Real EstateReal Estate is Booming in the Chic Seaside Region of Comporta in PortugalAn hour south of Lisbon, the chic seaside region of Comporta is seeing a spate of luxury real estate development.

By Shivani Vora

February 8, 2022

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When it comes to vacation home destinations in Portugal, the Algarve, in the south, may have an international name, but the cognoscenti and well-heeled are increasingly gravitating to Comporta. An hour drive south of Lisbon, Comporta is part of the country’s Alentejo region and comprised of small villages that dot the coastline including one of the same name. It’s an area with a flat landscape that’s full of rice fields, pine trees, sand dunes, and farms.

“Ten years ago, no one had heard of Comporta, but now it’s on the map because there are so many real estate projects happening there,” says Alex Koch de Gooreynd, a partner at the real estate firm Knight Frank and an expert on Portugal’s real estate. But despite the development, he says that the various properties are well spread out and in line with Comporta’s barefoot living ethos. 

“Comporta will never feel crowded or overrun because there are so many regulations around building and protecting the land,” says Koch de Gooreynd. “This is not a place for wild nights out. People socialize in each other’s homes.” Also worth noting is that the region has become a favorite for designers and the fashion set including Alexandra Champalimaud and Jacques Grange, who both own homes there and are working on two of the new projects.

The biggest and buzziest real estate venture in Comporta is CostaTerra Golf & Ocean Club, from the Scottsdale-based Discovery Land Company, which has a portfolio of more than a dozen high-end residential clubs in the United States and the Caribbean (Discovery is founded and run by Mike Meldman, who is also a cofounder of Casamigos tequila).

Spanning 720 acres, the community was designed by Portugal native Champalimaud and has a natural aesthetic featuring neutral colors and locally made terra-cotta tiles. Amenities include a mile of beachfront, an 18-hole golf course, a restaurant and bar on top of a treehouse, and courts for tennis, pickle, and paddle ball. Members, as residents are called, can avail of Costa Terra’s Outdoor Pursuits program that offers surfing, horseback riding, fishing, hiking, and other nature-focused activities. Prices for the 300 residences start at $4.6 million, according to director of sales Adrian Wadey, and the first ones will debut in June.

A rendering of the Atlantic Club, designed by Jacques Grange.

Rockstone Real Estate

The Atlantic Club Comporta, debuting in early 2024, is another residential community that’s getting attention. The celebrated French designer Grange, who has a home nearby, is leading the design and says that it will have a laid-back but chic feel. The property is composed of 21 single-story villas that are built around a courtyard. They range in size from 3,000 to 6,500 square feet and have landscaped gardens and swimming pools; prices begin at $3.5 million. 

A rendering of a villa at Muda Reserva, debuting in 2024.

Muda Reserve

Muda Reserve is also currently under construction and from a Portuguese real estate company named Vanguard Properties. It features 175 villas with swimming pools and amenities such as a church, sports fields, a playground, a co-working space, grocery store, and restaurant. Home prices begin at $1.3 million.

One of the 38 homes at the Estates at Spatia Comporta.

Knight Frank

The fourth new Comporta project on our list is the Estates at Spatia Comporta, offering 38 homes that are a mix of one- and two-bedrooms.  They have a clean, contemporary design with elements such as light hues, thatched roofs, and panes of glass. Each property features two patios. Prices begin at $1.8 million.

And last, JNcQUOI Club is yet another Comporta residential community that’s under construction. The renowned Belgian architect Vincent Van Duysen is in charge of the architecture and interior design while the long lineup of amenities includes multiple restaurants and bars, a tennis club, and a beach club. The number of homes and their prices has not yet been released. 

To Koch de Gooreynd’s point, Comporta may never get overdeveloped. However, with so many residential ventures coming to the region and the blockbuster architects and designers behind them, it’s unlikely to stay under the radar for much longer. Let the bidding wars begin.