Comporta
After learning more on the history of glass, we highly recommend
you to make your way down to Alentejo through the Vicentina
Coast. We can assure you that it will be one of the best car trips you’ll
ever take. Stop at Comporta and understand why is it called “the
Hamptons of Portugal”.
Comporta is a dream come true. Sometimes compared to Saint-
Tropez and now called “the Hamptons of Portugal”, Comporta
is a relaxed and artistic community. It’s the chosen destination of
Christian Louboutin, Jacques Grange, Farida Khelfa, the Espírito
Santo family, François Dumas and Madonna. You can read about
Comporta in one of the most beautiful side table books ever made
from Assouline, ‘Comporta Bliss’. Stop by the Carvalhal beach and
rest at the amazing Sublime Comporta, a hotel nestled on a stunning
17-acre estate, surrounded by undulating umbrella pines and cork
trees, wild sand dunes, stunning rice fields and white-sand beaches.
Also, don’t forget to stop by Louboutin’s favourite restaurant, O
Dinis Restaurante dos Pescadores. Just outside Comporta, exactly 30
minutes away, is Melides. The home of Christian Louboutin during
the Summer and its go-to place for inspiration, you too should stop
by and get inspired by the region’s coastline.
After a more relaxed visit to Setúbal, drive around Alentejo and
discover the home of the famous Arraiolos Portuguese rugs (carpets
embroidered with wool on canvas of jute or cotton, traditional of
the village of Arraiolos, in Évora). Traditional and bourgeois, Évora is
home for one of the best restaurants in the Alentejo, Fialho. Take a
walk in the city and discover the Evoramonte Castle, built in the 14th
century, the Chapel of Bones at São Francisco Church, the Roman
Temple or the cathedral, which is full of blue and white 16th-century
azulejos (tin-glazed tiles).
Algarve
Continue the trip to the South and go to the Algarve, an authentic
paradise for those who love the sea and the sun. This privileged
location has the most wonderful beaches and is perfect for those who
love shellfish. Stay at the astonishing Vila Vita Parc, a hotel situated in
the beautiful region of Porches. The dramatic, rocky coastline and the
clear aquamarine water of the Atlantic Ocean surround the resort’s
Moorish-influenced architecture and glorious white sand beach.
Vila Vita’s restaurant, Ocean’s, is an amazing option. With two
Michelin stars, this amazing restaurant offers spectacular views of
the Atlantic Ocean and the perfect combination of sublime cuisine,
impeccable service and an elegant atmosphere. The Vila Joya
restaurant, also in the Algarve, is another great option to experience.
