Get back to nature in the beautiful seaside region of Comporta
Comporta is a pretty seaside village on Portugal’s west coast, around an hour’s drive from Lisbon. The landscape is characterised by rice paddies, sand dunes, cork trees and pine forests.
The 10km white sand beach of Comporta is known for its distinctive fishing huts and its traditional wooden pier on stilts, built from the 1950s-60s and still in use by local fishermen today. The sea provides perfect conditions for surfing and kite surfing.
The ideal destination for nature-lovers, much of the region is a protected nature reserve. The vast Comporta Beach is flanked by preserved dune vegetation with the adjoining pine forest behind. The freshwater Sado Estuary – separated from the sea by the Tróia peninsula – is home to pods of dolphins, families of otters, and flocks of flamingos, along with over 200 other bird species.
For history buffs, the nearby Acala Island is the perfect place for a day trip to explore ancient Roman ruins.
See
Protected nature reserves
Authentic fishing villages
Traditional 1950s wooden pier – Cais Palafítico da Carrasqueira
