The light begins fading on an early January evening in Porto’s Lordelo do Ouro neighbourhood. There aren’t many tourists around this part of town. It’s where ramshackle, low-income houses share the space with luxurious hotels and condos competing for views of the Duoro and the towering Ponte da Arrábida bridge.
Of the few people around, some are taking the slow boats across the water to Afurada while nearby, groups of fishermen share beers and conversation while tending to their equipment while keeping a careful eye on their lines. Everyone else seems to be gravitating up a small set of steps towards a rather non-descript waterfront restaurant.
Inside, groups of men, fresh from a day of fishing, gather around the tables and hunch over their glasses of beer. I find a seat at the last chair, in the back corner of the room, next to three weatherbeaten-looking men who appear to have been sinking Super Bock for the past few hours.
The wooden tables and stools are all painted black, just like the floor, and the walls are covered in trinkets and antiques, with no discernable theme. Outside, the chairs on the pavement provide a kind of balcony over the river, its elevated position functioning as a terrace from where you can watch the tireless coming and going of the Flor do Gás as it crosses the gently flowing Douro River to Afurada.
Behind a long counter with a glass screen, an ageing cook tends to bubbling pots of stew. Even in my quiet corner, I can get the faint smell of cumin that’s emitted from the tray of tripe, as it mingles in the air and combines with the scent of frying fish in my nostrils.
Dona Piedade calls out firmly and sharply to punters and waitstaff as another plate of food is dished out between the pillars of steam and smoke. It’s swiftly taken and rushed over to a hungry diner.
Although the official name of this restaurant is Adega Rio Douro, it is almost exclusively referred to as Adega da Piedade. After all, she is the one who owns the restaurant, determines the atmosphere and takes care of the kitchen, where a constant flow of traditional Portuguese dishes is produced: sardine pies, soups, rojões, fêveras, bolinhos, panados, rissóis and of course, battered and fried bacalhau.
While it is Piedade herself, as well as her bar snacks, that usually attract customers from mid-afternoon onwards, it is music that has gained the bar its notoriety. Each Tuesday it plays host to a few hours of fado vadio, which has been performed here for over 30 years and has become a deep-rooted custom, drawing crowds of amateur singers, musicians, and spectators.
The waiter sets a sandwich, filled with mysterious pale meat, on the table in front of me along with a crisp, ice-cold beer as the hunched guitarists at the other end of the room begin to pluck their strings.
Within a few bars, an aging customer rises to his feet and steps in front of the expectant audience. A hush falls over the room and wine glasses are quietly placed on tables. He croons, eyes closed and arms outstretched as if to accentuate and underline every shaky and solemn note that comes from his mouth. He finishes without applause and returns to his beer.
The musicians continue to strum, lost in their music as the next singer rises to her feet from her stool next to the bar. Beautiful and elegant in red lipstick, she brushes aside her curls of golden hair as she spills her sombre lines. She’s a star and all eyes are transfixed on her every movement. As she sings of broken hearts and bitter sweet romances, her wry smile implies that there is some light amongst even the darkest of melodies.
It is thought that Fado was born out of Lisbon’s more downtrodden neighbourhoods in the mid-1800s. A form of folk or blues music, these are haunting ballads about down-on-their-luck sailors, broken hearts, and lost love.
Fado comes from the Latin phrase fatum, which means fate. However, the feeling it instils can also be summed up in a single Portuguese word, saudade, which roughly translates to a feeling of longing, melancholy or nostalgia. The result is a mournful melody that perfectly matches the personality of Portuguese people and their culture in that It is both deep and romantic.
The theme of fate is also perfectly fitting with the time in which Fado first arose. It was a period of seafaring and exploration, and so the lyrics and verses speak of loves lost at sea and pining for people who are thousands of miles away. They speak of yearning and remembrances, potential reunions and heartbreak. At the same time, fado is not always solemn. Some of the poems speak of hopes for a better future and look fondly at the past with a sense of nostalgia.
While the fado tradition originated in Lisbon and has stronger roots in the city, fado houses can be found throughout Porto. In previous decades, there has always been more tourism in Lisbon than in Porto, with fado performances being a major attraction. Not only has this contributed to the maintenance of Lisbon’s fado houses, but has also been the factor in the birth of many more. Although Porto’s fado houses were once in crisis, its recent boom in tourism means that there are a growing number of places to watch a show.
While the type of show varies from professional concerts to experiential activities combined with dinner and wine tastings, the performances at Adega Rio Douro are what is considered Fado Vadio. It is fado in a pure and unadulterated form. Rather than a concert, it is a gathering of music lovers who share a passion for the form. It is almost like fado karaoke, in which the guitarists play and any amateur singer who would like to perform can take to the stage and sing any refrain in their repertoire, often with improvisation and a huge amount of passion.
As one more performer steps in front of the crowd, the man next to me, swaying on his chair, gives my shoulder a sharp nudge. He gives me a beaming grin and points to my empty glass and then to the spry old lady who is beginning her lament. Whispering something in Portuguese, I’m unsure whether he is implying that I need another drink, or if this is a singer that I should pay particular attention to.
Through Adega da Piedade’s glass facade, I can see from the orange glow that the low winter sun is already beginning to set over the outskirts of the city and it’s a long walk back to my hotel. I rise from my seat and watch what remains of the performer’s two songs from the doorway. I’m not the only one. People who couldn’t get a seat inside jockey for position at the entrance or press their faces to the windows.
The terrace is almost full and few people don’t have a glass or in their hands or a cigarette hanging from their mouths. The tables covered in plastic tablecloths are filled with bottles and empty plates as waiters push through to deliver snacks to the people who are milling around in the cold. It’s quiet inside, but the buzz out here is sometimes noisy and the atmosphere is rousing.
As I make my way down the steps and along the banks of the Duoro, the singer’s voice follows me home. Fado may be mournful and full of sorrow, but it seems that Dona Piedade’s weekly tradition brings enough joy and excitement to remove any melancholic feelings.
Information
Although the official name of this place is Adega Rio Douro, thanks to its position facing the river, most locals know it as Tasca da Piedade after the owner Dona Piedade. She hosts her Fado Vadio – traditional Portuguese music sung by amateurs – every Tuesday afternoon between 4pm and 7pm.
While the music is flowing, you can enjoy drinks and some traditional Portuguese Petiscos such as bifana, tripe, stewed chicken gizzards, and their speciality of iscas de bacalhau – boiled codfish loin encased in a parsley omelette.
Fado Tours in Porto
Although it is easy enough to attend a fado performance in Porto without a guide, there are a host of excellent tours that combine this unique form of intangible cultural heritage with other experiences such as wine tastings, traditional Portuguese meals and city tours.
Guided Fado tours are a great way to catch a glimpse of Porto’s heritage via its historic cafes, local wine havens, and traditional taverns before ending your evening with a live Fado show. Here are some of the best tours on offer:
Where to Watch A Fado Performance in Porto
There are many ways to sing Fado, which was included in UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2011. Over the years, Fado has assimilated motifs and tropes from other musical traditions, branching into different genres and styles and this is seen in the different styles of performance that you can witness in Porto as every day, musicians and singers put on heartfelt shows across the city in a variety of venues.
So, if you are planning to spend an evening watching Fado, you first have to decide what kind of performance you would like to see. Fado Vadio, like what is performed at Adega Rio Douro is less of a concert and more of a gathering of people who share a passion for the music. In a way, it works like karaoke, in which anyone can take to the stage and sing, just with Portuguese guitarists rather than backing tracks.
It’s worth noting that these performers are usually amateurs, rather than professionals, and if you want to hear good quality artists, it is worth going to a Fado concert or Fado house. While in these places you are still likely to hear the music in its most authentic form – Fado Tradicional – the repertoires usually include other takes on the genre, such as Fado Canção, Marchas, and Folclore.
Fado houses are typically Portuguese restaurants that specialise in fado dinners, where they always have fado singers and guitarists during their opening hours so that you can enjoy the music while eating a meal or tasting some local wines. The show is generally split into small sets that coincide with the courses of the meal.
If you would like to combine a concert with other local and cultural experiences, there a number of port wine houses that offer a performance alongside a tour and tasting in their cellars.
Calém Port wine cellar
With over 150 years of history, Calem winery is one of the most well-known in Porto. Its museum and cellar tours attract hundreds of thousands of tourists per year and it is one of the most popular wine tourism destinations in the world.
Although it is worth visiting for a tour and tasting session alone, they also offer combination tickets that include a tasting alongside a fado performance, in the atmospheric location of their cellars where the musicians sing surrounded by the enormous port barrels. What better way to experience some of Porto’s finest wines?
Where: Av. de Diogo Leite 344, 4400-111 Vila Nova de Gaia
When: Daily at 6.30pm
Price: Tickets cost €25, but this includes a guided tour & wine tasting at Calém as well as the fado show
Caves Fonseca
With spectacular views over the city of Porto and the famous Luis I bridge, Fonseca has been producing fantastic wine for centuries and a visit to their wine cellars allows you to not only taste their produce but find out how Port wine is made and learn of the uniqueness of the Douro Valley and the role Fonseca has played in its sustainable viticulture.
While the standard Fonseca Experience includes a tour and a tasting of the famous Fonseca Bin nº 27 in the historic tasting room, you can also opt to have an intimate dinner in the old granite cellar amongst the casks of wine. It includes traditional Portuguese food, and an atmospheric fado performance of just a singer, and two guitars.
Where: Rua do Choupelo 54, 4400-187 Vila Nova de Gaia
When: Daily at 6pm. The program starts with a visit to the Fonseca Cellars with a tasting of the Fonseca Siroco Port Wine and Bin 27 to the sound of Fado. Between 8pm and 10pm, you will enjoy a three-course dinner on the T&C Terrace.
Price: The full experience of dinner, port tasting and fado performance costs €56 per person or €28 for children aged 5-12. If you choose not to have dinner, the cost is €25 per person or €12.50 for children
Destino Fado
One of Porto’s newest fado houses, Destino Fado takes place in a stunning location: A beautifully preserved 19th-century manor house filled with ornate furnishings and rooms opulent rooms. The show takes place in the music room, where host Claudia Madur – one of northern Portugal’s most well-known fado performers – takes full advantage of the excellent acoustics.
Where: R. Dr. Alberto Aires de Gouveia 17, 4050-023 Porto
When: Daily at 5.30pm
Price: Tickets for adults cost €18; For those aged 13 to 18 the entry price is €16; under 16 is €15
Ideal Clube de Fado
While many performances in Porto mix different styles of music, such as marches, folklore, and traditional fado, the show at Ideal Clube de Fado provides an intimate performance that focuses solely on the traditional (or what they call pure fado), making it one of the most authentic shows that you can see in the city.
Before the show starts, you can have the opportunity to meet the musicians, who are some of the most respected that Porto has to offer, including guitar player Mário Henriques.
Where: R. do Ateneu Comercial do Porto 32, 4000-380 Porto
When: There are three performances each day, at 6pm and 7.30pm and 9.15pm. Shows last one hour and feature performances from 2 singers and 2 guitarists.
Price: Tickets for adults cost €19; For those aged 6 to 17 the entry price is €14; Children under 6 can enter for free
Casa da Guitarra
Taking place in a chordophone store which spontaneously becomes a mini auditorium after 6pm for those who want to listen to fado, this is certainly one of the more unique spots to catch a show in Porto.
Casa da Guitarra opened its doors in 2012 and not long after, started putting on fado performances that aimed to provide something that was high quality yet remained relatively traditional. The show takes place daily and is one of the cheapest in the city at just €18 (including a glass of wine).
Where: Av. Vimara Peres 49, 4000-545 Porto
When: Twice daily at 6pm and 7.30pm. Shows last one hour
Price: Tickets for adults cost €18; For those aged 13 to 18 the entry price is €16; under 16 is €15
Fado na Baixa
If you’re looking for an in-depth exploration of Fado and its history, then Fado Na Baixa’s unique concert is the place to go. The performance, in a small auditorium, is separated into 5 moments – Traditional Fado, Portuguese Guitar, Coimbra Fado, Amália Rodrigues and Contemporary Fado – each preceded by a short documentary about that particular aspect of the genre. The films are translated into Spanish, French or English via audio guides.
Although some people may prefer a more traditional and fluid introduction to fado without interruptions, this show is perfect for people who want to learn more about this important piece of Portuguese cultural heritage.
Where: R. de São João 99, 4050-553 Porto
When: Twice daily at 6pm and 7.30pm. Shows last one hour
Price: Tickets for adults cost €19; For those aged 13 to 18 the entry price is €16; under 16 is €12
A Casa do Fado Ribeira
While Casa de Fado has three different concert halls dotted around the city – in Ribeira, São João Novo, Sé – the one located in an old vaulted cellar in the ever-popular Ribeira neighbourhood is certainly the most atmospheric. The cave-like premises provide great acoustics and an intimate setting where you can enjoy the singers performing while sitting at tables made from old wine barrels.
Where: Rua do Infante D. Henrique 85, 4050-297 Porto
When: Daily at 7pm
Price: General entry is €19 but children under 12 years of age go free
