There's a word to say light and beauty. That word is Lisboa. An indispensable sheltering port for those who travel in search of new discoveries. A true living museum with the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, the Torre de Belém, the Praça do Comércio, the Baixa Pombalina. Fundamental works of religious architecture like the Sé Catedral, the Basílica da Estrela, the Igreja de S. Vicente de Fora and the Igreja de S. Roque. Everything within reach of careful observation from the heights of the Castelo de S. Jorge - and many other lookout points. All of it bathed in the majestic estuary of the Tagus River - spanned by two great bridges of extraordinary beauty.
These and a wealth of other attractions make Lisboa such a pleasant and hospitable city.
The 'fado' is the most beautiful poem of all Portuguese music. Of remote origins, 'fado' means fate translated into music. It is 'fatum', the certainty of existence itself, of suffering or happiness that is life's driving force.
Sung by almost everyone in Portugal, it is not always sad, noble or popular. Written in free four-line satnzas,
based on a story or a passion, or simply singing a poem, accompanied by the 12-string guitar and the classic guitar, it certainly portrays a state of the soul.
