How To Experience Traditional Fado In Lisbon Portugal

“The only thing that matters is to feel the fado. The fado is not meant to be sung; it simply happens. You feel it, you don’t understand it and you don’t explain it.”– Legendary Fado Singer Amália Rodrigues

Fado In Lisbon

If you are looking for a great value-packed European experience, Lisbon in Portugal is the place to head to. It is less expensive there than most of the more popular destinations like London, Paris, Rome, Venice, and Amsterdam.

When you go to Lisbon, plan on spending your evenings eating traditional Portuguese food and listening to the music of fado.

What Is Fado?

Fado is unique to Portugal. You won’t hear it anywhere else. When you listen to fado, you will feel the emotion. You don’t really need to know the lyrics or understand Portuguese. It evokes the emotion of saudade, which is a yearning or longing for something lost. Fado is meant to be felt, not understood.

It is the Portuguese blues. Similar to Kentucky Bluegrass music, fado is a local style of music. Traveling to Lisbon, it will be an experience between the singer and the audience. The music has African and Arabic influences that you will notice throughout. The themes originally were the working class life and political views.

Fado simply means fate or destiny. Performing fado, there is no spotlight, no large stage, and no microphone. Instead, expensive audio equipment is substituted for a singer, and potentailly a guitarist or two.

Famous Fado Singers

The Queen of Fado, Amália Rodrigues, 1920-1999, defined the genre. Rodrigues became famous for taking the stage in a black dress, a shawl, and a traditional Portuguese pear shaped guitar. When she died Portugal observed many days of mourning.

You may be familiar with the music. Fado singer Mariza sang a duet with Sting at the 2004 summer Olympics. We know have international stars like Mariza, Camane’ and Ana Moura. Go listen to Ana’s Desfado to start your journey into this world.

Fado In Alfama

Alfama is the birthplace of fado and the heart of Lisbon. It is also the oldest part of the city. You will find the Museum of Fado there and the hilly streets and alleyways are a great place to wander and get lost during the day. If walking is a problem for you, try taking the tram 28 which travels slowly through the heart of Alfama. The length of the tram ride is approximately one hour one way from beginning to end.

Before your evenings out listening to fado, head to the Museo do Fado during the day in Alfama to learn about its history and listen to a sampling of the greatest artists. It is open 11-5 Tuesday thru Sunday.

Be prepared to not head out to dinner before 8.30, with most locals not heading out until around 10pm to start their meal! So you’ll want to plan accordingly so you can make the most of the atmosphere and choose restaurants that are popular with locals.

Barrio Alto Fado

The cobblestone streets of Bairro Alto are good for an evening of drinking, dancing, sidewalk café’s and listening to fado.

Mouraria Fado

As you travel through Lisbon, it is essential to experience fado in Mouraria. Mouraria is well known for its narrow streets and vibrant neighborhood. Unlike Alfama, fado in Mouraria is spontaneously played on the streets or on small stage shows.

There is even a fado school located in Mouraria for travelers looking to learn more about the genre.

When you visit this neighborhood, be sure to visit the Rua de Capelao. At the entrance, you can see a monument commemorating the birthplace or Mouraria fado. The statue is Portuguese Guitar, sculpted in marble, and placed near the home of Maria Severa, one of the first women to sing fado in Lisbon.

Fado In Coimbra

Just North of Lisbon, there is an abundance of cultural and musical attractions to see in Coimbra. Coimbra is roughly a two hour drive, or hour and a half public transportation ride from Lisbon.

While the style of fado heard in Lisbon is the most popular, Coimbra fado is commonly considered a more classical style. Since this style of fado was frequently adopted by students at the University of Coimbra, the musical genre is often referred to as Student fado.

Unlike Lisbon-style music, the Combrian genre is more about finding hope within the everyday hardships we live through. Lisbon’s music, on the other hand, tends to suggest surrender in these difficult times. If you are planning a visit to Coimbra, consider famous fado clubs like Fado Hilario, Quebra o Galho, and A Capella.

Where To Experience Fado

There are nearly 50 fado houses throughout the cobblestone streets of Lisbon. Whichever neighborhood you visit, there will be several incredibly talented fadista singers performing every night. How to decide where to go? Do you want professional or local up-and-comers? Do you want an intimate setting with only a focus on the music? Or would you rather a nice dinner that includes fado? Try them all!

Here are some other fantastic options for all your evenings:

• O Faia Restaurant has an extensive menu for dinner and an evening of fado. If you are concerned about your dietary restrictions, be sure to use a food allergy translation card. (Bairro Alto)
• Maria de Mouraria is the rebuilt house of one of the original fado singers, Maria Severa. She died in 1846 at 26 years old but her spirit lives on. It is the only fado house in the neighborhood. (Mouraria)
• O Forcado Restaurant has a full array of entertainment including dancers in traditional costumes. (Bairro Alto)
• Parreirinha de Alfama is a little club that is owned by a fado legend. Extensive menu and cozy interior. One of the original fado venues. (Alfama)
• Boteco Da Fa’ is a family owned restaurant with an authentic fado experience. (Alfama)*
• Tasca Bela is an intimate spot for tapas and drinks. Live fado 4x/week. (Alfama)*
• Sr. Vinho is a well known establishment with a sizeable menu in this residential neighborhood. (Lapa)
• Tasca Do Chico An intimate setting for a drink and fado entertainment. (Bairro Alto)*
• Clube do Fado offers some of the best live performances of fado in Portugal. Dinner can be pricey but you can arrive after 10:30 for the music. (Alfama)
• Sr. Fado de Alfama is popular for travelers and locals searching for home-cooked meals, fine wine, and an authentic experience. This location is owned by well-known fado musicians Ana Maria and Duarte Santos.
• Soak in the atmosphere at A Baiuca, a tiny tavern and restaurant which attracts local, amateur fado singers well past midnight. (Alfama)
• Bela Vinhos e Petiscos is a tavern known for its shared Portuguese dishes. fado performances Thursday-Sunday.(Alfama)
• Duetos da Se’ was a former chapel and is intimate with a limited number of tables. Great place for fado.
• Mesa de Frades was also an 18th century chapel and a great spot for fado outside the tourist district(Lisbon)*

*more of a locals crowd

Types Of Fado Club

There are two types of fado clubs: professional adegas and amateur tascas. The former is usually a dinner/show experience showcasing some of Portugal’s most famous performers. You never know who is going to show up at an open-mic tasca and that often makes it more exciting. From aspiring up-and-comers to established fadistas, these are far more authentic and less touristy than adegas. Tascas are basically mom and pop restaurants that serve home-cooked meals. If home-cooked meals are one of your favorite parts of traveling too, be sure too read our Ultimate Southern food travel guide; which breaks down the best food in North Carolina.

You get a much better value at a tasca. Don’t miss visiting Tasca Do Chico, in the Bairro Alto, where it gets a bit crowded and creates a most intimate venue for fado. Povo is another tasca that showcases unknown fado singers. Things start happening around dinner, but break into overdrive around 11 p.m.

Fado Etiquitte

Remember to remain completely silent during all songs. If you’re at an adega, stop eating. Spectators will “hiss” to quiet you down if you are talking. If you’re at a tasca, don’t order a drink or enter the club until a singer has finished. Taking a couple of pictures is alright but avoid using flash and videos are frowned upon. Pay attention and soak in the moment. The singer is pouring their heart out to you.

The Best Time To Experience Fado

Before booking your trip, you should consider the best time of the year to experience Fado music. Fortunately, Fado music is offered in Lisbon and Coimbra all year round. However, remember that like many other European cities, Lisbon is subject to mass tourism. Therefore, it is often recommended to visit Lisbon (any any other European cities) during the off-season.

Ideally, you should try to visit in between March through May, or between September and October. In summer months like June, July, and August, Portuguese cities will be extremely crowded. Prior to booking your trip, consider the benefits of experiencing fado during the off-season.

Cost Of A Fado Club

Before visiting a fado club in Lisbon or Coimbra, you should understand the cost of a full experience. This way, you can plan ahead, and stay on track of your value travel experience. Generally, there is no cover charge to enter a Fado club. However, many restaurants do have a minimum spend, or an expensive pre-fixed menu that is inclusive of the show. Ultimately, the cost of the experience will depend on the venue you select. More casual tascas generally offer a more affordable menu, whereas fancier adegas will generally cost more for the full experience.

Additional Sites To See In Portugal

As you plan your fado travel to Lisbon, you need to familiarize yourself with the additional sites to see in Portugal. Fado is best enjoyed in the evening or night. Therefore, you will have an open itinerary for  sighteeing  for most of the morning and afternoon. Fortunately, there are dozens of historical and cultural attractions to visit on your trip to Lisbon.

Pay a visit to Belem Tower, the landmark of a former medieval defense site. Lisbon is additionally home to a number of incredible religious sites like the Jeronimos Monastery and the Sanctuary of Christ the King. To see the most on your visit to Portugal you should additionally visit some of these other tourist attractions:

• Castelo de S. Jorge
• Parça de Comercio
• Ocenario de Lisboa
• Padrao dos Descobrimentos

Fado Full Experience

If you want a full immersion into fado, plan on going to the Santa Casa Alfama Music Festival. Venues throughout the Alfama neighborhood are transformed into concert halls to showcase new and established Portuguese fado artists. Overall 40 performances in 12 locations. In 2020 it takes place in October. Dates not announced yet for 2021. Check out the website for more details at www.santacasaalfama.com

Hidden Entertainment Gems In Lisbon, Portugal

Of course, there are plenty of hidden entertainment gems to experience in Lisbon, Portgual. If you are looking for authentic food, try Baculhau a Bras at many local restaurants throughout the city. After dinner, head over to Pavilhao Chines and Pensao Amor for drinks. In fact, you may even want to stop by Campo Pequeno, which is an authentic Portuguese bull ring. Other undiscovered authentic experiences include visiting Ler Devagar, Central Tejo, or taking a day trip to Setubal. If you are visiting on a family vacation, you may even enojoy a ferry ride to Cristo Rei, or visiting Pavilhao do Conhecimento Ciencia Viva. If you are a fan of entertainment travel in general, there is plenty to see outside of Portugal as well. Be sure to check out our Black History entertainment travel to learn more.

The Portugese fado experience is a must-add for your travel bucket list. Fado music provides an authentic cultural experience that cannot easily be found elsewhere. Before booking your accommodations, be sure to find out about the best neighborhoods and venues to listen to fado music. If you are concerned about your dietary restrictions, be sure to plan your trip around food allergies. Once you have planned your trip, get ready to experience Portugal’s authentic music scene.