The Alfama show with a host
One hour of live fado at Casa Lundum, a host who explains the music, a glass of Port, a Portuguese and English presentation and silence during the songs. Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead, and you can pay later.
Why hear it here
Why hear fado in Alfama
Fado with the story told
Most first fado nights hand you a song and leave you to guess what it means. This hour is built around a host, Mário Lundum, billed as a fadista with a 25-year career, who talks about where fado comes from, how it is tied to Lisbon and what it says about Portuguese identity. The songs follow the talk, so by the end of the hour you know why the room goes quiet.
A song that grew up in these streets
Historians place fado's beginnings in the early nineteenth century, in working-class quarters of Lisbon that include Alfama, Mouraria and Bairro Alto. UNESCO listed it in 2011 as a music and poetry tradition practised by communities across the city. Hearing it in Alfama puts the music back in the district where it is said to have taken shape.
An hour, a glass of Port, no more
The ticket is simple: entry to the performance and a complimentary glass of Port. There is no meal to book and no tasting menu to follow. The hour is presented in Portuguese and English, seating is first-come, and silence during the songs is the one house rule. It suits a first evening in Lisbon, or any day when you want something short and good.
Five words to know
Five words that open the music
The Portuguese words below turn up in nearly every fado show. Knowing them helps you hear what the singers and guitarists are doing.
- Fado
Fate, and the song named after it
The word comes from Latin fatum, meaning fate. Many songs play on the double meaning, so a line about destiny can also be about the song being sung.
- Saudade
A longing for what is gone
Popular belief links fado to saudade, a feeling of loss and longing. It is not the only mood in fado, which can be about almost anything, but it is the one most often named.
- Guitarra
The pear-shaped guitar with twelve strings
A pear-shaped, twelve-string instrument found only in Portugal, with a solo repertoire of its own. Its bright, ringing line floats above the voice.
- Viola
The guitar beneath the guitarra
The viola is a steel-strung acoustic guitar that shares the accompaniment with the Portuguese guitar, keeping the song steady under the voice.
- Silêncio
The call that opens a song
Listeners keep silent once the singing starts, and the ticket asks for absolute silence during the performance. In a fado room, someone calls for the hush before the first song.
The performers choose the programme on the day. Use these as listening notes, not as a promise of particular songs.
The setting
Alfama, where fado grew up
The show sits in Alfama, the hillside quarter that runs down from São Jorge Castle to the Tagus.
The oldest quarter in Lisbon
Wikipedia calls Alfama the oldest neighbourhood in Lisbon. Its name comes from the Arabic al-ḥamma, meaning hot springs, and in Moorish times it was the whole of the city.
Lanes built for walking
Visit Lisboa describes cobbled lanes and alleys with steep inclines, a district to be discovered on foot. The 1755 earthquake did not destroy it, so the streets are still a tangle of narrow lanes.
A cathedral and a museum nearby
The Sé, Lisbon's oldest church, stands at the western edge, and the Museu do Fado, in a former pumping station, tells fado's history, also in Alfama. Neither is part of the ticket.
Houses, associations and amateurs
UNESCO says fado is performed professionally in small fado houses and on the concert circuit, and by amateurs in neighbourhood associations across the older quarters, so a small room is part of the tradition.
Rooms, strings and rooftops
Rooms, strings and rooftops
Photographs of a fado room in Alfama, a singer with two guitarists, the tuning pegs of a Portuguese guitar and the lanes and roofs of the quarter.
Choosing a fado night
Four ways to meet fado in Lisbon
| Option | What you get | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| The Alfama show with a host | One hour of live fado at Casa Lundum, a host who explains the music, a glass of Port, a Portuguese and English presentation and silence during the songs. Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead, and you can pay later. | First-timers who want the story along with the songs |
| A short concert in a small hall | About 50 minutes in a small Baixa hall, sung without microphones, with Port or juice included and short introductions on screen in English with Portuguese subtitles. | Listeners who want more music and fewer words |
| A guided fado dinner | A guided walk through fado's story and a meal with live fado in a Bairro Alto fado house, with the guide translating lyrics and a drink and a shot of ginjinha included. | A full evening built around fado |
| The Museu do Fado | A museum in Alfama on fado's history, with artworks, objects and an audio guide, and a digital archive of old recordings. It is not a live show. | Anyone who wants the history without a performance |
Book the fado show
Three ways to spend a fado hour or evening
Open a card to see open dates. The first is the Alfama show with Port, the other two are different kinds of fado evening in Lisbon. A rail of other Lisbon activities follows.
A short concert in a small hall
About 50 minutes in a small Baixa hall, sung without microphones, with Port or juice included and short introductions on screen in English with Portuguese subtitles.
A guided fado dinner
A guided walk through fado's story and a meal with live fado in a Bairro Alto fado house, with the guide translating lyrics and a drink and a shot of ginjinha included.
More to do in Lisbon
Practical notes
Plan your hour
Where to go
Casa Lundum is at Travessa do Almargem 2, 1100-020 Lisboa, in Alfama. Your confirmation carries the entry details.
Which date
Pick a date in the booking calendar below. Each date shows its own start time, so check it before you plan dinner.
Arriving
Arrive about ten minutes before the start. Entry and seating are first-come, first-served, so there are no seat numbers.
Language
The hour is presented in Portuguese and English. A basic understanding of either is recommended, and the songs are sung in Portuguese.
Silence
Absolute silence is required during the performance. Keep your phone away and save conversation for the gaps between songs.
Children, food and access
Children under 4 are not permitted and food or drink may not be brought in. The ticket is marked wheelchair accessible, but Alfama's lanes are steep and cobbled.
Guides to fado and Alfama
Guides to fado and Alfama
Which fado night to book
Fado show in Lisbon: which to book
A one-hour fado show with a host, a fado dinner or a short concert: how the three kinds of Lisbon fado evening differ and how to pick one.
Read the guide → Getting there, and what to expectCasa Lundum Alfama: what to expect
Where Casa Lundum is in Alfama, how to get up the hill, how the hour runs, the rules of silence and seating, and what to bring or leave.
Read the guide → The music behind the show
What is fado? A short history
Read the guide → The instruments in the roomThe Portuguese guitar in fado
Read the guide → Voices to hear firstAmália Rodrigues and the voices of fado
Read the guide → The neighbourhood around the showAlfama around your fado show
Read the guide →FAQ
Questions before you book
How long is the Casa Lundum fado show?
One hour in total. The calendar lists a start time per date, which tells you how much of the evening is left for a meal.
Is the show in the afternoon or the evening?
It is sold as an afternoon session, and the start time varies by date. The booking calendar shows the time for the day you choose.
Do I need to speak Portuguese?
No. The hour is presented in Portuguese and English, and the ticket recommends a basic understanding of either. The songs themselves are in Portuguese.
What is included with the ticket?
Entry to the performance and a complimentary glass of Port. There is no meal, and you may not bring food or drink into the venue.
Can I reserve a seat?
No. Entry and seating are first-come, first-served, so arrive about ten minutes before the start for the widest choice.
Can children come?
Children under 4 are not permitted, and unaccompanied minors are not allowed. Older children can attend with an adult if they can stay quiet during songs.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
The ticket is marked wheelchair accessible. Alfama itself is steep and cobbled, so ask the provider through the booking page about the route in.
What if my plans change?
You can: cancel a day or more before the start and the money comes back in full, and a place can be held without paying today.
One hour of live fado in Alfama, with the story behind the songs and a glass of Port, free to cancel up to 24 hours ahead.
Reserve a place for the fado hour ↗Fares are per person, shown in your own currency by the booking page before you pay.