Real Estate Melides

In Portugal, on the Alentejo coast at just over an hour from Lisbon in the south of the municipality of Grândola, we find Melides, the small and authentic village where the sandy extensions of the municipality of Grândola ends. It is so picturesque, marked by the presence of the lagoon and the sea in contrast with the mountains. In Melides you will always feel at home, as you will easily discover the most emblematic places and meeting points ever. The village may have originated in a fishing settlement, as there are records that near the Church of Santa Marinha there was a ship’s port in the 16th century, gradually that bar was silted up and the lagoon was formed as it is today, which boosted the farming activity and local handmade products as well.

Melides is a village of contrasts that captivates those looking for the quietness of the mountains or the freshness of the Lagoon, but it also attracts the most curious people willing to walk to the archaeological remains classified as heritage of public interest scattered throughout the parish, such as the “Dolmen da Pedra Branca or the Necropolis in the Cysts of Casas Velhas” (Old Houses Cysts), or the center of the village where you can contemplate buildings from the 18th and 19th century with bay windows and wrought iron, the Church of S. Pedro in the center of the village, the ruins of the church of Sta. Marinha on the outskirts of the village, the pottery of Mestre Chico, with its oven of typical Roman characteristics, the windmills of the “Estrada da Boavista” and the “Fonte dos Olhos” which is the spring that supplies the village, and where the festival with the same name happens every year.

In front of the Church of S. Pedro there is a private sculpture of stacked books by the author Isaque Pinheiro about which the author refers “…. It is an invitation to reading and socializing mixed with leisure, since it is expected that people will sit there and relax while the children will play among benches and books. (…) This sculptural ensemble will not fail to cause some impact since it is unusual to find stacks of books huddled in a public square, subject to the action of the sun, wind and rain; it's almost like walking in your pajamas on the street. But culture embraces the streets on days like this.”

It is also in the center of the village that we find the cultural space “A Moagem” (The Milling Building), located in the old mill of the village, currently the tourist office, exhibition space and sale of local handicrafts. In addition, it is where many artistic and cultural activities are carried out that animate the village. Melides like any small Alentejo village located on the coastline, has the presence of good food guaranteed, in its traditional market it is possible to find fruits, vegetables and fresh fish. The monthly market never fails to offer traditional and handcrafted products that will delight you. In addition, you can take advantage of the organic farming products present in Herdade da Aberta Nova, a project that promotes and develops local products in a sustainable way, using hydroponic techniques. Baskets of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables can be ordered weekly from an online store. As mentioned above, the village of Melides was known in the region for the work of its potters (Men who handcraft clay), today this practice has fallen into disuse, favoring other handicraft works such as basketry or the creation of jewelry in silver or with semi-precious stones. Like handicrafts, sweets are another attraction of the village, with the famous Alcomias and the sweets of pine nuts. Both activities are the central point of the traditional Melides Fair that takes place every year in November.

The recently refurbished Melides Beach is very accessible, with a large (free) parking area where we can find bars and restaurants that are located just a few meters from feeling the sand in your feet, on the beach there is also a bar with a incredible lounge where you can enjoy the evenings, in addition to visiting the traditional beach library for a few weeks in summer, with books, magazines and newspapers. In addition, Melides beach has been awarded the Blue Flag, Accessible Beach and Golden Quality for many years and features a set of endemic flora framed both in the southern and northern dune formations in the sandstone cliffs. To the north we find Praia da Aberta Nova, just like Melides beach, which is awarded for its quality and recognized for its beauty and its cliffs. This fossil cliff has an altitude above 50m and sees its formation from the Plio-Quartenarian age. The contrast between the mountains and the sea allows Melides to offer endless activities. Water sports lovers are also welcome to the village of Melides where sport is king in the waters of the beaches of Melides, Aberta Nova and Galé, where bodyboarding, surfing and sport fishing are possible all year round. Throughout the year, activities such as the air festival take place, which attracts fans of aeromodelling to Melides' sky, but where radical activities are never lacking. Or the Atlantic ultramarathon, the mythical event of sand athletics that has started in Melides since 2004.

For nature lovers, the Melides Lagoon is an ex-libris, extending from the sea to the village, open to the sea once a year in a unique spectacle, in the lagoon small islands are formed, where the rich flora and fauna guarantee activities such as birdwatching, canoeing, paddle surfing or hiking. The tours carried out by Quinta Almargem with the stud farm of the same name, where animals are trained for sport and resistance riding, with great national and international recognition. The tours can be done in the mountains or on the beach and to do them you don't need to have any equestrian experience.