In Love With Lisbon

Author: Lily

  • The Fado Museum

    Azulejo 30The Fado Museum (Museu do Fado) is a must do trip for those who love Fado music as well as those with an interest in Portuguese culture and history.

    Situated on Largo do Chafariz de Dentro, the museum is right opposite the entrance to Alfama. The easiest way to find it is to simply walk towards the sea on Praça de Comércio and turn left up the main road (Avenida Infant Dom Henrique). It’s about a 5 – 10 minute walk along the water front and is situated on the right. Alternatively you can take bus number 28.

    Fado Museum
    © ILWL

    The museum opened in 1998 and is located within a spacious well-designed building that still smells new. It costs €5 (2012 price) to enter and you are not allowed to take photographs. Both times I have visited, the museum has been quiet although as with most tourist attractions, it is busier at the weekends.

    Despite being quite a small museum, they have a packed collection that includes interactive features. The permanent collection is a wonderful journey through the history of Fado – the music, the singers, the musicians and instrument (namely the Portuguese guitar).

    There are hundreds of photos of famous singers as well as posters of old advertisements. Every wall is crammed with information on how fado developed as a musical genre. You can listen to the different types of fado as well as different artists. My favourite part of the museum is the  model Portuguese guitar workshop. A wax work figure stands over his tools as a film runs behind him showing how a Portuguese guitar is made. As a musician I have always been in awe of master instrument makers. Along the wall is a large display of different makes and models of guitar. My fingers were itching to play!

    The last room is a wonderful installation that recreates a fado bar. Last time I visited I was the only person in there so it was easy to feel like I had been transported back in time. The room is dark and atmospheric. Glass cases of original costumes worn by great Fadistas like Lidia Ribeiro, Maria da Fé and Amalia line the back walls. All around the room are photographs of Fado in action and of course there is fado playing as you stand and absorb the atmosphere.

    The museum has space also for temporary exhibitions. Past exhibitions are listed on their website if you would like to know more. There is a cafe which wasn’t open when I was there but according to their website it is open at the weekend and Fado is played live.

    You’ll find the shop very expensive but it does have an excellent selection of fado music as well as some lovely books on art and culture in Portugal as well as fado. My only disappointment was that they did not have any posters. I love the old Fado advertisments – particularly those by Stuart Carvalhais and would love to have some prints of his work.

    The Fado Museum is the perfect place to pass an hour in the late afternoon. From there you can cross the street and be right in the heart of old Alfama ready to spend the evening in the arms of fado.

    Museu do Fado (in Portuguese and English)
    Opening Times: Tuesday – Sunday 10 – 6pm (last admission 5.30pm).

  • Vegetarian in Lisbon – Os Tibetanos Review

    Azulejo 29Os Tibetanos is a lovely little restaurant off Avenida Liberdade. It is part of the Buddhist centre and therefore is a tranquil place to eat.  To get there, take the metro to Avenida station and take the exit from the station to Rua do Salitre. Rua do Salitre is the road to your right (facing back towards downtown), just beside the large white statue. Prepare yourself for a walk – uphill all the way! If you didn’t have an appetite before you started walking you certainly will have by the time you arrive! As you get towards the top of the street, look for the green flags hanging down from the building on the left hand side.

    Os Tibetanos
    © ILWL

    It was 1pm when I arrived and the place was packed. They are only open between 12 – 2pm for lunch so it’s best to get there early if you can. They open again at 7.30pm in the evening. A table was found for me however and I was greeted with a serene smile. Despite being busy, the whole place felt very relaxed and was cool even though it was hot outside. There’s a gorgeous garden where other people were busy eating. Inside, the walls are lined with Tibetan pictures and gentle music plays in the background. Prayer flags are also hanging and there is a faint scent of incense. You can feel the healing vibes and sense that this place is one of devotion.

    Os Tibetanos
    © ILWL

    The menu was brought to me and I had to take a while to figure out what I wanted. I decided that I was very hungry indeed and plumped for the dish of the day at a cost of €7.50 + €2.50 (prices circa 2007) for a freshly squeezed juice. All the while I was furtively looking at what others were eating and everything looked sumptuous. There were mixed salads with mozzerella and basil, a lunchtime 3 course menu (soup, veg and rice and dessert plus herbal tea), savoury balls with a dip (which seemed very popular) and a variety of other dishes. There’s also a range of organic wines and beers as well as herbal tea’s and fresh juices.

    A wide range of people seem frequent the restaurant. Beside me was a family with a little boy, to the other side two middle ages ladies, across the way it looked like a business meeting was going on and various student types were hanging out in the garden. There didn’t seem to be too many tourists, perhaps because you do have to go a little out of the way to get there.

    My food arrived quickly and was beautifully presented and plentiful. The dish of the day was a kind of bread and mushroom savoury pudding served with chinese cabbage, rice and a Japenese sauce. I really enjoyed it and it was very filling. The apple juice I ordered was straight out of the apple.

    I had quite a few places to visit the day I ate at Os Tibetanos so I didn’t have time to visit the little shop that’s beside the restaurant. Next time I go I think I will book a table outside as it would be nice to sit down in the gardens.

    Os Tibetanos is a lovely place to eat and a safe haven for vegetarians. The service is very friendly and the food gorgeous for a reasonable price. To walk off your food you could take a wander to the Botanical Gardens or sit quietly on Praça do Alegria (square of happiness) nearby.

    To find out more visit their website (in Portuguese)

    Os Tibetanos