Travel Diary: Portugal

Last month, I took the dreamiest vacation. I landed in Lisbon, rented the most euro car (hatchback VW), and drove 2.5 hours south to the Eastern Algarve. I stayed at a B&B, Fazenda Nova Country House, near Taviera. Taviera is a charming fishing village, with white washed buildings and the most colorful tiles. In the Eastern Algarve there are several tiny islands with the most beautiful beaches and only a short water taxi away! From Taviera, I drove inland to Arraiolos, a small town north of Evora. I stayed at Villa Extramuros, an architecturally stunning compound. There was not much to do in this town except soak in the elegant scenery and enjoy the slow paced Portuguese lifestyle.

My last stop was Comporta, which might be my favorite place in the entire world. It’s a hidden gem, and often compared to Ibiza 30 years ago (before the major tourism). In Comporta, I went to beaches where there were more umbrellas than people, and ate the most delicious seafood. Enjoying the sun, eating simple salads, grilled fish and sipping rosé in a shabby chic style beach shack couldn’t be a more perfect way to end the trip!

— Tessa