Why Luis Horta e Costa, Other Tastemakers, Love the Portuguese Village Melides

The Alentejo region of Portugal lies between the Algarve and the Tagus River, where the countryside and sea surround a 500-year-old village called Melides. The Alentejo, the country's southern wine region, claims 40 miles of virtually untouched beaches with Melides at its center. 

Home to a mere 1,500 full-time residents, Melides attracts international attention with its small-town vibe and pristine Atlantic Ocean beaches. Luis Horta e Costa, a Portuguese real estate expert, is an early adopter; he has owned real estate in Melides for 25 years.

"Melides is a fantastic place," Horta e Costa says. "I think it is beautiful. The interior of Alentejo is surprising and includes beautiful places to visit."

While Horta e Costa loves Melides' barefoot luxury, he and his partners established their company, Square View, in the urban hotspot Lisbon in 2016. Square View focuses on prime and emerging neighborhoods as a real estate property developer and asset manager.

Only 130 km south of Lisbon, Melides offers surfing, kitesurfing, and horseback riding in an environment brimming with lagoons, unspoiled nature, and vast beaches. Melides' citizens adore the calm beauty of the countryside and the nearby sea. Surfing, kitesurfing, and horseback riding are popular activities. 

While Portuguese natives mainly populate Melides, new villas and boutique hotels have popped up to announce the secret is out. Melides, which fans say resembles the Long Island Hamptons before they were fashionable, has long celebrated its geographical advantage. Water surrounds half of Portugal's periphery, and countryside, rice fields and olive trees border Melides' pristine beaches. 

Luis Horta e Costa Discusses His Family's Melides Development

Those who love to boat, swim, surf, or eat seafood will feel at ease anywhere in Portugal, which abounds with Old-World flair and modern amenities. Beyond unspoiled nature, history, and architectural treasures, Portugal's low cost of living and quiet lifestyle draw newcomers to its shores. 

Luis Horta e Costa has been active in Portugal's real estate investment space for decades. He co-founded Square View because he loves working with architects to create remarkable properties. 

Horta e Costa and his family are developing a reproduction of a historic Alentejo villa in Melides inspired by centuries-old Portuguese architecture. The property sits in the town's center. 

"I'm going to transform it into 29 small, nice, traditional villas with a square in the middle," Luis Horta e Costa says. "It's a project not made for billionaires but for normal people who can afford a second small house." 

Horta e Costa says the village development will be a sustainable project that provides electricity for bicycles and cars. 

"We care a lot about the environment and mobility," he says. 

The project also includes apartments designed by well-known Portuguese architect Manuel Aires Mateus. The properties will go on sale around October 2023.  

"You can see the sea from our project, which is close to Christian Louboutin's hotel; that is a very traditional Alentejo construction," Horta e Costa says. "I like it very much."

Luis Horta e Costa isn't a fan of massive resorts offering golf and houses on the golf course. 

"It's always the same thing," he says. "I have nothing against the projects, but I don't link my taste to that style. I'm very traditional. I try to preserve the good things of the Alentejo Coast."

International Jetsetters, Including Christian Louboutin, Pick Melides for Second Homes

The village of Melides has existed for more than 500 years and remains quaint. It boasts only a handful of restaurants, small stores, and supermarkets. This low-density development style appeals to an increasing trickle of famous artists and designers.  

French footwear designer Christian Louboutin discovered the magic of Melides and purchased a second home there. German artist Anselm Kiefer, British painter Jason Martin and Belgian architect Vincent Van Duysen also call Melides their second home.

Louboutin fell in love with Melides to such an extent that he developed a 5-star hotel there. Called Hotel Vermelho, it will house 15 guest rooms and a restaurant. The reputable architecture firm João Lúcio Lopes Arquitectos created the hotel's design.  Hotel Vermelho will be a place "where peacefulness is in every detail," according to its website, which says it will open soon. 

In 2021, Condé Nast Traveler called Melides "a hidden Portuguese beach spot emerging from under the radar." And a recent New York Times piece called Melides "what St. Tropez used to be in the 1950s," a surfside oasis.

Will Melides retain its low-key, rustic personality after 500 years of being under the radar? Developers like Luis Horta e Costa hope so. This paradise is in perfect harmony with its culture and ecosystem. And the personalities it attracts are preserving the rural landscape while enjoying cosmopolitan luxuries. Attracting new fans to Melides comes with a bonus, according to Horta e Costa. 

"The quality of the services is increasing greatly," he says. "In recent years, because Portugal has gained a lot of foreign investors, the Portuguese must raise their quality of services. That's why sometimes competition is good."