Fado is Portugal's main traditional music and is a form of song which can encompass anything and everything but is mainly characterised by mournful and melancholy tunes and lyrics. In 2011, Fado was added to UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
In popular belief, fado is a form of music characterized by mournful tunes and lyrics, often about the sea or the life of the poor, and infused with a sentiment of resignation, fate and melancholia.
