Casas na Areia
Celebrated sand-floored houses on the Sado estuary, by architect Manuel Aires Mateus.
Our insider guide
Casas na Areia, the 'houses in the sand', are among Portugal's most admired contemporary buildings: reed-thatched cabins with sand floors designed by Manuel Aires Mateus.
Booked as private houses, they offer complete seclusion by the rice fields and the stilted fishing piers of Carrasqueira.
Highlights
- Award-winning architecture
- Sand floors and thatched roofs
- Complete privacy
- Near the Carrasqueira stilt piers
Dining
Self-catering houses; we can arrange private chefs and beach restaurant reservations.
A stay, imagined
Life at Casas na Areia
Picture your arrival: your driver meets you at Lisbon Airport, the luggage is taken care of, and before long you are in Carrasqueira, Comporta, where Casas na Areia waits. Celebrated sand-floored houses on the Sado estuary, by architect Manuel Aires Mateus.
Award-winning architecture and sand floors and thatched roofs set the tone for the days ahead. Self-catering houses; we can arrange private chefs and beach restaurant reservations. It is a stay we recommend especially for couples, design lovers, privacy seekers.
Beyond the hotel, Comporta unfolds at your own pace. An hour south of Lisbon, across the Sado estuary, Comporta is a place of rice paddies, stork nests, pine forest and dunes that roll onto miles of almost empty beach. Its charm lies in what it is not: there are no high-rises, no crowds, no loud resorts.
Signature experiences
What to do in and around Carrasqueira, Comporta
Horseback on the beach
Ride along the dunes and the shoreline at sunset.
Dolphins in the Sado
A private boat to see the resident dolphin pod.
Beach restaurant lunches
The best tables at Comporta's legendary beach restaurants.
Carrasqueira stilt piers
Photograph the wooden fishing piers at golden hour.
A perfect day
A day in Comporta, with your driver
- Morning
Yoga or a bike ride through the rice fields.
- Midday
Long seafood lunch on the beach.
- Afternoon
Dolphin watching in the Sado estuary.
- Evening
Sunset at Carrasqueira and dinner in the village.
Private chauffeur drive times
| Lisbon Airport | 1 h 15 |
| Lisbon centre | 1 h 10 |
| Évora | 1 h 30 |
| Algarve | 2 h |
Approximate times by private Mercedes-Benz, outside rush hour.
The Magik note
A design pilgrimage. We arrange a private chef and everything you need delivered before arrival.
How we include Casas na Areia in your journey
Every Portugal Magik journey starts with a private Mercedes-Benz and driver for every transfer and day out. We then reserve this hotel, the restaurant tables and the experiences around it, and pair Comporta with Lisbon or Alentejo at an easy pace.
See sample journeys →Begin your journey
Include Casas na Areia in your trip
Tell us your dates and wishes. We reserve the hotels, a private Mercedes-Benz with your own driver, and every table and experience in between.
More hotels in Comporta
Comporta
Sublime Comporta
A country retreat among cork oaks and pines, minutes from Comporta's beaches.
Comporta · Carrasqueira
Quinta da Comporta
A wellness retreat by the rice fields, with an elegant, contemporary feel.
Comporta
Spatia Comporta
Low-slung pavilions in the pine forest, with Comporta's beaches minutes away.
Independent editorial guide; Portugal Magik is not affiliated with Casas na Areia. Details change and we confirm availability when planning.