Authentic Alfama Experience: Fado Music and Cultural Walking Tour

Recommended by 94% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Lisbon, Portugal

5 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Explore our promoted experiences

Sintra & The Amazing Dream Villages Private Luxury Tour

Lisbon, Portugal

5.0

(6)

Sintra & The Amazing Dream Villages Private Luxury Tour

from $180

Price varies by group size

Templar River: Tomar and Almourol Private Tour

Lisbon, Portugal

4.9

(8)

Templar River: Tomar and Almourol Private Tour

from $210

Price varies by group size

Private Full-Day Tour Sintra, Pena Palace, Cabo da Roca & Cascais

Lisbon, Portugal

5.0

(7)

Private Full-Day Tour Sintra, Pena Palace, Cabo da Roca & Cascais

from $144

Price varies by group size

Viator earns higher commissions on experiences featured here

Overview

Enjoy a private evening tour that combines three experiences: Lisbon highlights by car, a walking tour of Alfama, and a dinner with live Fado performances. Learn about Portugal's traditional music and culture before you get to see it up close. Ask your private guide as many questions as you like throughout the tour.

Combine a walking tour of Alfama with a live Fado performance
Enjoy a hassle-free experience with hotel pickup
Try local flavors during dinner in a historic restaurant
Choose from two evening tours to fit your schedule

What's Included

Professional guide and driver
Walking tour in Alfama
Dinner and Fado show
Transport by private car
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Dinner
Alcoholic Beverages

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to your preferred meeting point, or request pickup.

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

Pick up all travellers in all hotels/accomodation in Lisbon and Sesimbra area

Meeting points

Select a meeting point

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Alfama

Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
May be operated by a multi-lingual guide

Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.6

based on 50 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Alfama and Fado - a perfect evening!

Natasha_W, Oct 2025

We had a brilliant evening tonight touring Alfama with Pedro and listening to incredible Fado music in an authentic and very lovely restaurant. Pedro had a Portuguese version of the Irish ‘gift of the gab’! He was wonderful to listen to and filled with Portuguese pride and knowledge about the history of Alfama and Fado. We enjoyed it all immensely!

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Thank you so much for your wonderful review and for taking the time to share your experience with us! It truly means the world to our local team to know that you enjoyed the tour. We’re passionate about sharing the authentic flavors, landscapes, and traditions of our region, and it’s always a joy to hear that it resonated with our guests. Your kind words encourage us to keep doing what we love — creating meaningful, immersive experiences that connect people with the real essence of this beautiful place we call home. We hope to welcome you back again someday for another adventure — whether it’s more wine, food, culture, a hike, or an off-road journey!

Certainly authentic ... but ...

Valerie_L, Jul 2025

Pedro was waiting outside our hotel. He sent me a WhatsApp earlier in the day and I didn't see it. I kept looking for a text or phone call. Europeans really like WhatsApp and seen to expect everyone else does, too! 😆 It appears we were the only guests in this car. Nobody else signed up? Questions ... But I didn't ask. Pedro was charming and maybe we'd be part of a group later. He took us on a short tour of the Alfama district, which was great. Then he took us to Guitarras de Lisbon, introduced us to Antonio, asked us to WhatsApp him when we were ready to leave. Then he left. First surprise. I swear I got something from Viator saying something about the Hard Rock Cafe. This wasn't the Hard Rock Cafe, but it was certainly 'authentic'. So, whatever ... We were at a table separated across the room from the 2 other couples and a rather large party. Next surprise. We were the only people on this tour and evidently going to be left on our own. Antonio brought one small bottle of water and bread/olives. Another couple came in . They were seated close to the other couples already there, given menus and two bottles of water . After another 20 minutes of being ignored, I walked into the kitchen to get menus, more water and wine. Next surprise. It seems we came to this tour with a "fixed" menu and he (not Antonio and I'm sorry I didn't get his name) was JUST ABOUT TO COME OVER AND EXPLAIN IT ALL TO US. It consisted of 3 versions of salt cod. I asked for a menu twice, we finally got more water and a really cheap bottle of wine (2.75€). I ordered a mushroom starter, a pitcher of sangria and a different main course (which was barely edible as was the "fixed" course choice my husband got. The soup was really good, though.) We paid for the extras. The Fada music was wonderful, and Antonio sang! I would love to compare my experience with the description on the web site -- but it is no longer there!! Why? I was not totally disappointed with this tour. Pedro was great. The Fada music was great. The food was ... lacking. What I am suggesting is a MUCH better description of what to expect. I would give it a 4 out of 5 stars.

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Terrible experience

marty_g, Jun 2024

The "tour" was a car ride in an old dirty car, the food was unremarkable, and the music was meh. One of the Fado "singers" could not sing. And he was also the cook, a waiter, and the owner apparently. It was a lot of money for nothing. Just book a dinner at a real Fado restaurant and forget this scam...

Response from Host, Jun 2024

Dear Marty, Thank you for sharing your feedback regarding your recent tour with us. We deeply regret that your experience did not meet your expectations. We apologize for any discomfort you experienced with the car. The vehicle used was a classic Mercedes sedan, chosen for its elegance and historical significance. However, we understand that cleanliness is crucial, and we will ensure our cars are meticulously maintained for future tours. We are sorry to hear that the food and music did not meet your expectations. Fado is a deeply emotional and intimate art form, quite different from a typical concert experience. The performance at "Guitarras de Lisboa," one of the most prestigious Fado venues in Portugal, aims to provide a genuine and cozy atmosphere. We regret that this did not resonate with you as intended. The venue is managed by a dedicated team who take on multiple roles to offer an authentic Fado experience, and we understand that this might not have been communicated effectively. Additionally, we were concerned when you chose to leave the tour without advising the guide. Our guide was worried about your well-being and would have appreciated the opportunity to address your concerns on the spot. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we will take your comments into consideration as we work to improve our tours. We understand that you expected more from the experience, and we apologize for any disappointment caused. As a gesture of goodwill, we would like to offer you a discount on a future tour. We hope you will give us another opportunity to provide you with a more enjoyable and memorable experience. Please feel free to reach out to us directly at hello@lookaroundtours if there is anything else we can assist you with. Thank you once again for your feedback. Warm regards, Maria Guest Relations Manager LookAround Tours

Discovering Portugal through emotions

Batiste_J, Feb 2024

For me, travelling is not about visiting highly touristic places, taking pictures in front of monuments, etc. when I travel I want to connect with local people, enjoy their arts or try their favorite foods. This is what my wife and I had the chance to experience with this tour. We really enjoyed the Fado experience, it felt deep, and the food, coming slowly but in large quantities was good. I personally wished that they would have given at least the English translations of the song titles but we could still enjoy the performance a lot. The female singer was very impressive. We could feel that our guide, Andrew, clearly tried his best to make this experience unforgettable for us as well as to convey the warmth and depth of the Portuguese culture. Simply put, we had a great time and we were satisfied to start our trip in Lisbon this way!

An evening in Alfama

Tara_S, Dec 2023

We enjoyed exploring Alfama and enjoying the Fado experience with Pedro. He shared great insights into Alfama and Lisbon, giving our evening a nice historical touch. Pedro's quick pace kept things lively, and we loved discovering Ginja in a chocolate shell. The Fado show was a pleasant experience for us first-timers, and the food was excellent. Overall, a delightful evening with Pedro's enthusiastic guidance!

A very good glimpse of Lisbon history

Thomas_K, Aug 2022

André an enthusiastic and knowledgeable host. Tour of the Moor quarter was very interesting, and night of Fado relaxing and fun.

Perfect night

Anny_O, Jan 2022

João was amazing guide from the start to the end. At the restaurant they make you feel at your own place, food was amazing and show as well, Antonio is a great singer and very polite, overall we had a special night. Highly recommend.

Response from Host, Jan 2022

Thanks for your vote! John is a great guide with a vast experience in tourism. This tour is the best way to know the real Roots of Fado and Lisboa by night ! Thanks again for your contribution!

Not what we expected

Tiffany_A, Sep 2021

My friend and I did several tours during our time in Portugal. While this was by no means a bad experience, it was not one of our favorites. I'll detail it out and you can decide if it sounds good for you! Pros: The guide was very friendly and picked us up from our Airbnb on time. We were taken to two landmarks and given the chance to take photos. We had a nice walk through Alfama and saw some really lively Fado shows and restaurants and beautiful buildings along the way. At this point I would have said this was a 5 star tour. Cons: The guide did not explain much about the landmarks we stopped at so I'm not sure what they were or their importance. My friend and I did not enjoy the Fado experience. In Alfama, we walked past several really lively and fun looking outdoor restaurants full of people and music and were getting so excited for dinner. However, our guide took us to an indoor restaurant that had no other guests. We had a limited menu to choose from and the show lasted for 2 hours. The restaurant was very formal and had two solo performers, who made eye contact the entire show. My friend and I didn't dare talk, look away, pull out our phones, nothing since no one else was there to participate. We found it to be overly stiff/formal and quiet and had instead been expecting a lively and fun night out. The guide did not join us at dinner- he dropped us off and left. He just came back to pick us up and take us to our Airbnb. We of course didn't know what the singers were saying (as expected) but the singers kept insisting we sing along and we were uncomfortable. While I liked the guide himself, I wanted to give this tour less stars because we did not enjoy the show at all! Maybe it's your style though- it just wasn't ours. Perhaps if you're looking for a romantic evening it would be good tour for you!

Dîner spectacle parfait / Visite à améliorer ou prix à baisser

Julie_G, Aug 2023

Nous avons passé une très bonne soirée avec un bon spectacle et très bien mangé. Cependant petit bémol, retard du guide au départ (horaire décalé 2 fois), nous n'avons donc pas fait la balade pédestre guidée, nous sommes quand même passé devant le musée et il nous a montré les différentes chanteuses connues et il nous a expliqué quelques points d'histoires durant le chemin en voiture. Arrivée au restaurant c'était parfait le repas était copieux et délicieux, les boissons servies généreusement et le spectacle magnifique ! Le patron d'un prime abord froid est en fait très gentil et drôle et il chante très bien il a acompagné par deux fois les chanteuses. A la fin de la soirée le guide est repassé nous faire un coucou et nous sommes reparties vers la voiture pour aller à un point de vue magnifique il nous a expliqué moins d'une minutes et nous avons eu 10 minutes de quartier libre. En résumé nous avons payé 144€ par personne, nous étions 5 et nous donc payé 720€ pour la soirée, le dîner/specatcle valait vraiment le coup mais le côté visite guidé était un peu en deça de nos attentes car nous n'avons pas fait la visite pédestre (sans avoir d'explication c'est pourquoi nous pensons que c'est lié au contre temps du départ) et nous n'avons pas eu de compensasion financière lié à ce manque.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Merci pour votre avis! Nous sommes heureux que vous ayez apprécié le dîner et la spectaculaire soirée Fado. Nous nous excusons pour le retard, mais il arrive parfois qu'il y ait des choses incontrôlables comme la circulation routière ou des accidents sur la voie publique. Nous avons fait la visite à pied habituelle, mais nous avons fait une promenade plus courte car le dîner a pris plus de temps que d'habitude et s'est terminé vers une heure du matin. Cette tournée a été réalisée en haute saison, c'est pourquoi il y avait plus de trafic routier et de retards de la part de ce merveilleux restaurant sur lequel nous travaillons depuis près d'une décennie. Nous nous excusons encore et vous proposons de vous offrir une réduction sur un futur voyage programmé avec notre tour opérateur. Encore merci pour votre contribution!

Excellent souper et fado

Marc_R, Oct 2022

La meilleure partie du tour est l’excellent souper portugais et le spectacle de fado avec une ambiance chaleureuse.

Très bon expérience

Gerard_P, Oct 2021

Très bonne prestation par des professionnels du fado, dans une salle voutée avec une acoustique excellente. Notre table était aux meilleures places en premier rang face aux chanteurs . Repas complet de spécialités portugaises de qualité gastronomique. Notre guide francophone, Pedro, nous a fait découvrir les particularités du quartier de l'Alfama, dans une ballade à pied avant le repas . Il s'est montré à la fois professionnel et très proche et attentif à nos attentes . Discret et amical, il a parfaitement organisé la soirée . En résumé, une expérience à recommander.