Street art is one of the most vibrant, coolest, and most exciting forms of art that you can find. If you are a fan of street art, graffiti, and urban art in general, then Europe is the place to be. From the famous street art districts of London and Berlin to the small villages in Italy that are home to some of the most talented street artists on the planet, Europe is a goldmine for street art lovers.
This article will guide you to some of Europe’s best cities and streets to find street art and graffiti. So if you’re looking for an excellent place to discover some fantastic street art, look no further.
Since we’re talking about street art, things are constantly changing, so please note that some of the recommendations in this post might be different than what you’ll find. If you noticed any change on the ground, please let us know in the comments at the end of the post so other travelers would have the latest information.
Due to legal rights, we can’t show images of each artwork, so we shared quick links to see relevant images on Google search results.
London, UK
If you’ve ever been to London, you’ve probably already visited many of the famous street art and graffiti spots in London. There is a vast amount of street art and graffiti in London, especially prevalent in the East End, and it’s easy to see why. London is one of the most famous cities in the world, and it’s also one of the most vibrant and happening cities in Europe today. It’s a melting pot of people from all over the world, and it’s full of history, culture, and incredible street art.
GetYourGuide has a vast list of street art tour. Check them out.
Where To See Street Art In London
- Leake Street Tunnel near Waterloo Station – a street-art lover’s paradise.
- Covent Garden – search for Tim Fishlock’s ear sculptures.
- Soho – look for the Seven Noses of Soho by Rick Buckley, hidden around the area.
East London area
- Shoreditch street – you’ll find a lot of graffiti constantly changing. A wide variety of urban art can be seen all over the area, including graffiti, murals, painted shutters, cool stickers, and much more.
- Fashion Street – admire the stunning murals adorning the walls along the street.
- Brick Lane – check out the art decorating the streets.
- Hanbury street – look for the giant bird.
- Grey Eagle Street – look for monsters’ sculptures hidden on rooftops.
- Rivington Street – see works by the world-famous Banksy.
Croydon area – Check out the Arts Quarter project supported by RISEgallery:
- Head to Queen’s Gardens, where there’s a legal wall for emerging graffiti and street artists to promote their work.
- Find compelling street art in the neighborhood north of Queen’s Gardens.
- Katharine Street, Park Street, High Street, and St George’s Walk are all hotspots for local artists.
- Head to the hip area around Surrey Street Market to see some of the most recent works by local artists.
- Thames River – Illuminated River installation by Leo Villareal and Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands – take a stroll along the Thames River at night and see London’s iconic bridges glow. Click here to learn more about the Illuminated River project.
There are many other spots in London where you can see incredible street art. Check out The Line – a self-guided walking tour in east London, and this post from The Stay Club.
Bristol, UK
Bristol deeply embraced street art culture, and you can find a lot of pieces around the city. Bristol is also the home of Upfest. Europe’s most significant street art and graffiti festival. The festival is also considered by many to be the birthplace of the UK’s graffiti scene.
Where To See Street Art In Bristol
Banksy, probably the most known street artist these days, made his name in Bristol before going to London. Banksy and many other artists’ work could be found all around from the north in St. Paul’s and St. Werburgh’s through the city around Nelson Street. Then into the south around Bedminster and North Street, where Upfest is focused.
- The area around Nelson Street has impressive large-scale murals from some of the best-known artists.
- College Green street – head up to College Green to see a few more pieces, including Banksy’s famous “Hanging Man”. Then a little bit further down on the quayside, a work by Inkie covers the place.
The northeast of the city
- Around St. Werburgh’s and St. Paul’s have mainly graffiti.
- Watercress Rd, near a place called St. Werburgh’s city farm, and on the Farm pub right nearby.
- Hopetoun Rd – you’ll find some graffiti.
- The Duke of York pub on 2 Jubilee Rd is another painted building.
- A short walk to the area around Mina Road and Mina Road park also has several murals.
- Stokes Croft – the area between Cheltenham Road to the roundabout called the Bearpit. In this area, you’ll find some of the most famous outdoor murals, including Cosmo Sarson’s epic Jesus BreakDance and Banksy’s Mild Mild West.
- North Street and Bedminster – this is the home of Upfest, Europe’s biggest street art festival. The event attracts artists and art lovers from all around. The festival takes place around North Street and the surrounding streets – East Street, West Street, Ashton Gate, and Chessel Street.
Manchester, UK
Manchester’s Northern Quarter offers some genuinely unique visual masterpieces. The street art in Manchester includes small hidden art to large-scale murals.
Where To See Street Art In Bristol
- Oldham Road – You’ll find many storefronts covered in graffiti (some are only visible when the store is closed and the gates down). Don’t miss the work of the Spanish artist Axel Void – a mural of a girl being forced to smile.
- Head down to Cable Street – see Case’s vivid mural addresses mental health difficulties.
- Keep walking to Thomas Street – see the incredible Tyger Tyger Mural painted by Jim Vision.
- Now walk to a small car park in the middle of Brightwell Walk to see “war children”, a mural by Hyuro, done as part of the Cities of Hope festival. This mural gives a voice to the lost innocence of all children who cannot live the childhood they deserve.
- Take the short walk to Tib Street. Here you can see several works, including two pieces by Akse. One is a mural of Prince and another mural of Tony Wilson.
- On the nearby Warwick Street, you’ll see a mural by Qubek of 22 bees to commemorate those who died in the Manchester bombings. You can also see a few more amazing murals next to it. Take your time to find them.
- On the corner of Gun and Blossom streets – see the colorful, wonderful bird painted by Brazilian artist Mateus Bailon.
- On the corner of Faraday and Dean Streets, you can see a large mural of colorful birds scheme (let me know if you know who’s the artist).
- On Port street, the building next to the previous piece has a beautiful black and white portrait called Shout. Stroll along Faraday street to see a few more bird-themed murals.
- Head over to Tariff Street – On the Hilton House, you can see a mural of massive quartz with little featureless people trying to climb.
- Richmond 29 street – see a great mural painted on the side of the Molly House, which is a tribute to Manchester’s gay icons.
Manchester has much more street art to see. I’ve listed some highlights you can see in a self-walking tour. For more spots, you can check out Giulia’s post at Blocal.
Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona is known for its beaches, nightlife, and street art. The city lives and breathes creativity with the spirit of iconic artists such as Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Antoni Gaudíis, and many other outstanding artists.
These artists strive in the city’s unique atmosphere, generating many extraordinary street arts. You’ll find various works, from small hidden paintings and enormous murals to installations created from trash.
Where To See Street Art In Barcelona
The best sites to see street art in Barcelona are el Raval, el Gotíc and Poble Nou. You will see a lot of murals and spray paintings in unexpected locations throughout the city. Some bars include street art as part of interior decor, the best example being Nevermind (which also has an indoor skating ramp). The Squat La Carboneria features an enormous mural displaying a hot-air balloon-house escaping the confines of a jail-like city.
- El Raval – this vibrant area is Barcelona’s heart of urban art. with the most significant graffiti tradition. You can find genuinely fantastic works around the MACBA (Museum of Contemporary Art).
- Right next to the MACBA is the Keith Haring mural. This 30 meters (98 feet) mural is one of Barcelona’s best-known public art pieces. The blood-red mural’s goal is to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS.
- Poble Sec neighborhood – this is the second neighborhood, after El Raval, filled with art and creativity.
- The Gothic Quarter – Barcelona’s most historic neighborhood, is also home to some of its best street art. One of the most well-known street art is the El Beso de la Libertad mosaic. A mosaic by Joan Fontcuberta of two kissing mouths.
- In the corner of Carrer de Sant Pau & Carrer de la Riereta, you can see a large mural created by Sixe Paredes, presenting a work of abstract and figurative work.
- Poblenou neighborhood has several urban art spots with some of the most beautiful works in the city. One example is “The Closing of the Circle” by the Italian artist Crisa, where she reflects on the natural elements and the balance that persists in urban environments.
Lodz, Poland
It might surprise some, but Lodz has some fantastic street art. With the creation of the Urban Forms Gallery project in 2009, the city of Lodz has managed to grow an impressive collection of large-scale murals by some of the most recognized international street artists.
Where To See Street Art In Lodz
- Kościuszki 27 – a massive mural called Bang!, created by Sat One (Germany) and Etam Crew (Poland).
- Łódź 16 Politechniki Avenue – a massive mural of a vase with flowers.
- Sienkiewicza 18 – Artur Rubenstein Mural, created by Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobry.
- Piotrkowska 3, 91-415 Łódź, Poland – Walk through the courtyard from Piotrkowska 3 (or from ul. Zachodnia 56), Róża’s Passage. A courtyard link between two main streets that were once dark is now lightened thanks to beautiful mosaic art by Joanna Rajkowska. Thousands of mirrors reflect natural light to the yard, creating a stunning effect and transforming the surrounding buildings.
- Pomorska 67 – Woman in Bath, by the Spanish artist Aryz. On the other side of the building, you have another mural to view by Spanish artist Borondo.
- Roosevelta 5 – Mural by Aryz and Os Gemeos – created in 2013 for the Urban Forms project.
- Pomorska 93 – 3D Mural called “Anatomy of having fun” – Created in 2018 by Italian artist ‘AweR’ during the Urban Forms Festival. The piece is a chroma depth mural. To fully enjoy it, use passive/chroma depth 3d.
These were the highlights, but there are many more spots to see great street art in Lodz. Visit these art pieces:
- The Second Life of a Factory by Andrzej PoProstu Mural – Pomorska 79, Lodz, Poland
- Bird Mural by Portuguese artist Bordalo – Kilińskiego 127, Lodz, Poland
- Cat Lady Mural by Polish artist Raspazjan – Sienkiewicza 39, Lodz, Poland
- City of Łódź Mural by the ‘Design Future’ group – Piotrkowska 152, Lodz, Poland
- DALeast Wave by DALeast (China) in 2015 for the Urban Forms project – Pomorska 92, Lodz, Poland
- Wooden Bird by Israeli artist Dede. Created in 2016 as part of the Urban Forms Festival – Młynarska 15, Lodz, Poland
- DALeast Deer Mural – Łąkowa 10, Lodz, Poland
- Enjoy the Silence by Etam Cru & Robert Proch – Sienkiewicza 81, Lodz, Poland
- Gecko Mosaic by local artist Egon Fietke (real name Andrzej Miastkowski) as part of the OFF Gallery festival – Traugutta 5, Lodz, Poland
- Gentrification by Poznań artist TONE (Robert Proch) – Legionów 57, Lodz, Poland
- Gregor Gonsior Mural – Jaracza 59, Lodz, Poland
- Holy Warrior by the Chilean artist INTI – Strzelców Kaniowskich 48, Lodz, Poland
- Kenor Abstract Mural by Spanish artist Kenor – Kościuszki 32, Lodz, Poland
- Łódź Hall of Fame by Krzysztof Jaśkiewicz – Piotrkowska 73, Lodz, Poland
You can find even more artwork to see on this post.
Berlin, Germany
Berlin is one of the top cities for street art. Berlin is full of incredible street art, including murals and graffiti, which turn the city walls into enormous, ever-changing galleries. Street art in Berlin captures the city’s essence through vivid colors, including playful murals stimulating your imagination and political pieces tackling pressing social issues. Here are the best places to admire Berlin’s street art.
If you prefer a guided tour, check out this amazing street art tour by GetYourGuide.
Where To See Street Art In Berlin
- RAW Compound – this compound includes excellent places to eat, clubs, a weekend flea market, an indoor skate park, and fantastic street art.
- East Side Gallery – This almost mile-long (1.3 km) wall is the longest surviving section of the Berlin Wall in Mühlenstraße between the Berlin Ostbahnhof and the Oberbaumbrücke along the Spree river. Today it’s the world’s largest permanent open-air art gallery, with over 100 murals that symbolize hope, creativity, and resilience.
- My God, Help Me to Survive This Deadly Love” by Russian artist Dmitri Vrubel – Berling, Germany
Urban Nation Museum and its surrounding – First, visit the museum. An indoor museum for street art may sound like a paradox, but Urban Nation Museum made it happen. Now check out the streets around the museum:
- On Bülowstraße 101, corner of Bülowstraße/Zietenstraße – see several great pieces.
- Bülowstraße/Zietenstraße – right on the opposite side of the museum, see a work by Roberto Rivadeneira called “a metaphor for colliding time periods”.
- The nearby buildings, Bülowstraße 94-98, are also covered with street art.
- Down the street, on Bülowstraße 11, 12, you’ll find work by Deih XLF and David de la Mano.
Other areas in Berlin:
- Bülowstraße 32 – Near Bülowstraße U-Bahn station are a few murals by different artists.
- U-Bahn station Heinrich-Heine-Straße – 10179 Berlin, Germany – Next to the subway exit of Heinrich-Heine-Straße is the entrance to the rock club Sage. The door is hard to notice, as it is covered in paintings.
- Opposite to the entrance of KitKatClub is the mural Unter der Hand by the German artist CASE.
- Continue to Heinrich-Heine-Straße 3, a short walk from U-Bahn station. Here you’ll see another mural called “Face Time” by Various & Gould right in front of a parking slot.
- U-Bahn station Birkenstraße – Stromstraße 36, Berling, Germany – Next to the subway station Birkenstraße is another great mural called “The Boy With the Injured Elephant”, by Herakut, Wes21, and Onur.
- Teufelsberg – served as a listening station during the Cold War. Ever since it was abandoned, street artists have taken over. They turned the building into an urban canvas that is now covered with graffiti. Its located in the north of Berlin’s Grunewald Forest. It has become one of Berlin’s most colorful and beautiful open-air street art galleries, attracting hundreds of tourists during the summer months.
- Wilhelmstraße 7, 10963 Berlin, Germany – an “Elephant Playing With a World Balloon” by Jadore Tong.
- Haus Schwarzenberg – Rosenthaler Str. 39, 10178 Berlin, Germany – Hidden in the building’s backyard is a paradise for street art lovers. Art, murals, paintings, graffiti, collages, and stickers are everywhere. Don’t miss the small details and messages. You can also enjoy the site’s studio, cinema, one of the bars, Otto Weidt’s Workshop for the Blind, or the permanent exhibition about Anne Frank.
- Am Friedrichshain 33 – Attack of the 50 Foot Socialite mural by Tristan Eaton.
- Luckenwalder Straße 11 – “Riot of the colours” by the Shamaniko, Hechiza, Somos and UKI as well as four Berlin artists.
- Mehringplatz 28/29 – Next to the exit of the U-Bahn station Hallesches Tor there are several murals from different artists.
- On the corner Franz-Kühls-Straße/Friedrichstraße, just a few steps from the previous stop, there are more murals by Aryz and the Spanish street art duo PichiAvo.
- You can find more paintings hidden around the corner in the housing complex on Wilhelmstraße 2-6.
- Oranienstraße 195 – “The Astronaut/Cosmonaut” mural by Victor Ash. The mural is close to the U-Bahn station Kottbusser.
- Go to Skalitzer Straße 134 and see The Older Lady With The Pelican and Coffee In Her Hand.
- Schwedter Straße 34 by Deih XLF – a science-fiction mural.
- Schwedter Straße 29 – a mural of “a cynical observation on digitization and social development”.
- On Neheimer Straße street in Tegal, there are four skyscrapers with eight murals on both sides of the houses.
- On Stuttgarter Platz 17 in the Charlottenburg district, you can see the happiest building ever 🙂 – The building’s front side is covered in paintings.
- Phoenix on Wintersteinstraße 20 – A mural of the ship Phoenix by the Berliner artist Gert Neuhaus.
Frankfurt, Germany
Street art in Frankfurt might not be as established as in Berlin. Still, the number of pieces and murals has steadily increased over the recent decades and are now an integral part of the city. In addition, the city shows more tolerance for graffiti, and there are legally sprayable walls and spots, such as the “Hall of Fame” at the Ratswegkreisel and the open-air gallery Friedensbrücke.
Where To See Street Art In Frankfurt
- 35 Friedberger Landstraße, Frankfurt, Germany – Bull and bear by Zimmermann – This mural was intended as a homage to Frankfurt and painted as part of the “Museum on the Street” crowdfunding project.
- Friedensbrücke, 60327 Frankfurt am Main, Germany – Friedensbrücke open-air gallery – The open-air gallery is located under the Friedensbrücke road. It’s a skate park that’s constantly changing thanks to showcasing many murals and graffiti from different artists.
- Frankfurt City Ghosts – Be on the lookout for City Ghost graffiti all over the city. You can find it on trash cans, train stations, building walls, or power boxes. The most impressive City Ghosts mural can be seen on Berger Str. 10, 60316 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
- Waldschmidtstr 19, 60316 Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt, Germany – Colorful Eagle by the Naxos Atelier crew. The fantastic work covers the entire back wall of the Casino Royal.
- Leunastraße 19, 65929 Frankfurt am Main, Germany – Kulturbunker Höchst is an air raid shelter with a massive wall of over 19,000 square feet (1800 square meters). The wall is covered with an awesome graffiti mural made by ECB, Shok1 (London), Mick La Rock (Amsterdam), Dingo, Rake, and others.
- 60314 Frankfurt, Germany – Incredible mural called Flying Horses and Running Hands by Case Ma’Claim in Ostbahnhof station.
- Kleinmarkthalle – along the north side (at the Kleinmarkthalle / parallel to Töngesgasse), you can see 120 meters (393 feet) of graffiti decorating the wall.
- Melibocusstraße 86 in Frankfurt, Germany – a massive mural on Tony Yeboah’s house. This painting of the former professional footballer, Tony Yeboah, is a potent symbol against xenophobia and racism.
Lisbon, Portugal
The traditional cobblestone designs and the tile-covered façades of Lisbon are not the only attractions of its open-air gallery. Street art also adds to the beauty of the Portuguese capital, which is now known for street art by artists like Vhils and Bordalo II, that work around the globe.
Where To See Street Art In Lisbon
- Behind the cathedral, on Travessa das Merceeiras – Carved faces by Vhils (real name is Alexandre Farto) – just a few feet from the Memmo Alfama Hotel. (Add a link to the hotel on booking).
- Panorâmico de Monsanto, Estrada da Bela Vista, Lisbon, Portugal – A portrait of Marielle Franco done as part of the Scratching the Surface project. In March last year, Marielle Franco, one of our time’s most significant human rights advocates, was murdered in Rio de Janeiro.
- Tribute to Fado diva Amália Rodrigues – this time Vhils used the traditional cobblestone pavement. found on Calçada do Menino Deus.
- On the side of 65 of Calçada de Santa Apolóni, Lisbon, Portugal, you can see Poseidon, the god of the sea by PichiAvo.
Athenes, Greece
In the last years, the abandoned buildings and obscured roads of Athens have been covered with street art.
Through street art, the artists express their social and political views. Although street art is considered illegal in Greece, some shop and property owners ask the artists to paint their shops. Even the municipality of Athens has commissioned some of them to paint some buildings.
Nowadays, you can find street art in almost every neighborhood. Still, the majority is available in Psyri, Monastiraki, and Exarchia.
Read the Athens guide to learn more.
Where To See Street Art In Athens
Psyri Neighborhood
The Psyri (Also called Psyrri, Psiri) area had a make-over before the 2004 Olympics. It’s now one of the most trendy areas in the center of Athens with tastefully designed bars, restaurants, and art galleries. Walk around the area and find many murals and graffiti.
As there is a lot to see, I recommend taking a guided walking tour to see the best street art in Athens.
If you’re with kids and preffer to expirience and not just see, check out this Graffiti Workshop and Tote Bag Painting Experience.
If you want to walk on your own, try these spots:
- Riga Palamidou street – almost all the buildings in the street are covered with constantly changing graffiti.
- Sarri street – you’ll find a lot of graffiti all over and some very nice murals. Don’t miss the side streets leading to Sarri, like Epikourou, offering more murals and street art.
- The corner of Sarri and Riga Palamidou – you’ll see the famous “Riot Dog” mural. Keep walking along Riga Palamidou and see many other street arts.
- Sarri 38, Athens – A massive mural by INO, painted on the side of The Foundry Hotel, called “Breaking barriers of equality”.
Check out our Psyri travel guide to learn more about the area.
Gazi Neighborhood
- Pireos and Ermou streets – you find several buildings covered in amazing murals that change once in a while. That includes the Old Depot OSY building. An abandoned bus station transformed into events, festivals, and exhibition space.
- Main road of Peiraios – several walls covered with several pieces by different artists, including INO.
- Down the road, at Pireos 105, you’ll see a wall with two pieces. One is called “Access Control” by Avia and INO, and another by Murals in Aiva.
- Voutadon 51 street – “Make Love Not War” Mural by Billy Gee.
You can find a lot more amazing street art in Athens. Check out these neighborhoods: Exarchia Neighborhood, Anafiotika Neighborhood, Metaxourgeio district, and Neos Kosmos Neighborhood. For more info, check out this post dedicated to Athens street art.
Berlin, London, and Barcelona are among the top cities famous for their vibrant street art scenes.
Yes, many cities offer guided street art tours, providing insights into the art and its creators.
In many popular street art locations, you can often see artists creating new works, especially in areas known for live art events.
Buy a compatible power adapter for your trip