Fado Free Tour

Understand the soul of Lisbon and, eventually, of Portugal. Hear fado’s true sound and dive into the essence of this music with a true fado singer!

}  Time:  17:30
  Duration: 2 hours 30 min
  Price: Free

Starting at Martim Moniz, at the gates of Mouraria, our Fado Free Tour offers a deep dive into the heart of Lisbon with a genuine Fado singer! As we begin our ascent through the hills of the Moorish district, we’ll share tales of Portuguese sailors and their longing for their homes in far-off lands across the globe. Did you know that the word fado comes from the Latin word fatum, which means fate?

As we delve into the Alfama district, we’ll uncover how a marginal song from the city’s poorest neighborhoods rose to become the National Song, and how a dictator cleverly exploited this. We’ll also divulge the surprising history of the Portuguese guitar and how a simple girl from the Arroios neighborhood named Amália Rodrigues attained the title of Queen of Fado.

“All that matters is to feel Fado. Because Fado is not sung, it happens. Fado is felt, not understood, not explained.” This quote is from Amália Rodrigues herself. We couldn’t agree more: that’s why our guide also sings during the tour. We’ll delve into the history of fado and Salazar, its downfall after the 25th of April, and what makes a true Casa de Fado. It is during these moments on the tour that you’ll get to experience Fado firsthand. And we want you to not just hear it, but to feel it as well. The tour will conclude near the Museum of Fado.

N  Listen to live fado directly from your guide
N  Learn about the origins of this music and what influenced it
N  Understand what it meant and what it still means
N  Discover how fado was used during Salazar’s dictatorship
N  Get to know the best fadistas in history, and the emerging ones

  Meeting Point: Martim Moniz

In front of the Capela Nossa Senhora da Saúde.