I needed to take back some freedom, reduce mental stress in a cool, luxurious and hip getaway from the everyday. To hit the best spots, know where to stay for the best bang for you buck, where to eat and what to do. But there is never enough time to prepare and the risk was that I would continue with my routines, add on accumulated mental stress or take a break and keep going to familiar places that doesn't get me inspired.
So I decided to post here, for anyone else in the same boat.
First step? Take any random long weekend off. By keeping your options open, you'll be more likely to get a booking in this region that is often very, very full. But book well in advance! A couple of good options for hotels: Sublime Comporta (where we stayed), Spatia Resort, Freestanding villas (but quite difficult to book). You could also do a day trip from Lisbon. A couple of restaurant options: Sum Porta, Sublime Beach club, Sal, Comporta Cafe, Cavalarica or Restaurant Arrozo
I wanted to get into vacation mode quickly, since we were only staying three days. So my tip? Go to the beach on the first day right after you arrive (our hotel room wasn't ready, so we changed and were off), then have a late lunch in the sand. Return home in the early evening, get dressed to the nines and eat somewhere nice the first night: a few options but we tried the Sum Porta (the grilled sea bass was fantastic, as were the garlic prawns and the baked cabbage with egg and nori)
For maximum benefit of all the experiences, spend the second day at the hotel pool, late lunch at the poolside restaurant Tasca da Comporta: the steak sandwiches and grilled cheese are delicious as is the ice cream for dessert
It was short, but well worth it. We all came back energized and transformed by the nature and the beauty of the contemporary but natural and trendy environment. My only regret? Not exploring the village and the Portuguese porcelain trade.
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