Barcelona and Madrid, European benchmarks for graffiti and muralism
30 July, 2025The rise of street art has transformed streets and walls across Europe into open-air galleries. According to a compilation by TUI Musement based on Instagram posts, ten European cities are positioned as benchmarks of this urban expression. Barcelona and Madrid are among the most popular, with over 430,000 and 147,000 publications respectively.
In Barcelona, street art flourishes in the Raval, the Gothic Quarter and Poblenou, where old factories have been converted into street canvases. Banksy fans should make a stop at the Moco Museum, which dedicates an exhibition to his work and techniques.
Madrid, meanwhile, offers an unmissable route through Lavapiés, where the walls of La Tabacalera boast large-scale murals. Malasaña, with its alternative atmosphere, completes the capital’s artistic circuit. Both cities consolidate their tourist attraction through street art, which not only beautifies the neighbourhoods but also generates a new type of cultural tourism linked to urban creativity.