In the immensity of the rice paddy, this bucolic Alentejo village hides this white and blue town surrounded by endless white sand beaches, the perfect haven of peace for those seeking a simple life.

Located in the estuary of the Sado River, the landscape is virgin and wild, contrasting the intense green of the rice fields with the arid forests of uncorked cork oaks, the long white sand dunes with crystalline turquoise waters. People come to Comporta to rest and connect with nature. There is hardly any accommodation, nor big plans in sight, because everything takes place between the deserted beaches and the houses. Getting up early is a pleasure, enjoying the day, until the sun goes down and the mosquitoes appear, which makes only a few really love this virgin land. Piluca Hueso, creator of Rue Vintage 74, shares her favorite addresses so you can spend some perfect days.

SECRETS OF THE ALENTEJO

Two places and two photographers

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PALAFITE PORT

of CARRASQUEIRA

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As if the clock had stopped, in this little fishing village suspended between the sky and the sea, you will travel back in time and be trapped by its magical sunset. Of incalculable beauty due to its decadence and multicolored sunset, Andy Mumford, with an impressive handling of light, has known how to tell it like no one else.

Photographs by Andy Mumford.

“I try to go through this place once a year. It gives me a lot of peace to sit on a jetty and contemplate the landscape and its light.” - Piluca

GALE BEACH -

FONTAINHAS (RAPOSA)

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It is a beach far from the Comporta area, but it is worth a getaway for its orography of fossil red sandstone cliffs and large majestic dunes. At sunset, the land turns ocher and red, a wild beach delight.

Photos by Rodrigo Cardoso for Condé Nast TRAVELER.

VOLTA HOUSE

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A rural paradise with all the flavor of Alentejo surrounded by cork oaks and cows. A slow pace of life with the purest design. A contemporary redefinition of country living.

ANNA WESTERLUND

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“We met in Carvalhal 6 years ago, and his objects changed my way of understanding ceramics forever. Anna works with ceramics and intervenes with fabrics and metals.
Let's say that he “sews” ceramics, an art that he had never seen before. The result? Simple but at the same time very rich pieces, with meticulous work on everyday objects.” - Piluca

Anna Westerlund 's new collection of jars and objects will be available very soon on RV74.

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AT THE HOUSE OF CAPUCINE & NACHO

They do everything with love and an excessive passion. Parisian Capucine living in Madrid with her fashion and decoration project Frenchy and her husband Nacho Juanvelz, owner of the Charrúa and Cannibal restaurants in Madrid and La Coruña, dedicate all their free time to their Alentejo house in Melides, to make Tribu their personal project more aspirational and exciting.

“Being in Tribu is connecting with many places, it has a lot of Portugal, but also a lot of Uruguay and France. The light and the landscape trap you in this height of Melides. But the best thing about this shelter is them, their simplicity, their honesty, their hospitality and affection when they receive you at home.” - Piluca

Photos by Esi for @frenchymadrid

BEHAVES SPOTS

STAY

BOUTIQUES HOMES & AIRBNB (DISCOVER THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HOUSES)

CASAS NA AREIA (A VERY CHILL EXPERIENCE TO LIVE BAREFOOT)

ALMA DA COMPORTA (A SELECTION OF TYPICAL CABINS AND CABINS WITH A LOT OF CHARM)

SUBLIME (A SUSTAINABLE PROJECT LOADED WITH SENSITIVITY AND GOOD TASTE, YOUR SPA IS WORTH IT)

VOLTA HOUSE (IF YOU TRAVEL WITH FRIENDS OR FAMILY, THIS HOUSE IS A PARADISE TO VISIT THE AREA)

QUINTA DA COMPORTA ( A HOTEL IN A UNIQUE ENCLAVE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RICE FIELD)

EAT & DRINK

BREAKFASTS

TOP (NATURAL JUICES AND DELICIOUS TOASTS)

BE COMPORTA (GREAT EGGS BENEDICTINE)

beach bars

O'DINNIS (ON CARVALHAL BEACH YOU WILL TRY THE BEST SEA BASS AND SARDINES IN ESPETO)

SAL (THE MOST LIVELY ON PLAYA DE PEGO, LA PICAÑA IS VERY DELICIOUS. THE WAITS ARE HORRIBLE, BUT TAKEABLE WITH A COOL SANGRIA OF WHITE WINE. IN THE AFTERNOON THERE IS A NEIGHBORING STALL WITH MUSIC AND GOOD COCKTAILS)

SUBLIME (ON CARVALHAL BEACH FOR SNACKS OR A DRINK)

COMPORTA CAFÉ (ANOTHER CLASSIC TO ENJOY ON THE BEACH OF COMPORTA)

DINNERS

CAVALARIÇAS (IN THE CENTER OF COMPORTA, SOME OLD STABLES CONVERTED INTO A RESTAURANT WITH A VERY SPECIAL ATMOSPHERE AND SURPRISING DISHES)

JACARÉ (ALSO IN COMPORTA, DECORATED WITH A LOT OF CHARM, BETTER ASK FOR A TABLE INSIDE. PASTA AND PIZZAS VERY WELL MADE)

DONA BIA (SIMPLE LOCAL TASTE WITH EXCEPTIONAL FISH. ITS SPECIALTY IS GRILLED WITH CHARCOAL)

SAL BURGER (AT THE END OF THE MAIN AVENUE OF CARVALHAL, YOU WILL FIND A FOODTRUCK OF DELICIOUS HAMBURGERS ON ROUND TABLES, FOOSBALL AND GOOD MUSIC. PERFECT FOR CHILDREN AND FOR THOSE WHO LEAVE THE BEACH WITH AN APPETITE.

LA CIGÜEÑA (LOCAL TAVERN WITH EXCELLENT GRILLED FISH)

CUP | APPETIZER

SUBLIME (THEY WERE PIONEERS, AND IT IS STILL THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HOTEL IN THE AREA. THE RESTAURANT CHANGES CHEF FREQUENTLY. WE PREFER IT FOR AN APPETIZER DURING THE DAY OR FOR AN AFTERNOON DRINK AND APPRECIATE ALL THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE HOTEL)

QUINTA DA COMPORTA (A DRINK IN THE MAIN CABIN TO CONTEMPLATE ALL THE RICE FIELD)

BEACHES

PEGO, CARVALHAL, COMPORTA, ABERTA NOVA AND VIGIA ARE THE MOST RECOMMENDED. THE BEST THING IS ONCE ON THE BEACH, WALK AND GET AWAY FROM PEOPLE SO YOU CAN ENJOY THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING ALONE

WALKS

PUERTO PALAFÍTICO (OLD FISHERMEN PORT, DECADENT AND OLD, WITH LITTLE COLORED HOUSES BETWEEN DOCKS AND AN UNBEATABLE SUNSET. ONE OF THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED PLACES IN PORTUGAL)

CABALLOS DE AREIA (THE PLEASURE OF CROSSING THE RICE FIELD AND THE DUNES UNTIL YOU REACH A VIRGIN BEACH FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE HORSE RIDE)

BEHOLD YOGA SHALA (A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE IS RISING UP EARLY AND DOING YOGA HUGGING THE RICE AT DAWN)

CRAFTS

BEHAVES

MERCEARIA GOMES (A GROCERY WHICH CONQUERS EVERY CORNER FULL OF LOCAL PRODUCTS)

LOJA DO MUSEO DO ARROZ (A VERY SPECIAL SELECTION OF DECORATION AND FASHION WITH ETHNIC AIR)

LAVENDER (MEDITERRANEAN CLOTHING AND DECORATION)

CÔTÉ SUD (EXQUISITE SELECTION OF SWIMWEAR)

CARVALHAL

AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE TOWN RIGHT AT THE DEVIATION THERE IS A CHAMARILERO NAMED JULIO, HE ALWAYS HAS CURIOSITIES, POTTERY, OLIVE TABLES, DOORS, BOLLAS TURNED INTO SINGULAR OBJECTS. HE IS A VERY LOVELY PERSON WHO IS ALWAYS WAITING FOR YOU AT THE DEVIATION

BARRACUDA & STORK CLUB & LOJA DA CA & CAJU ARE OTHER STORES ON THE MAIN AVENUE OF DECORATION AND FASHION TO VISIT