If you're new to Lisbon, you'll be intrigued by the Portuguese guitar, a beautiful "alaúde"-style guitar that resembles a sitar on the first strumming. It's delicate and magical but will make a room vibrate with it's old, melodic, Arabian-like sound. If you're a musician like me, this is heaven: one of the oldest musical instrument shop in town, my favourite playground!
I could easily spend half a day inside testing new instruments while smiling like a kid with cotton candy. If you're not a musician? Don’t worry - you’ll become one! There are instruments out of this world: check a Portuguese Fado guitar, with a very unique orientalish sound with a kind of natural delay that will echo in the streets. There are also other Portuguese traditional instruments like Cavaquinhos, a small 4-string guitar that was born in the North and travelled the world and the seven seas, to distant places like Cape Verde, Brazil, and ended up in Hawaii when it changed his name to Ukulele.
Ask Carolina, the grand-daughter of the founder, what you’re looking for, and she’ll help you in no time. Besides the Portuguese traditional instruments, there are electric guitars and basses from the major brands, flutes, drums and all sorts of accessories.
If you want to try something rare and exclusive, forget about the mandolins; get your hands on the Campaniças and Amarantinas traditional guitars and you’ll easily lose your head for a new sound and a perfect souvenir of your loving stay in Lisbon.
Find your way with 208 Insider Tips from our Local Spotters
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"Miradouro dos Barros" in Lisbon is located between a nice garden & a famous viewpoint, but for me, this spot is actually the best & most comfortable one!
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"Estufa Fria" in Lisbon means 'cold greenhouse' but it actually has three greenhouses. It's full of plants - and is very cool to walk around in...
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"Tinta nos Nervos" in Lisbon is an independent gallery & bookstore dedicated to the drawing arts, so you'll find the best comic books & graphic novels...
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"Feira da Ladra" is my favorite flea market in Lisbon - it is the most diverse place to buy cool stuff in my favorite neighborhood!
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"Musa da Bica" is the bar of the Musa brewery, an independent craft beer factory in Lisbon! Getting a beer here is more fun than visiting the tourist stuff
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"Mezze" in Lisbon is inside a municipal market - here they serve typical Middle-Eastern food while also giving jobs to refugees seeking to integrate...
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"TATI" is a bar/restaurant in Lisbon where you will find delicious food and varied options of natural wine. Very creative menu that changes constantly!
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"Verdachado" in Lisbon is a tiny pizza place where you will find delicious and (completely!) on-budget pizza.
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"Panda Cantina" is a Chinese restaurant in Lisbon where you will find the best & most honest ramen in town (truly, I am not exaggerating!).
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"O Javali" in Lisbon is one traditional tasca that's managed to survive the invasion of greedy investors. Find my all-time favorite childhood dishes here.
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208 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
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✓ 208 Insider Tips