Casa da Oliveira Comporta

Bold Horizons

This villa’s bold, flat roofline is its standout feature, an echo of mid-century Brutalism that earned Gonçalo Salazar de Sousa Architects (GSS Arquitectos) a Best Building nomination by Arch Daily. A wide, windowed, floor-to-ceiling midsection of the villa slides fully open in front of the bright, postage stamp pool. And the strong horizontal roof line covers an alfresco dining deck, creating a true, indoor/outdoor living structure.

The home's interior décor style is eclectically coastal, with pops of bright color and patterns offsetting the otherwise whitewashed wood and paint. A focus on the horizontal continues in the property’s four laid-back bedrooms and outside, on its herb- and shrub-lined decking, where lounging poolside, cocktail in hand, comes paired with rural views over the sun-speckled, sandy lowlands.

Oriented to overlook one of the region’s rice paddies, this strong structure is a veritable indoor/outdoor living pavilion, where the home’s slide-away midsection opens fully out to its pool. There’s an outdoor shower for added alfresco living, and a small Mediterranean garden with beds of lavender, rosemary, and jasmine. Mosquito protection keeps the open-faced villa a comfortable open-air experience, and the home is set in a quiet neighborhood, Brejos, just minutes by car from the heart of Comporta.

Please note: Pool heating is upon request for guests coming in winter. This must be requested on the day of booking, and there is an extra charge of €200/week.

Around

Originally a fishing village on the dramatic Alentejo coastline, Comporta has become a hip destination, home to fashionistas and global nomads who have transformed the modest coastal village into a favored getaway, bringing boutique hotels and sleek, modern architecture to this mostly unspoiled coastline. A land of cork oak trees and citrus groves, glinting stands of olive trees and low-lying rice fields, Comporta offers visitors a picturesque mix of the nostalgic and brand new.

Agricultural family's homes neighbor artisanal boutiques, and there’s a lively gallery scene in addition to dining spots both simple and glitzier and gourmet. Lovers of the laid-back and rugged will thrill with horseback rides along the Atlantic’s rolling surf. The area’s golden beaches extend for miles, backed by dunes, cliffs and wind-sculpted pines, and beaches known for their big, rolling waves. Not to be missed are the nearest sands of Carvalhal and Pego, both about five minutes away by car, and further, Praia da Galé-Fontainhas, Praia da Comporta (8 minutes) and the Praia da Melides (20 minutes).

Protected lagoons, their waters rich with birds and wildlife, fill the region’s coastline, including Lagoa de Santo André and Lagoa de Melides. Walkers will love the Vereda de Melides footpath, the BioMelides pedestrian route, and hikers should try the more vigorous Rota da Serra de Grândola, that circles inland through a massive cork-oak forest and over hills crisscrossed by streams. The nearby Troia peninsula draws kite and wind surfers and the Sado Estuary is a natural wetland reserve with resident flamingos, otters, dolphins and more than 250 types of protected birds.

Location

Nearest airport: Lisbon (1 to 1.5 hours)

Best time to visit

April to November