Day 2

Monday, 28th December,

Moorish Quarters & Fado Night

• From 07:00am to 10:00am: Full-breakfast is served. At 11:00am, our coaches will be ready to take our guests on a one-of-a-kind visit to the historic Lisbon Moorish quarters. There are few places in the world that can charme their visitors quite in the same way Old Lisbon does. The narrow and romantic and steep streets leading to fabulous and secluded vantage points which offer superb views of the city and the Tagus, its colours, aromas and arquitecture - all of it conjures to offer a romantic atmosphere like few others do. The city's anchient Moorish Quarters are formed by Alfama, Mouraria and their surrounding neighbourhoods. We will start our quest for the soul of Lisbon in Alfama, one of the first settlements in the city and also one of its most emblematic areas, survivent of the magnanimous earthquake of 1755, which reduced the city's Baixa (the downtown area) to a pile of rubble and debris - due to its foundations being made on dense bedrock. Alfama was originally settled by the Romans and the Visigoths, being later, in the 15th century, an important Jewish quarter. However, it would be the Moors who would give the district its character and name ('Alhama' means "springs", due to the springs found in this area). 

• At 1:30pm, we will stop for lunch in one of the most typical - and renowned - restaurants in the Old Quarters, where you will experience in first-hand the freshness of the local produce, indulge in the unique locally-produced wine and sangria, while enjoying the panoramic views from a fabulous rooftop.  

• At approx. 3:30pm, and upon a well-deserved luncheon and the opportunity to recharge batteries, we will start heading towards the Baixa area - the very centre of Downtown Lisbon, with its many shops, attractions, such as venues, and its many squares and landmarks, where Gothic-Manueline arquitecture is a constant feature. We will have a nice and leisurly stroll through Baixa, en-route to Mouraria, where we will further our quest of finding out the soul of Lisbon and its roots.   

   

  Mouraria (literally, "the Moors Area"), contains a tanggled street layout just as Alfama does. 

  As the Portuguese conquered the city during the country's formation, the Arabs - by then occupying parts of the city - were forced to retreat into this quarter, further mingling with other people from different faiths and walks of life. These people, seen at the time as outcasts, soon established here, and in the 19th century, a guetto arose. Prostitution, along with the by then indecent and underground style of local music - the Fado - prolifered in Mouraria, bringing a rather bad connotation to the quarter. Fado, however, would grow and become part of the very sould of the city of Lisbon, going from obscurity to one of the most important and cultural aspects of the city itself. 

  Nowadays, renovated houses faithfuly bearing the same façades of older times, along with local grocery stores, old tavers and historic Fado houses make of Mouraria a rather special place to visit. We will be making some stops for refreshments and to be able of relaxing in many of the terrace cafés and squares along the way, so don't rush: we will have plenty of time for everything... this is, afterall - holydays.  

   

  In Mouraria, Largo da Severa: is a tiny square and also one of the most cherished places amongst locals in. In it, one will find the Casa da Severa ('Severa's House'), home of the legendary Fadista, Maria Severa Onofriando, who would be the first Fado singer to become famous, recording its first album - ever, in the early 1.900's.

   

  Well in the earth of the quarter, we will pass by Rua da Mouraria and Rua do Capelão's streets, immortalised by Severa's songs and the likes of Amalia Rodrigues, who was born in a street nearby and would become not only the most notorious Fado singer of all time, but is also dubbed as "the Voice of Portugal" and "Queen of Fado".   

• 6:30-7:00pm: upon soaking in the local vibe, we will end up our evening in one of the renowned Casas de Fafo ('Fado Houses'), no less; where we will dine (again, trying some of the local produce... and discover why is it that the Portuguese love their own traditional cuisine), try out some local wine and of course, experience in first-hand this remarkable way of singing and playing music by listening to a live performance... and thus getting acquainted with the very soul of Lisbon.   

• Our coaches will be awaiting afterwards, ready to take whoever chooses to head back towards the hotel. Mouraria is also famed for its night life, so for those who want to enjoy the local bars, coaches will be on avail on a designated area nearby at 3:00am.