Fado Experience

Every first-time visitor to Lisbon (or Portugal) must experience Fado, the country’s most traditional musical expression, dating back to the 1800s. (No one is 100 percent certain about the exact date, but 1820s is the general consensus for its genesis.) Accompanied by guitar and/or mandolins, Fado is typically sung about life’s more melancholic themes. Because of its popularity among travelers, Fado is offered everywhere, and some settings are more desirable than others. We recommend Tasca do Chico, especially on Mondays and Wednesday nights when amateur singers take the stage. But tour operator Abercrombie & Kent can help organize more exclusive experiences, including visits to bars and restaurants where younger artists are modernizing the art, and private concerts held in local homes.