Region

Music and culture

Fado is generally known and it is the country's fundamental form of musical expression. It reflects the melancholic and somewhat phlegmatic way of living of the Portuguese very well. In the Alentejan villages during national holidays you can see and hear the 'Grupo Corale' a choir of solely men singing harmonized Alentejan traditional songs. The songs somehow resemble Gregorian songs and they are originated from protest songs during the dictatorship in Portugal.
It is now more than thirty years ago, that same dictatorship was overthrown during the Portuguese revolution on the 25th of April 1974 (Dia de Liberdade) On this particular day a big music event and celebration takes place in Odemira.
The great world music day takes place in Sines every summer and many great stars like Christina Branco perform here often. Each August the best-known open-air rock and pop festival of Portugal takes place in Zambujeira do Mar. If you're more interested in classical music or if you're looking for other urban entertainment you'll have to go to Faro (103 miles) or Lisbon (106 miles).