Hello friends, we're back in Portugal again. Today I wanted to talk about a weekend trip we took to Comporta, a fascinating natural area. Located about 1 hour south of Lisbon, along the southern coast on the Atlantic ocean, this place is really amazing.
If you've ever been curious about how rice is grown and produced Comporta is the place to be. We saw magnificent rice fields here, offering a peaceful view with their extraordinary greenery. The rice is harvested here, bundled, dried, pounded, whitened and sent to the factory for packaging.
We had the chance to observe every stage of this process at the local rice museum, Museu do Arroz, located in an old rice factory at the entrance of Comporta.
Apart from rice grape cultivation and great wine production take place here. Some farms have wineries, cellars and wine boutiques where you can buy and taste local wines. If agritourism interests you this is a perfect spot. The landscapes here are impressive and diverse.
Moreover there's a wine boutique offering rare beverages like champagne, gin and rum from top producers, besides local wines. This place is truly remarkable. Especially for its quality wines and unique natural scenery that we greatly enjoyed.
The ocean plays a significant role in this area, offering wide, long and often tranquil beaches. While there are umbrellaed beach clubs, you can easily find spots to be alone by walking a few kilometers. Comporta is becoming increasingly popular, often referred to as Portugal's Hamptons, with luxury villas and hotels everywhere.
While passing by one of these hotels we were curious to peek inside. It was a small boutique hotel that felt almost like a museum. It boasted a magnificent design crafted by many famous artisans. The exterior was equally impressive, reflecting the designer's deep fascination with India and filled with favorite aesthetics adorned with Indian motifs. Inside there was a bar entirely made of silver.
Feeling hungry we followed our friends recommendation and went to a restaurant called Flavours. It left a great impression because the food was delicious. The appetizers were traditional Portuguese delights, including salads and octopus. There were also light snacks like pica-pau. Dishes like beetroot with goat cheese were particularly amazing.
Exploring the local flavors in this region was a fantastic experience. Riding horses in the resort area was also very enjoyable, adding an extra layer of pleasure to our vacation. I highly recommend these places to all our friends. It would be wonderful to stay a bit longer here and engage in more activities. We enjoyed the local wines and had a beautiful weekend overall.
