{"id":16948,"date":"2018-12-15T11:00:15","date_gmt":"2018-12-15T11:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/devourlisbonfoodtours.com\/?p=1870"},"modified":"2024-01-09T00:13:45","modified_gmt":"2024-01-09T00:13:45","slug":"fado-lisbon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/devourtours.com\/blog\/fado-lisbon\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Places Where You Can See Fado In Lisbon"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

In Lisbon, everything stops when <\/span>fado<\/span><\/i> is on. Silence rules the room, the lights dim, and only then the show begins. Explore with us some of the best places to see fado<\/em> in Lisbon.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

You may be wondering: What is <\/strong><\/span>fado<\/i>? <\/strong>Fado<\/span><\/i> isn\u2019t just a traditional music style\u2014it\u2019s an entire experience<\/strong>. It\u2019s hard not to feel touched by the vibrant performances of <\/span>fadistas<\/span><\/i> (fado singers), even without grasping the lyrics.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Walk into the neighborhoods of <\/span>Alfama<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Mouraria<\/span><\/a> or <\/span>Bairro Alto<\/span><\/a>, and you\u2019ll stumble upon <\/strong><\/span>fado<\/i><\/strong> shows every night<\/strong>, many of them with dinner included. But sometimes it\u2019s worth exploring a bit further.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

When it comes to <\/span>fado<\/span><\/i>, it\u2019s easy to fall in a tourist trap, so we\u2019re here to help! We\u2019ve put together this guide, so you can enjoy the best <\/strong><\/span>fado<\/i><\/strong> Lisbon has to offer<\/strong>, with or without dinner.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"Fado
Fado permeates through the streets of Lisbon and you can keep hearing it even after the music stops. Photo credit: Fran Fruh<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n

What is fado<\/em>?<\/span><\/h2>\r\n

In Portuguese, the word <\/span>fado<\/span><\/i> means fate, but you probably know it as the traditional music genre<\/strong>. Its roots are in Alfama and Mouraria, and it\u2019s where you can still hear many <\/span>fado<\/span><\/i> performances today.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Fado<\/i> songs are usually connected to the feeling of saudade<\/i><\/strong>, a state of nostalgia and yearning for something or someone. That\u2019s why most lyrics are about broken hearts and lost sailors in the sea.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Am\u00e1lia Rodrigues<\/span><\/a> was one of Lisbon\u2019s most famous <\/span>fado<\/span><\/i> singers, and she was the first one to take <\/span>fado<\/span><\/i> outside of Portuguese borders. <\/span>Am\u00e1lia had the chance to perform on big stages, but like many<\/span> fadistas<\/span><\/i>, she began her career in a <\/span>Fado<\/span><\/i> house, aka <\/span>Casa de Fado<\/span><\/i>. <\/span>Fado<\/span><\/i> houses<\/span><\/a> can be small informal eateries like a <\/span>tasca<\/span><\/i><\/a> or even full-on restaurants called <\/span>adegas<\/span><\/i>, where you can taste traditional Portuguese food.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

If you\u2019re really curious about <\/span>fado<\/span><\/i>, we recommend visiting the <\/span>Fado<\/span> Museum<\/span><\/a> in Alfama. In the meantime, don\u2019t miss these five places to hear fado in Lisbon!<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"fado
After or before visiting the Fado Museum, you can listen to a live concert in that same neighborhood. Photo credit: Andr\u00e9s Monroy<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n

Tasca do Chico: F<\/em><\/span>ado<\/span><\/i> without dinner<\/span><\/h2>\r\n

We\u2019re not going to lie, seeing <\/strong><\/span>fado<\/i><\/strong> in Lisbon can be expensive<\/strong>, especially if you\u2019re doing the whole <\/span>show plus dinner experience<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

If you\u2019re on a budget and still want to see a good <\/span>fado<\/span><\/i> performance, we suggest heading to <\/span>a Tasca do Chico<\/span><\/i> (<\/span>Rua do Di\u00e1rio de Not\u00edcias 39, 1200-141<\/span><\/em>) in Bairro Alto.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This beloved venue has been around since 1993<\/strong>, and it\u2019s known for its weekly sessions of <\/span>fado vadio,<\/span><\/i> or<\/span> fado<\/span><\/i> sung by non-professionals. As soon as the music starts it gets packed, so make sure to arrive early!<\/span><\/p>\r\n

If you do get hungry, order the <\/span>chouri\u00e7o assado<\/span><\/i> (roasted chorizo). Don\u2019t be alarmed by the flames, it\u2019s just a traditional way of cooking chorizo in Portugal.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Insider\u2019s Tip:<\/b> Keep quiet while the <\/span>fado<\/span><\/i> is on, otherwise you might get shushed by the crowd.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"tram
Let the tram take you to the Bairro Alto and discover this wonderful fado neighborhood. Photo credit: Art\u016bras Kokorevas<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n

A Nini: Fado<\/em> away from the crowd<\/span><\/h2>\r\n

You\u2019ll find plenty of <\/span>fado<\/span><\/i> houses scattered around Mouraria and Alfama, but if you want to escape the crowds and get <\/strong><\/span>off the beaten path<\/a><\/strong>, A Nini (<\/span>Rua Dom Francisco Manuel de Melo 44A, 1070-015<\/em>)<\/span> is your best bet.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Set near Parque Eduardo VII, one of the largest <\/span>parks in Lisbon<\/span><\/a>, this family-run restaurant can easily go unnoticed as a <\/span>fado<\/span><\/i> venue. <\/span>It\u2019s only on Thursdays that the stage is up for the <\/span>fadistas<\/span><\/i>. Suddenly, everyone turns away from their food, and the singer becomes the center of attention.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"Parque
Enjoy a beautiful day at Parque Eduardo VII and a magical fado night at a Nini. Photo credit: Matt M<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n

Associa\u00e7\u00e3o do Fado Casto: After hours f<\/em><\/span>ado<\/span><\/em><\/h2>\r\n

The <\/span>Associa\u00e7\u00e3o do Fado Casto<\/span> (<\/span><\/i>Rua de S\u00e3o Mamede 8A, 1100-058<\/span><\/i>)<\/span><\/i> is not an ordinary <\/span>fado<\/span><\/i> house\u2014it\u2019s more like an association, a meeting point for<\/strong><\/span> fadistas<\/i> and devoted fado<\/i><\/strong> fans<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

You might not hear it at first, and some days there isn\u2019t even a sign outside, but trust us, there is <\/span>fado<\/span><\/i> behind the door. <\/span>There\u2019s no formal setting here, just friends sharing their passion for <\/span>fado<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Pedro de Castro<\/a> is the owner of this unique space<\/strong>, and also a famous Portuguese guitar player. If you\u2019re lucky, you might even catch him performing alongside the <\/span>fadistas<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"Musician
This Portuguese guitar is one of the fado instruments that you\u2019ll find all around Lisbon. Photo credit: Michael Coghlan<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n

Adega Machado: A quick overview of f<\/em><\/span>ado<\/span><\/em><\/h2>\r\n

If you don\u2019t have much time in the city<\/strong>, but still want to listen to <\/span>fado<\/span><\/i>, this might be your best bet<\/strong>. Every day <\/span>Adega Machado<\/span><\/a> hosts an experience called <\/span>Fado Inside The Box<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In little less than an hour, two singers perform a range of <\/span>fado<\/span><\/i> songs, from the most traditional to the most modern, giving you a quick overview of the genre. <\/span>The experience also includes a glass of wine<\/strong> and a few traditional Portuguese snacks<\/strong> for a very accessible price.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Adega Machado is a traditional <\/span>fado<\/span><\/i> house and, as so, it has the usual dinner show combo, but the experience is definitely a unique way to introduce yourself to <\/span>fado<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"old
A snack-sized opportunity to learn the history of fado with live music? We\u2019re in! Photo credit: Pedro Ribeiro Sim\u00f5es<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n

Real Fado: <\/span>Fado<\/span><\/i> Shows in cool Lisbon venues<\/span><\/h2>\r\n

Real Fado<\/span><\/a> turned <\/span>Pr\u00edncipe Real<\/span><\/a> into a unique <\/span>fado<\/span><\/i> hub.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This Lisbon-based project picked three venues to host weekly <\/span>fado<\/span><\/i> performances. Each location has their own character<\/strong>, and so does the show.<\/span><\/p>\r\n