A once serene and untouched seaside town, known for its rolling rice hills, is now on the brink of a massive transformation due to an £830 million tourism development. Just a stone’s throw away from Lisbon, the quaint Melides in southwest Portugal is quickly becoming the new hotspot, overshadowing the famed Algarve as the place to be.
In the past two decades, Melides has evolved from a tranquil coastal retreat to a magnet for A-listers and the wealthy, with French fashion icon Christian Louboutin setting the trend by acquiring a hidden gem of a house here twenty years ago. Portuguese property giant Vanguard Properties is pouring over £830 million ($1 billion) into the nearby Comporta region, promising lavish amenities including two golf courses.
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However, this influx of investment and glamour is causing concern among locals, who fear their cherished town is succumbing to the pressures of overtourism, with property prices soaring to unprecedented heights, reports the Express.
“Prices are absurd,” laments Margarida Goncalves, a cafe worker in the adjacent town of Grandola. “There are hardly any affordable homes in the market. The few units available are selling for the same price as in Lisbon.”
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The tension is palpable, particularly around the exclusive CostaTerra members-only resort, a haven for a mix of entrepreneurs, celebrities, and royalty, which is contributing to the pricing out of locals and the loss of authenticity in traditional eateries, according to Guy Villax, ex-CEO of Portuguese pharma firm Hovione.
He told Bloomberg: “Prices have doubled, grilled fish with tomato and onion salad has been replaced with the same international fare as everywhere else,” he said. “Simple, delicious and authentic is a thing of the past.”
Locals are now worried that the speedy construction of golf courses and luxury resorts along the coastline may have devastating effects on the environment.
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