Tag: Street Art

Hello, fellow street art lover! Here are some of my favorite examples of street art from the ten months Steve and I spent in Latin America in 2019. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Perhaps you have seen some of these and they will bring back happy memories.

Medellin, Colombia

We loved this city of eternal spring for many reasons including the street art. The best places to see a wide variety of great street art is District 13.  This district has gone from the most dangerous area in the most dangerous city in the world to an area of hope and inspiration. The first five photos are from District 13.

The next two murals were found in other parts of the city.

The beautiful and abundant street art is not the only reason we fell in love with Medellin. Read about “10 Things to Love About Medellin, Colombia.”

Cartagena, Colombia

The best place to see a lot of street art in Cartagena is in the Getsemani neighborhood (Barrio Getsemani). This once-gritty section of the city is now pulsing with artistic life.

As Steve and I were taking in the sights on a hot day we noticed that many people had their windows and front doors open. On one street we stopped to admire a cat and the next thing I knew Steve was in some man’s front room. He had invited Steve in to see his cat.

I love the sentiment on this one, don’t you?

Just a 15 or 20 minute walk from Getsemani is Old Town. You can see some cool art here too. These women hang around outside the Tabaco y Ron Cocktail Bar. Ron is Spanish for rum!

Also in Old Town, in a square in front of Iglesia de San Pedro Claver, you can see several whimsical metal sculptures that invoke simpler times.

Lima, Peru

Just like the two cities above, Lima has an area that is brimming with street art. Here it is the Barranco District. We didn’t spend nearly enough time in this area, even so, we found some outstanding specimens.

One of my favorites because I’m a sucker for vibrant colors:

Here are a few murals from other parts of the city:

Galapagos Island, Ecuador

Ok, no one goes to the Galapagos Islands to see street art. But we were happy to find these murals along with a few others in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristobal Island.

Jardin Ceramica

If you find yourself in Puerto Ayora in Santa Cruz Island and you have some free time you can visit the unique Jardin Ceramica. A path from the road leads to a wall covered with colorful and whimsical mosaics. There are also several free-standing structures decorated with tile.

The garden runs along a tree-lined path. It was created by Cristina Nelson Gallardo. While we were enjoying it a man introduced himself to us. He said he was her brother and that she is now deceased. He told us of his efforts to keep the garden available for all who wish to enjoy it.

To enter the garden just walk under the huge ceramic dragon arch. There is no charge.

Cuenca, Ecuador

This thought-provoking mural was on a very busy street near the Museo Pumapungo and the Ruinas de Pumapungo. Interestingly this street was heavily traveled by buses that spewed out so much exhaust that Steve had to wear a mask to prevent throat irritation (this was pre-COVID-19).

Panama City, Panama

This fella was hanging around enjoying life near the edge of Casco Viejo.

San Jose, Costa Rica

This flower pot and many like it brightened a section of Calle 11 between Avenida 1 and Avenida 3 in downtown San Jose.

Several blocks away these three guys tried to make beautiful music. Unfortunately they were a little rusty.

Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

We saw this cute and colorful welcome pole in the gritty but yet charming beach town of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca (puerto viejo means old port) on the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica.

Jaco, Costa Rica

More bright colors. This time in the Pacific Coast beach town of Jaco.

The End of the Journey

I hope you enjoyed these street art specimens. Which one is your favorite?

You may want to check out “European Street Art to Fuel Your Wanderlust.”

If you enjoy cat and dog photos, “20 Captivating Cats From Around the World” and “24 Delightful Dog Photos From Around the World” will put a smile on your face.

If you are curious about what it costs to travel long-term in Latin America be sure to read “Wind and Whim’s 2019 Full-Time Travel Costs – Latin America.”

Healthy and Happy Traveling,
Linda

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Do you love to turn a corner and see something unexpected? I sure do. That is why I love street art. It may be beautiful, weird, thought-provoking, or whimsical, but it always feels like a gift.

These are 24 of my favorite examples of European street art from our first year of full-time travel listed by city. I have also put the location where possible and the date. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Paris, France

We didn’t discover the next three murals until the last day of our Paris stay on a walk in the 19th arrondissement.

This big cat is one of my favorites:

Can’t help loving this one too:

I’m not sure what it is this lizard is trying to catch, but I hope he got it:

And this girl was just hanging out in the 10th arrondissement:

Plovdiv, Bulgaria

When deciding where to visit in Bulgaria we read that Plovdiv, the second largest city, was preferred over the capital of Sofia.

Plovdiv is the oldest continually inhabited city in Europe (8,000 years, can you imagine?) The city is full of ancient ruins including a Roman amphitheater that is still in use.

The first two murals were found in the Kapana district, a revitalized arts and crafts section of Plovdiv.

Talk about side-eye. What did the gramophone do to her?

This regal guy was in an underground passageway. The lion is the national animal of Bulgaria. The colors behind him represent the Bulgarian flag.

• The next three murals were found in the Central District (Centyra).

Apparently, she was studying way too hard:

And she definitely wasn’t:

Sometimes you need a little creepiness in your life:

Sofia, Bulgaria

Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria. We hadn’t planned to visit here but had to go there to fly to Portugal. While we didn’t enjoy it as much as Plovdiv, it was definitely worth a visit.

This colorful fella is protecting the Oberishte district of Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia.

I’m pretty sure he was helping the lion by keeping an eagle eye on the Oberishte district.

Wouldn’t you love to know the story behind this mural in the Sredets district of Sofia?

Lisbon, Portugal

Another one of my favorites. It’s hard to believe this beautiful creature is made of trash. You can find him near the Belem Cultural Center.

Learn more about the artist, Bordalo II, and his Attero Exhibition here.

I love the bright colors of this mural in the Cais do Sodre district:

Another Cais do Sodre beauty:

We found the next mural at the LX Factory. This area was an industrial complex that has been repurposed as a trendy area full of restaurants, bars, and shops. If you head there be sure to visit the bookstore Ler Devagar.

This girl and her teddy bear hang out in the Alges Parish:

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona was our first stop as newly-minted nomads. There was so much to take in and street art wasn’t high on the list. That just means we’ll have to go back.

Storefront shutters are often decorated. Here we see Betty Boop and her dog Bimbo.

While not officially street art, I couldn’t resist adding this sign we spotted strolling around the Gracia neighborhood.

Discover “6 Things You Should Know Before Visiting Barcelona.”

Bucharest, Romania

This mural’s awkward location made it hard to get a good photo, but don’t you just love the bright colors?

Aveiro, Portugal

Aveiro is a small city on the west coast of Portugal about 160 miles (253 km) north of Lisbon. You will be charmed by the canals and the colorful boats called moliceiro.

Another one that isn’t officially street art (maybe canal art?). This is one example of the artwork that graces the molicereiro. Most are not so risque.

Here is one of the few examples of street art we found in Aveiro:

Lagos, Portugal

Located in the Algarve region in Southern Portugal, Lagos is famous for its rock formations.

These are the largest snails I’ve ever seen:

Cascais, Portugal

Cascais is a resort town west of Lisbon. It makes a good day trip from Lisbon or from the captivating town of Sintra.

Why does this painting always make me think of frozen fish?

That’s All Folks

I hope you enjoyed these examples of European street art. Maybe you will see some of them first hand or maybe you already have.

For more cool street art check out “Latin American Street Art to Fuel Your Wanderlust.”

If you love cat and dog photos, check out “20 Captivating Cats From Around the World” and “24 Delightful Dog Photos From Around the World.”

If you’re curious about what it costs to travel in Europe full-time check our “Wind and Whim’s 2018 Full-Time Travel Costs: Europe.”

Happy Traveling,
Linda

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