Villa Fibi

A Natural Oasis under the Alentejo Pines

With its walls of glass, architectural wood screen shades and exposed stone and painted brick facades tucked strategically into the leafy coastal greenery, this villa on the sand is only one kilometer from the nearest beach and a short drive to the center of the coastal community of Carvalhal. An inviting, dark blue heated pool is lined with loungers, and the lush outdoor living spaces are equipped with mosquito nets for added comfort, cushy seating, and a barbecue/entertainment area for alfresco meals.

Layout

Four king bedrooms are served by four bathrooms (one with a tub, three with showers), but the villa’s spotlight space is its vast, open-plan living, dining, kitchen area that opens fully to outdoor living and dining spaces on the covered terraces. A fireplace anchors the living room.

Around

Located one kilometer from the closest beach and a short drive to the center of Carvalhal, this villa offers coastal living in a lush, natural setting that’s within easy reach of Comporta and Melides. Beachgoers love Carvalhal’s sands for their free and easy vibe, and Carvalhal town is one of seven towns in the Herdade de Comporta, a zone of rice paddies and the wetlands of the Sado Nature Reserve. The village’s namesake beach is located at the end of its main street. Dune-backed and flanked by rice paddies, the family-friendly beach also has a well-loved traditional waterfront restaurant, and there are beach loungers and umbrellas available for a fee. Pego Beach is a remote-feeling, four-kilometer stretch of golden sand surrounded by a pine forest nearby, with a destination restaurant for those in the know. Sal Restaurant on Pego is a family-run domain of grilled fish and freshly caught seafood. Dolphins jump in the waters offshore, and the waves make the entire region a surfing hotspot for pros and beginners alike, well-served by surf schools and local guiding companies.

Nearby Comporta (about 10 minutes north) has become a favorite playground of global nomads who’ve ridden in on the coattails of fashion designers, international architects, entrepreneurial urbanites, and modern art collectors. Comporta is well loved for its easygoing elegance and artisanal boutiques, lively galleries, and handful of cute cafes. Melides, also nearby, has become a favorite of design-conscious shoppers who delight in the burgeoning selection of galleries, studios, and carefully curated boutiques.

This mostly unspoiled region remains undeniably beautiful—a green landscape of vineyards and cork oak fields, rice paddies and groves of glinting olive and orange trees. Lovers of the laid-back and rugged will thrill with horseback rides along the rolling surf, and the area’s golden sands extend for miles, backed by dunes, cliffs, and wind sculpted pines and the protected lagoons, their waters rich with birds and wildlife, include nearby Lagoa de Santo André and the Lagoa de Melides.

Location

Carvalhal, Alentejo, Portugal. Nearest airport: Lisbon (125 kilometers)

Best time to visit

April to October