Spralling rice fields, cork forests, sand dunes, miles of pristine beaches and quaint villages make up the stunning region of Comporta. See below for our highlights from this August's trip.
WHERE WE STAYED: QUINTA DA COMPORTA
We stayed at the lovely Quinta da Comporta, situated on a rice field in the village of Carvalhal. The design throughout is very reprensentative of Comporta's laid back and unpretentious style.
The exterior has a thatched facade, made to provide a natural insulation and blends in with the natural landscape by creating a warm and rustic appearance.
Inside, the interiors reflect a minimalist aesthetic with eclectic, natural woven rattans, pops of colors in the patterns and found antiques to create a residential feel throughout.
The coastal influence is evident in the frequent use of white and blue throughout the exterior buildings, reflecting the colors of the sea and sky. This color combination is quite particular to Comporta and embraces a maritime ambiance.
MARKETS...
We brought along the Topaz goblet (in the light blue color way seen above). Blending in seamlessly with the Comporta blues and rustic plasters throughout the villages.
After a day at the Sublime beach club on the Carvalhal beach, we spend the afternoon back in the village and dinner at Gomes Casa de Vinhos & Petiscos, our favorite restaurant we visited in the area.
We bike through the rice fields and back down to the beach the next day. We stumble upon some antique Portuguese pottery in town and are enchanted by the designs - as useful on your dinner table as they are decorating a wall. That night, we have dinner in town at the charming Sao Joao - have a drink while you wait in town as they do not take reservations.
MELIDES
We drive South to Melides the next day to visit the newly opened boutique hotel Vermelho Melides. The hotel is owned by Christian Louboutin and designed to perfection both on the facade (pictured above left) and the interiors.
While the interiors are not reflective of the Comporta minimalist style, they are eclectic and full of spirit, pulling inspiration from Indian and Moroccan interiors. A truly collected and thoughtful hotel that makes you want to stay awhile just to soak it all in.
The Chelsea goblets (shown in light blue and blue, pictured above) were designed to be mixed and matched on the table. The blue hue used in the colored, hand-blown glass rods make up the stripes that tie in perfectly with the Comporta blue, we had to bring them along for the ride.