If you’re looking for beautiful, untouched beaches, stylish restaurants and a laid-back vibe, then the ‘Hamptons of Portugal’ is the perfect place for an under-the-radar cool hen weekend. Comporta, which is roughly an hour’s drive south of Lisbon, is, according to Condé Nast Traveller “Portugal’s best secret beach spot” – favoured by artists, a-listers and surfers alike. Discover the details of Alice Barraclough’s wellness-meets-disco, margarita-fuelled hen do in this underrated beachside village.
Why Comporta?
As a sun worshipper, I knew I always wanted to go away somewhere a little warmer than England for my hen do. And while Ibiza, Mykonos and Barcelona were all on my radar, trying to find somewhere a little less cliché – with guaranteed spring sunshine – proved difficult. My bridesmaids decided on Portugal (they organised the entire weekend with zero input from me – and managed to keep it a complete surprise).
“We chose Comporta because we wanted a short flight, a bit of spring sunshine and warmth, and somewhere coastal for our beach-loving bride,” my maid of honour told me.
With white sandy beaches pounded by thundering Atlantic waves, stylish beachfront restaurants and cutesy boutique shops, Comporta – the entire coastal area, not just the town – has been nicknamed as the ‘Hamptons of Portugal’, and for good reason.
These sleepy fishing villages are where the fashionable European crowd goes off the grid. Famous for its rice fields, vineyards, and pine forests, Comporta is the perfect place to re-energise with friends. People go to Comporta because it reminds them of St-Tropez in the ’70s, or Ibiza in the ’80s, or the Hamptons in the ’90s.
Where We Stayed
The girls found this incredibly modern Airbnb, featuring white-washed walls, contemporary architecture, and raffia boho styling. The villa was set on one floor and offered airy, open-plan living areas with huge windows to welcome in the sun.
Outside, we had a private sun deck, a Love Island-esque firepit and an infinity pool overlooking the fields. It was all so quiet – all you could hear were the birds (unless, of course, one of us dive-bombed into the private pool or started playing Texas Hold Em by Beyoncé).
What We Packed
I, of course, packed an entirely white wardrobe – including; the iconic Nadine Merabi silk fluffy pyjama set, an incredible white sequin mini dress from Charlotte Mills, a white bikini from Away That Day, the white heart veil from Gigi & Olive, and lots of bits (old and new) from Zara including a very fun jacket with feather cuffs. I accessorised my bride-to-be looks with a pair of gorgeous L’ERA freshwater pearl drop earrings and a fun ‘bride-to-be’ headband.
The girls packed half a suitcase full of decorations for our Airbnb in Comporta – including a giant inflatable diamond ring for the pool, disco ball balloons, ring confetti, disco straws, mini hangover cure “I regret nothing” kits, cute white pearl hair claw clips, white heart sunglasses, and a ‘bride’ tote bag and pearl hair bow for me (all very kindly gifted from Team Hen).
What We Did In Comporta
Our weekend itinerary was jam-packed with very ‘Alice’ activities: a morning run across the sand dunes, a private yoga class led by a gorgeous lady called Susanne, an afternoon wine tasting at Herdade da Comporta winery – the best wine estate around (the palest rosé was by far our favourite), hanging by the pool, a spot of browsing in the boutiques in Comporta village, and, of course, a disco-themed party night.
Where We Ate
On the first day, we had lunch at the chic Sublime Comporta beach club, where you can easily spend hours stretched out on the picturesque Carvalhal beach. We ordered fresh tuna tacos and french fries, and sipped on Aperol spritzes in the sun – the menu also offered giant prawns, zingy oysters, and lobster rolls. The ambience was perfectly on point – laid back, yet fun. It was the perfect location to kick off the weekend.
On the Friday night, we treated ourselves to dinner at Mar d’Arrozal – Quinta da Comporta’s farm-to-table restaurant in Carvalhal. Quinta da Comporta is a luxury five-star wellness boutique resort – reminiscent of Soho Farmhouse – and the whole vibe is very chill. We enjoyed margaritas on the restaurant terrace overlooking the rice fields as the sun went down, before heading inside to dine on tasty seasonal dishes with locally sourced ingredients.
For our final night – the sequin disco-themed party – the bridesmaids organised for a private chef Ellie Katzler to come to the Airbnb and cook for us. She delivered the most delicious healthy-Asian-inspired feast, including; bang bang chicken, pad thai noodles, fresh summer rice rolls, pickled mini cucumbers, soy and peanut aubergine and prawn crackers. I was still full in the morning.
Best Moment Of The Hen Weekend
Without sounding too cliche, the best moment was honestly just getting to spend quality time with my favourite humans. It’s not often you get four whole uninterrupted days away with your closest friends without partners or kids or other commitments popping up. We didn’t stop nattering the entire weekend – whether that was over a cup of tea and packet of biscuits mid-watching Bride Wars or a glass or two (ok, three) of margaritas.
My bridesmaids also very thoughtfully put together a ‘Mr and Mrs’ video, where they’d filmed my partner answering a set of questions. I then had to guess what he said, before being played his answers. Some of the things he said were so cute, and I was surprised by how similar – and accurate – our answers were.
“Okay, you passed the test,” one of my bridesmaids said. “I can confirm you know each other well enough to get married.”
I will be forever grateful to my friends for organising a weekend that was truly out of this world. And now, the countdown to the big day is officially on.
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