Barcelona is one of the best cities in Europe for street art. Murals, stencils, paste-ups and painted rubbish show up all over the city, and new works appear every week. Here are five neighbourhoods where you are almost guaranteed to find something.
1. El Born
The narrow streets around the Picasso Museum and Santa Maria del Mar are full of shop shutters, doors and corners covered with art. El Born is also where you have a good chance of finding a piece by Art Is Trash, the artist who paints on furniture and rubbish left next to the bins.
2. Gothic Quarter
Between the cathedral and the Rambla, small stencils and stickers hide on old stone walls. Look up and look down: some of the best pieces are tiny. In the evening, when people put out their old things, the Gothic Quarter becomes a gallery for street art made from trash.
3. El Raval
Around the MACBA, the Museum of Contemporary Art, skaters, painters and students share the square. The side streets have large murals and constantly changing walls.
4. Poblenou
The old industrial district by the sea has warehouses, long walls and space for big murals. Many artists have their studios here, and Poblenou plays a big part in the story of Francisco de Pájaro, the man behind Art Is Trash. Read his story in our portrait of Art Is Trash.
5. Gràcia
Gràcia feels like a village inside the city. Its small squares and shutters are a favourite spot for local painters, especially during the summer street festival in August.
Tips for your street art walk
- Go in the evening or early morning: street pieces on rubbish may be gone by noon.
- Take photos, but respect the people who live there.
- Want to keep a piece of Barcelona street art? Look at prints or original canvases by Art Is Trash.
- Follow @artistrash on Instagram to see where he painted last night.
More photos and stories: browse the label barcelona street art here on the blog.
