Fado is the haunting music that drifts slowly out from the small bars of the Bairro Alto and Alfama districts of Lisbon. Fado comprises of a mournful sounding solo singer accompanied by a classical Portuguese guitar. The word Fado translated into English means fate but the sound and style of the music is more closely described by the Portuguese as saudade; this has no direct translation into English but can be summarised as a permanent loss combined with nostalgia and longing.

The mournful tunes originate from the sorrow felt, initial by the sailors, and then later by the families of the sailors, due the separation of the dangerous voyages around the globe. Fado has its historical roots within the deprived district of Alfama and this was the dwelling of sailors and families of sailors. The best Fado restaurants and venues are still located within the old historic district.

It is very difficult to define a year when Fado became its own distinct style of music and transcended from the songs and tunes which filled the small late sailor bars of Alfama, but it is widely agreed that the first true Fado was heard in Lisbon post 1840.

This early style of Fado was sung by solo male singer which probably originated from the sailors of the ships which passed through the busy ports of Lisbon. Later the lead singer altered to a solo female and the class of the audience increased from the lowly sailors and dock works to the expanding working class of 19th century Lisbon.

The lyrics to the Fado songs typically concern the struggles of the sea or the difficult life that the poor experience. The true definition of Fado is based upon the musical structure and not the content of the lyrics but the content rarely strays from the traditional feeling of saudade.

Two district branches of Fado music evolved; one based within Lisbon the other in the university town of Coimbra. The marked difference between the styles is the number of performers accompanying the classical guitar, in Lisbon the performer is a solo singer while in Coimbra there is typical three or more. Also the lyrics of Lisbon Fado are more somber and as Coimbra singers tended to be influenced by the prosperity within university compared to the fate of the sailors.

Female Fado singers traditionally wear a black shawl across the shoulders; this is a mark of respect to the greatest Fado singer Maria Severa. Maria Severa worked as a prostitute in the deprived area of Alfama, but she was described as tall, gracious with the voice of an angel. Her voice would captivate audience of rowdy sailors while she sung Fado based the hardships she had faced. Maria Severa sweet voice was short lived, as she died just 26 from tuberculosis in 1846.

For a tourist is interested in discovering more about Fado there is the Museum of Fado in Alfama and the Teatro da Trindade in Barrio Alto has daily shows of live Fado music.