The kind of place you arrive at with a dusty car and end up having lunch that tastes like a five-star holiday. Where Linen Shirts are mandatory and half of Lisbon mysteriously vanishes to every August.

The beaches are pristine, the food is dangerously good, and there's a quiet luxury to everything: laid-back, understated, and exactly what we all need.

First things first: food. There’s the iconic beach bar Sal and the seasonal gem Canalha (open only in Summer but unforgettable year-round). For something more polished, head to JNCQUOI or the beautifully repurposed Cavalariça, which turns an old stable into one of the most charming dinner spots you’ll find. Craving the comforting taste of real Portuguese cuisine? Dona Bia and São João are the definition of that.

Between meals, our best recommendation is to do as much or as little as you'd like. Stroll through the rice fields (just don’t forget the mosquito repellent) or visit the Carrasqueira Pier (Porto Palafítico), a surreal fisherman’s village that looks like it came out of a dream sequence. Join a yoga session at Shala Comporta, ride horses along the dunes with Cavalos na Areia, or just head to Carvalhal Beach, lay down your towel, and let time blur.

Mercearia Gomes is your go-to for all the local goods, and the Adega at Herdade da Comporta is perfect for tasting wine, admiring the views, and finding an excuse to come back.

At the end of the day, one feeling lingers: summer tastes better here. Maybe it's the light. Maybe it's the silence. Or maybe it's the mix of sand-covered feet and a glass of something cold in hand. Either way, it’s worth the visit.