I discovered Comporta years ago - here is my insider guide to the coolest corner of Portugal

It used to be known for its boho-chic vibe and in-the-know crowd, but since being linked to everyone from Harry and Meghan to George Clooney and Madonna, the secret is out. But there is still some of the old-school Comporta magic, if you know where to look, writes Victoria Harper

If you can pull yourself off the beautiful beaches, they are lined with must-visit restaurants and clubs, but that’s a big if... (Kerry Murray/Independente Comporta)

I first discovered Comporta nearly 10 years ago. An unspoilt beach area just over an hour’s drive from Lisbon, this was where the smart set from the city and in-the-know Europeans had their holiday homes. On the southwest coast, it sits between the Atlantic Ocean and the Sado River estuary, where cork and pine forests give way to long stretches of powdery white sand (where Madonna apparently went to ride her horses when she lived in Lisbon). It was so chic, it even had its own signature look: Comporta style.

Arriving for my first visit in the summer of 2017, I got it. Comporta was a vibe: think boutique, bleached-wood cabanas and no-fuss beachside shacks serving the best giant grilled bass with a side of garlic-soaked razor clams. Brightly coloured throws were unfurled casually between wild dunes, and sundowners were taken in cool kaftans on sunken beach beanbags to chilled-out tunes. I was blown away. This really was an undiscovered gem – but was it the Ibiza of Portugal or its Hamptons? I couldn’t decide.

Nearly a decade on, that debate has at least been settled. This is now firmly known as the Hamptons of Europe, and it’s certainly no longer the secret it once was. While much of the land remains protected and unspoilt (no highrises here, thank you very much), this is where you’ll find some of the most expensive real estate in Europe.

And the Comporta crowd has spread its wings too, right down to Grândola and Melides – where Christian Louboutin opened his stunning Vermelho boutique hotel a couple of years ago. Stylish eco-resorts are now dotted between the famous beaches, and you’ll also find CostaTerra Golf & Ocean Club – more than just a golf resort, it’s a secluded enclave where George Clooney, Sharon Stone, and Princess Eugenie with her husband Jack Brooksbank, retreat in luxurious privacy. Even Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are rumoured to be scoping out a home here.

Along the main beaches – Comporta, Pego and Praia do Carvalhal (my favourite) – the old local-run shacks have been made over into must-go restaurants and monied beach clubs. Sublime Beach Club (the offshoot of one of the area's first boutique hotels, Sublime Comporta), and Lisbon’s cool-kid restaurant and club, JNcQUOI, have both established chic sandy outposts here.

Even Comporta’s signature aesthetic – think pom-pom cushions, macrame hangings, mid-century furniture and oversized rattan lampshades – has made its way into stylish hotels from London to New York to Paris. So yes, this once-secret haven is very much having a moment, and setting the tone for hippy-chic living well beyond its Atlantic shores.

Still, I’m happy to report that there are still pockets of quiet magic to be found, faithful to Comporta’s original spirit. One of the most special is the Independente Comporta, which has made it its mission to carve out a soulful, cool corner as an antidote to the area’s flashier interlopers.

The Independente Hotels already has two fantastic properties in central Lisbon – one in a grand old house that once belonged to the Swiss ambassador, now a treasure trove of kooky elegance. The Independente’s core ethos is to bring together the sociability of a cool hostel with the laidback luxe of a boutique hotel – with a quirky twist. Think large communal tables where you can meet fellow travellers, and gorgeous eclectic rooms surrounded by work from local artists and artisans, so creativity is always at the heart of all their properties.

A retreat within a retreat Independent Comporta at its super stylish best (Kerry Murray/Independente Comporta)

At Independente Comporta, this essence really comes into its own. The moment you turn through its gates, there’s a sense of retreat within a retreat. Surrounded by nature and built around the idea of an “aldeia” – the Portuguese name for small farming villages – this is the perfect place for families and friends to come together, while also enjoying their own private space. There are 40 rooms (some with interconnecting doors for families) and 34 villas (from studios to five-bedroom super-cool and stylish houses), all with private gardens or patios. There’s also a large communal hall – the Casão – used for yoga classes, hangouts, or a work-from-paradise setup for digital nomads.

There’s a regenerative spa which uses herbs from the Independente’s own curated gardens, a large pool, an outdoor bar, and fire pits where guests can gather after dinner, drink in hand, communing under the stars.

And so it is here we spent a few dreamy days reconnecting with that original away-from-it-all Comporta spirit. A short drive from the beach (yes, you need a car here – public transport is sporadic at best and taxis are rare and pricey), the Independente still captures the cool, calm oasis Comporta was originally known for. Rooms are beautifully designed, with pieces sourced from local makers who were responsible for Comporta style’s origin story.

And if you’re lucky, you’ll get directions to the no-name roadside shop – an Aladdin’s cave of boho-chic cushions, hand-painted jugs, and woven rugs and lampshades. When we finally found it, it was so laidback, the shopkeeper was taking a siesta in the back room and we had to wake him up to pay for our haul, picked up for a fraction of what we’d have paid at a high-end interior shop.

The cool communal area at The Independente (Francisco Nogueira/Independente Comporta)

We dined at the Independente’s beautiful restaurant, Maroto – everything locally sourced and cooked by top chef talent from Lisbon – and sipped drinks around the fire pit beneath the Alentejo’s starburst sky (top tip: pack mosquito repellent – Comporta’s mozzies love the scene as much as the in-crowd).

We visited some old favourites too. Sal – long one of the area’s best restaurants – has now taken over the old local go-to Deniz’s on Carvalhal beach. You can still find Deniz (named after the fisherman-turned-owner) in the village – less pricey and still the local fave – but for a real treat, Sal is unbeatable. Only someone on Mounjaro could find fault with a lunch of enormous grilled bass (picked out fresh and weighted for two, maybe three) served with ice-cold vinho verde on a terrace facing the Atlantic rollers. Delicious. Others head there for a sunset supper with views across the ocean, which will also never disappoint.

For our sundowners, we walked to Pego Beach instead, sinking our toes into the cooling sands while sipping mojitos to the chilled-out classics drifting down from the JNcQUOI Beach Club. And in Comporta town itself, my advice would be to skip the big-name restaurants for the local favourite, Cegonha (meaning stork – a local emblem, as they nest on the electricity poles). If you can find better buttery garlic clams than they do here, then please send me the name.

Dine in style at Maroto, Independente’s onsite restaurant (Kerry Murray/Independente Comporta)

Comporta town is also great for shopping. Head to the undercover market in the old stables for homeware and beachwear. With summer 2025 all about boho-chic and crochet-everything, you might need an extra suitcase. Lusa Market, a pop-up at Atlantic Club Comporta, is perfect for oysters and chargrilled sardines on bread, with a live DJ from Thursday to Sunday.

And if you fancy a jaunt away from the beach, I’d recommend a visit to Cais Palafítico da Carrasqueira, a small fishing village about 7km from Comporta town. A tangle of wooden walkways and working fisherman huts, it’s completely unspoilt – and great for pictures for the ’gram, not to mention picking up oysters that have come straight from the sea.

The sands of Carvalhal, one of the main beaches (Kerry Murray/Independente Comporta)

In an increasingly hectic world, it’s important to find somewhere that truly values peace and quiet in nature. As we packed up the car to head back to the city for our flight home, I realised that’s what Independente Comporta does best: it has preserved the true soul and chilled-out vibe of Comporta. This isn’t Portugal’s Ibiza or its Hamptons. It’s Comporta style that has finally come of age and into its own.

A stay at Independente in June and September will cost from €390 for a double room and €525 for a villa/studio. A double in July and August starts from €510 and €690. Find out more information here