Stay
Sublime: hotel options are limited in Comporta, still very much a villa-oriented destination. This is pretty much the only place with full-service amenities. While the grounds are lovely and the food is excellent, the hotel seems to still be working out its staff training. Service was inconsistent on several accounts, so just chill out and remember it’s Portugal.
Casas Na Areia: whitewashed, minimalist designed villa hotel experience, operated by the Cavalos Na Areia group who also have the uber-chic Santa Clara 1728 hotel in Lisbon.
Eat
Museu do Arroz: an elegant restaurant on the edge of the rice paddy, specializing in you guessed it...rice! The carabineros are the local specialty - giant red shrimp the size of small lobsters. A sophisticated setting for dinner as most other places in the area are quite casual.
Comporta Cafe: at Praia Comporta, where the locals go for sunset drinks and chill-out music on the sand.
Cavalarica: set against a bright decor of white with pops of blue stripes, this restaurant housed in former horse stables serves an inventive take on local cuisine with a chef who worked alongside the best in London (Chiltern Firehouse) and Sao Paolo (DOM).
Sem Porta at Sublime: nice for lunch, but the lights are too bright and the acoustics too poor to make this an option for dinner. They serve delicious food though, so sitting at the bar ordering from the smaller appetizers menu is a great way to sample the top-notch dishes in a cozier ambience.
Restaurant Sal: must-stop at Praia Pego, for fresh fish in a fun setting. Nautically-inspired decor sets the backdrop to long afternoon lunches filled with local rosé.
Sal Burger: brought to you by the Restaurant Sal crew, when you're tired of fish, this burger joint doesn't disappoint.
Gomes Casa de Vinhos e Petiscos: cute wine bar smack in the center of Comporta village, great for small plates and an informal dinner.
Shop
Loja do Museo do Arroz - Comporta: a mix of local and imported (mainly African) decorative objects, this shop is full of curios.
Cote Sud: in Comporta center, where you'll find the perfect boho-chic dress and floppy hat.
Stork Club: boutique by famed architect Jacques Grange for elevated home decor in Carvalhal.
Harmonia: from the outside it looks more like a souvenir shop, but this home decor store is actually filled with great antiques and local crafts at decent prices in Carvalhal.
Rice - Comporta: concept store by Marta Mantero, a well-curated boutique selling both home and fashion items from local artisans.
Casa da Cultura: a collective of emerging local designers with pop-up shops in an open industrial space in Comporta's center.
See
Praia do Comporta: the busiest of the area's beaches, stroll a bit down in either direction and you'll find your own expanse of sand given the area's endless kilometers of undeveloped beaches.
Praia do Pego: this is a pristine empty beach, a nice walk before or after lunch at Restaurant Sal.
Cavalos Na Areia: for horse-riding excursions, this center is the best. Polite and dapper gauchos lead expeditions, crossing through rice paddies, up the sand dunes, and onto deserted beaches for an exhilarating and scenic ride. Cavalos Na Areia also operates guesthouses in the area, a boutique hotel in Lisbon, and in Comporta arranges all kinds of outdoor activities.
