira's airport is closed through fog, planes are diverted to Porto Santos. Stay on the smaller island or venture over, and you are going to somewhere very different, more 'modern'.

On my trip we stayed our first night at the 5* Palheiro Hotel. Once a Hunting Lodge dating back from 1810, its owners now are the Blandy Family, and what an estate it is!

The early morning Easyjet * flight to Madeira was rather good. These islands (and there are two you will visit - Madeira itself and its very near neighbour Porto Santos) lie north of the Canaries, two incredibly spectacular remains from prehistoric volcanic activity, and with anything like good visibility from the plane, you know before the wheels touch down you are going to somewhere quite special.

Calling all Golfers! Throughout October 2009, the Algarve Promotion Bureau has teamed up with three popular airlines; Jet2.com (www.jet2.com/golf) Monarch (www.golfoffer.monarch.co.uk ) and Thomson Airways (www.thomson.co.uk/flights) to offer free transportation of golf clubs for golfers when traveling to the Algarve.

Andre Jordan's luxury apartment development - The Residences - has the spotlight shining upon it in October as the PGA Portugal Masters Golf Tournament takes place on its doorstep at The Victoria Clube de Golfe, in Vilamoura, Algarve.The Portugal Masters, a new PGA tournament, will be held over four days - 18-21st October 2007 at The Victoria. The PGA, who are great fans of the 3-year-old course, were greatly impressed by the success of The World Cup of Golf which was held at Victoria in 2005. The Victoria course is set to be a regular venue for the European Tour.

One of the World's top golf resorts, Vilamoura is the jewel in Portugal's golfing crown. An estate of more than 400,000 acres attracted over 200,000 golfers in 2006 to its six golf courses, its tennis courts, a riding school and fishing and shooting facilities and Portugal's largest leisure marina... and Vilamoura now has new owners -