Comporta beach house, photograph via Catalina Socias by Cassai
Rice paddies and beachy havens are two things that don’t usually go hand-in-hand — except when we’re talking about Comporta, Portugal, an under-the-radar summer destination for the beau monde. Located on the western coast, about an hour’s drive from Lisbon, it features endless stretches of quiet white-sand beaches and one of those spectacular horizons where the cerulean blue waters seemingly meld into the sky. (The rice fields are between the beaches and the village, adding to Comporta’s charming, idyllic vibe.) But don’t just take our word for it: This sun-kissed retreat has attracted everyone from Christian Louboutin, interior designer Jacques Grange and artist Anselm Kiefer, who have vacation homes here.