Concert halls Porto

Close to the upper pedestrian area of the Luis I Bridge, the Casa da Guitarra invites you to attend a one-hour Fado show every evening. In an intimate atmosphere, the duo of guitarists and the singer transport you into the melancholy of the fado. A glass of wine will be served during the break. A great listening experience to get acquainted with this authentic music. In its shop and workshop, the Casa da Guitarra showcases traditional Portuguese stringed instruments and offers courses over several days.

The Hot Five is an excellent jazz club in the heart of the city, but if it is so well known it is because it is the oldest, born in the 1950s. You can feel a relaxed atmosphere from the first steps. The program is cleverly chosen and very relevant. You can enjoy a few good drinks at low prices. Perfect for those who enjoy long evenings of live music. Sit in the armchairs facing the stage and let yourself be transported into the world of retro and contemporary jazz. An address that changes from fado.

Fado is in the DNA of the Portuguese identity. In a small intimate room, you can appreciate all the facets and discover its origins. Every day, musicians and singers revisit the essence and history of this art form, which has been included in UNESCO's intangible heritage list since 2011. The show is interspersed with short documentary excerpts translated by audioguide. An hour of escape that will allow you to better understand the moods of a people who express with the fado the lack of country and roots, in a word: the saudade.

The Casa da Mariquinhas is one of the oldest fado houses in the city, which has seen the biggest names of the genre. Born in 1968, it reopened in 2011. You will find it in front of the Arco de Santana, at the foot of the cathedral. Fado singers declaim their lyrics accompanied by a group of musicians, without a microphone, in an intimate setting that transports us. It's nice to have a drink there, and to eat some good food as well. You will spend a beautiful evening, accompanied by all the charm of the Portuguese tradition.

A restaurant that serves typical Portuguese cuisine, Malcozinhado is above all a place where you can listen to fado. The address has existed for several centuries and has seen the poet Luís Vaz de Camões (more than 600 years ago!), but especially the talented fado singer Amalia Rodrigues (1920-1999). To see a fado show in an intimate atmosphere, this is the place to come, in this place located two meters above the Douro. Good food, smiling staff. For those who want to live a traditional experience.

As its name suggests, it is the theater of the municipality. It was born in 1913 and has undergone several renovations and, more surprisingly, has changed location during the twentieth century. Isabel Alves Costa (deceased in 2009) was the first director of the theater with the name and location that we know today. The program includes theater, dance, classical concerts, circus shows and concert cafes. A rich variety of performing arts to cultivate. And good news: for most of the shows, you don't need to speak Portuguese.

If you're looking to see a play (sometimes without many words), a dance performance or a film in its original version with subtitles (very practical for Portuguese speakers, or those wishing to improve their skills), then take a look at the program on the website. No doubt there will be an interesting performance to immerse you in the culture of Portuguese performing arts. It's often engaging, well performed, moving...