Villa Amaya

Container Vibes Outside Comporta

This poolside complex under the coastal pines offers a novel spin on the post-industrial container home, one with a distinctively lighter seaside twist. Long, lean and rectilinear, the contemporary cabana is clad in pine and concrete instead of a shipping container’s usual metal, but the full height, cargo-styled exterior doors outside each bedroom’s exit give it a freight-inspired design flair.

A native-grass-lined wooden boardwalk leads you from the suites of this lean beach cabana to its saltwater pool surrounded by tall coastal pines. Set only minutes from Pego and Carvalhal beaches, the home feels efficient and easygoing. A tile-roofed, pergola-styled multipurpose living, dining, and kitchen cabana is only steps from the bright pool, and the sunny, simple bungalow seems custom-made for a sand-dusted, low-key vacation. Plus, there’s a fun family bunk room for the kids!

AROUND

Pego and Carvalhal beaches are close to the home, and Comporta is a quick 10-minute drive away. This coast of Portugal has some 40 miles of relatively unspoiled, undeveloped beaches of golden sands with ochre cliffs as backdrops. Grass-tufted dunes insulate the waterfront areas from local communities, and Carvalhal is rural and slow-moving, surrounded by rice paddies and pine forests. The village is adjacent to the Sado Estuary Natural Reserve and is made up of a single main street flanked by homes, hotels, and shops. Carvalhal Beach feels a bit lost in time, a quiet stretch of sand on the outskirts of town that’s a favorite of local families, and famed for its sunsets. There’s a small beach restaurant serving traditional fare, and loungers and umbrellas for rent. Pego Beach is set more deeply into the pine forest and dunes, a remote crescent of sand that’s home to a locally famed restaurant and a pod of dolphins named for the Sado reserve.

LOCATION

Comporta, Alentejo, Portugal. Nearest airport: Lisbon (131km)

BEST TIME TO VISIT: April to October