Activities

• Sun-Kissed Beaches: Start your Comporta journey with a visit to the area’s mesmerising beaches. Praia da Comporta and Praia do Carvalhal are renowned for their soft sands and crystal-clear waters. Melides is gorgeous, too, as well as Prego. Spend your days sunbathing ( you can hire sun loungers on the beach, and they are really well served with lifeguards) , take a surf lesson, jump the waves, sip a cocktail and relax with a great book or podcast.
• Explore the Rice Fields: Embark on a unique adventure by exploring the iconic rice fields that surround Comporta. I have only ever seen rice fields like this before in Ubud in Bali so this was such a treat here. You can take a guided tour of the rice fields to learn about the traditional rice cultivation techniques or visit the Museu de Arroz.
• Be sure to visit the Carrasqueira, on the Sado Estuary. This palafitte port, unique in Europe, lies a small fishing village, Carrasqueira, on the left bank of the River Sado. It is such a genuine little area among much luxe. It is a rickety and creative old-world solution to the problem of accessing boats at low tide – a jetty on stilts.
• Horse-riding on the Beach at sunset. This is just magical. Cavalos na Areia are the best in the business in this area, I literally wouldn’t bother with anyone else. offers horse riding lessons for children and other brand-new riders and some seriously beguiling guided rides for those who are already comfortable in the saddle.  Instructor José Ribeira is skilled and patient, full of stories and friendly as can be.
• Dolphin-Watching Excursions: You can book a dolphin-watching boat tour. We had contemplated booking, and after speaking with our host, he reiterated that there were no guarantees, so we said we would delay it for a day or two. The next day we headed to the beach and as we set ourselves up for some sunbathing and treasure hunting (shell collecting), low and behold, a group of 5 bottlenose dolphins swam by on their way back to Troia. It was immense, so exciting.  Otherwise, experienced tour operators provide informative and eco-friendly excursions, giving you a chance to observe these magnificent creatures up close.
• Casa da Cultura is a stunning artisanal, luxe marketplace with everything you could possibly need to fit right in, in Comporta. The exterior is a white-washed building with local blue trim, and big barn doors are located on Rua do Secador and is open Tuesday to Sunday. It has stemmed from a local project that houses 12 pop-up exhibitors. I could have spent a small fortune here, I found the most stunning hand-crafted wicker basket bags, stunning handmade gold leather shoes and a cream wool blend fedora that I would still be wearing when I am 90. This was a super little surprise in Comporta.
• Badoca Safari Park: It was super quiet when we were there but lovely. We did a  big Jeep safari trip with lots of other day trippers. The tour is entirely in Portuguese with zero English included. I am totally fine with that, to be honest, and we were so busy looking at the animals we didn’t mind, really. In the afternoon, we did a really fun water raft ride on repeat, and we all loved it. Badoca Park is about 45 minutes away from Comporata. There are fabulous VIP tours which are really good value at just €89. Head off in a private jeep with some staff members and get up close and personal with the giraffes for about an hour and a half. Magical for those animal-loving little ones. Combine it with an evening beach trip to Melides, and you have the perfect day.
• Alcàcer do Sal is in the Alentejo region sitting on the Sado estuary. It is about a 30-minute drive from our coastal Comporta and well worth a visit as it is one of the oldest port cities in Portugal, spanning almost 3000 years. It is one of the sleepiest little towns I have been to in years. There is very little here, to be honest, but it is lovely to see. We crossed the river, pottered the town, had a picnic and did the climb up to the castle. It is old, you know, you get that sense of a very real small Portuguese town and I liked that. It was authentic.
• Yoga and Wellness is abundant in the area and very in keeping with the slow living, relaxed vibes of the area. There are a couple of options. Treat yourself to a stunning massage or facial treatment at Sublime or Quinta da Comporta. They are spendy but the environs and the 5-star feels are worth it for a treat. For something a little more low key the yoga sessions at Yoga Shala amidst the pine trees is just lovely. A simple wooden structure that oozes serenity and calm, and at only €15 a session, it is a steal.