If you find yourself in a Portuguese city and hear music coming from a group of students in black cloaks - You have found a Tuna.

But where does this tradition come from?

Back in the 13th century, poor university students across the Iberian Peninsula had a problem. They needed to eat. And so they picked up their guitars, mandolins and tambourines. And sang for it. Literally. These wandering student musicians were called Sopistas. Soup beggars. Playing through streets and squares in exchange for a coin and a bowl of soup.

According to the legend, the word Tuna itself likely traces back to the French expression roi de Thunes. King of Tunis. Who supposedly loved the nightlife and sang through the streets.. A fitting name for a group of music lovers. By the 16th century the survival aspect faded. The music remained.

Today. Groups of students still dress in the same dark cloaks. Still carry the same instruments. Serenading cities across Portugal and beyond.

Some traditions are simply too good to let go of.