© Upscale

As your feet slide through the warm sand, you take deep breaths of the delicate scent wafting from the surrounding pine and eucalyptus forests. The glowing red sun dips languidly below the horizon, its light drenching this incredibly picturesque Portuguese beach in a rosy wash. Dramatic, ancient sandstone cliffs jut from the coastline, their canine peaks and weather beaten crags interspersed with caves and hollows that catch the last rays of the sun, shining in resplendent gold – an unforgettable spectacle. Welcome to Melides, a hidden gem on the Atlantic coast in Portugal’s Alentejo region, roughly 130 kilometers southeast of Lisbon.

© Rodrigo Cardoso

The New York Times once described Melides as being “what Saint-Tropez used to be in the 1950s” – and it’s easy to see why. This unspoiled coastal oasis boasts an endlessly long and mostly deserted beach; between the small hamlets and the swell of the vast ocean lies a large lagoon that is home to countless birds and aquatic fauna and is rich in lush plants and flowers. Melides lies surrounded by gently rolling hills, slopes green with vineyards, rice fields and pristine landscapes as far as you can see. Locals have long been familiar with the joys of this destination, coming here for respite from everyday life. For tourists, though, the area still flies under the radar.

The design of the new luxury hotel by shoe designer Christian Louboutin pays homage to Melides. © courtesy of Vermelho

Part of the community of Grândola, the small village of Melides has a beautifully preserved historic center where time seems to have slowed down ages ago. A pretty 18th-century church is surrounded by clusters of small, whitewashed cottages with red-tiled roofs. The facades with their blue window frames shine cheerfully; narrow lanes with well-worn cobbles take you past traditional bakeries, shops selling handmade pottery, and quaint inns serving rustic specialties.

Sem Porta uses regional produce and works closely with local fishermen and vintners. © provided

Back in the 1980s, the world-famous shoe designer Christian Louboutin came here by chance and instantly fell in love with the sleepy little hamlet – so much so that he bought a house and proceeded to visit regularly. He spent many weeks here, finding that Melides gave him the tranquil setting to switch off and power back up to cope with his incredibly busy lifestyle in the fashion world. Later, when he came up with the idea of opening a restaurant here, the mayor asked him to consider a hotel instead.

The Alentejo region is famed for attracting artists, those seeking an alternative lifestyle, and New Age hippies. © Adobe Stock

Louboutin agreed, and in April this year opened his luxury boutique hotel "Vermelho"("red" in Portuguese). It is a project close to the shoe designer’s heart – and is just as elegant and extravagant as the show-stopping high-heels with the signature red soles that have made Louboutin’s fashion brand a world-famous style icon. But isn’t a deluxe hotel a bit incongruous in this old village? The new hotel is only the latest step in the gradual evolution of Melides. Four years before Vermelho opened, the Portuguese real estate developer Miguel Carvalho had already put the town on the list of must-see places for art lovers when he unveiled "Melides Art", a complex of modern villas and galleries amid a pine forest. Art exhibitions bring a constant stream of visitors, and from time to time select circles of guests are invited to intimate concerts and dinners with emerging artists. The center is an unprecedented international success and has put tiny Melides firmly on the map.

© Joao Victor Valeriote

A range of new sports activities has also sprung up for the new visitors. In some places along the coastline where the tall, ochre-colored rocks jut up, you will see paragliders, who have discovered the rocks are the perfect launch pad. They can be spotted early in the morning, silently circling high above the surfers and people strolling along the beach. Activities that require slightly less adrenaline include long rides on the beach, yoga, bicycle excursions (there’s a bike rental in the village center) and hikes through the extensive cork oak woods and enchanting pine tree forests. And, last but not least, this is a place that makes ornithologists very happy indeed; they can be spotted in canoes, binoculars in hand, admiring the rich bird life on the lagoon. 

The dramatic sandstone cliffs along the coast provide a picture-perfect backdrop for surfers and paragliders. © Mauritius Images

Read more: These are the best places in Melides