1 Largo do Chafariz de Dentro
Lisboa, Lisboa

A shawl, a guitar, a voice and a lot of feeling. A recognize symbol of Portugal, this simple image can describe Fado, a music of the world that is Portuguese. Fado means fate, destiny, but often speaking of Fado is also speaking of longing. “Saudade” is a word that exists just in Portuguese and that, in some aspects, defines what is to be Portuguese. It’s something that resembles melancholy and nostalgia. Fado has been Intangible World Heritage since 2011. For many years, fado was associated with the name of Amália but today the new generation of fado singers is so popular that performers such as Mariza, Gisela João, Camané, Carminho and Ana Moura are just a few of those who have made a name for themselves on the international stage.

Lisbon

Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal

A recognized symbol of Portugal, fado is a music of the world that is Portuguese. In its essence, it sings the feeling, the heartbreak, the longing for someone who left, the daily life and the conquests. After all, the matches and mismatches of life are an infinite theme for inspiration. A style which values above all the performance of the voice, which gives color to the repertoire sung, brings the interpreter, the musicians, and the listener to the same brilliance. They say that Fado is Fado, it comes from within the Portuguese soul. Fado songs are usually performed by a solo singer, male or female, traditionally accompanied by a wire-strung acoustic guitar and the Portuguese ''guitarra''. Fado is performed professionally on the concert circuit and in small ‘Fado houses’, and by amateurs in numerous grass-root associations located throughout older neighbourhoods of Lisbon.

Alfama

Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal

The origins of Fado can be traced back to the early 19th century, where it emerged as a musical expression of the marginalized communities in Lisbon. It was during this phase that the most famous narrative in the history of Fado was born, about the relationship between the Count of Vimioso and Maria Severa Onofriana (1820-1846), a famous singer of the time. The couple were at the root of a celebrated novel (A Severa, 1901), which has been adapted in various media to this day. Fado houses were concentrated in Lisbon's historic quarters, mainly in Bairro Alto and Alfama, from the 1930s onwards. From then on, the reputation of this very Portuguese musical genre escalated, and it was in the 1950s that the prestige of Amália Rodrigues, the standard figure of Fado, crystallized.

1 Largo do Chafariz de Dentro
Lisboa, Lisboa

The soul of Fado: the influence of Portuguese guitar Fado songs are usually performed by a solo singer, male or female, called the "fadista", traditionally accompanied by a wire-strung acoustic guitar and the Portuguese ''guitarra'', an instrument with a unique shape and sound. The haunting melodies produced by the Portuguese guitar perfectly complement the emotional depth of Fado. Its distinctive twang and intricate finger-picking techniques add a layer of melancholy to the music, creating an enchanting atmosphere that transports listeners to another time

1 Largo do Chafariz de Dentro
Lisboa, Lisboa

The Fado Museum, in Lisbon, is also a good place to familiarize yourself with this very characteristic Portuguese music genre. Discover the best fado singers and guitar players. Fascinating performers, sublime guitarists and inspired composers come together at this museum to celebrate Portugal’s traditional music. The Museu do Fado is one of the must-visit places in Lisbon. Besides representing one of the region’s most important cultural legacies, it also has a restaurant and a themed shop where you can spend some time to catch the spirit of saudade (nostalgia). Totally devoted to fado and the guitar, it has a permanent exhibition and temporary ones, alongside a document centre and an auditorium with regular events and a very interesting programme. With songs by the greatest Portuguese artists illustrating an art form that Portugal gave to the world, the museum’s artistic quality will surprise you. But technology, in the form of interactive stations documenting fado’s history throughout the museum and audioguides allowing you to listen to dozens of fado songs composed and sung down the decades, lets you delve further into history. Time and the music fly, in a restored building of national interest right next door to the neighbourhoods where you can hear fado being sung at night.

Bairro Alto

Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal

The guitars are tuned. The light dims. “Be quiet, they’re about to sing fado!”. This is how the night starts. Although several tourist companies offer services, programs and experiences where fado is the central theme, Fado houses are the best places to listen to it. With their very particular atmosphere in an intimate space, dining by candlelight to the sound of a melody which you understand without knowing the language is a unique unforgettable experience.

Escadinhas de São Cristóvão

Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal

The mural “Fado Vadio” is a tribute to fado and one of the areas that most helped to develop it. In a corner of Lisbon, in the neighbourhood of Mouraria, you’ll find the escadinhas de São Cristóvão, where an artist collective has created the impressive mural “Fado Vadio”. This inspired and original tribute to fado, Lisbon’s iconic music and classified as intangible cultural heritage, is one of the city’s must-see places. The symbols and figures from the history of fado have been portrayed over various walls. Fernando Maurício and Maria Severa, lyrics, bread and water on the table: these are just a few of the elements decorating this unique corner of Lisbon. Come and discover it and bring a camera: urban art is ephemeral by nature after all. Take the chance to immortalise it.

Rua São Tomé

Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal

The work, entitled "Calçada", is entirely made of Portuguese cobblestones. It is one of the best known works of the street artist VIHLS and a true tribute to the fado singer Amália Rodrigues, who took the name of Portugal to the four corners of the world. Besides discover this street art piece, make sure to visit in the nr. 193 of the Street of São Bento, in Lisbon, the house where once Amália Rodrigues – the Voice of Portugal – lived for 44 years. The House Museum Amália Rodrigues was inaugured on July 23rd of 2001, fulfilling one of Amália’s wishes: to open her house to the public and share, with it, her most personal and intimate side. In fact, here, we do a true voyage to Amália Rodrigues’ life and we recreate her day-to-day life: it is possible to see her dresses and stage jewellery, her balandraus that she wore at home, and other personal objects, her awards, and honours, her memories… Each piece, from the black shawl to the guitars over the piano, materializes her presence and tells the history of the Lisbon song, which defines the Portuguese spirit and even the own History of a people. It is to her that we owe the Fado singer's trademark image: the classic black dress, adorned with a shawl.

Coimbra

Coimbra, Coimbra District, Portugal

If fado is considered the song of the Portuguese soul, Coimbra Fado is surely the music which marks the rhythm of the heart of the students’ city. Coimbra's Fado, traditionally sung by male university students in their iconic black academic gowns and capes, originally mirrored Lisbon's Fado instrumentally but evolved into a more refined lyrical style. It serves as a poignant expression of student life's memories, capturing the essence of youth, sleepless nights, unrequited love, and serenades. The best time to experience it is during the Queima das Fitas festivities in May or the Serenading Night by the old Cathedral.