The pros and cons of the Street Art tour

Fascinating and authentic, alternative and local, extravagant and challenging – just a selection of the recommendations used to promote Street Art tours by various organizations. From 'walking tour' to 'bike tour', combined with a 'coffee to go' or a genuine 'Street Food Experience', viewing the art by Segway or lazily from a golf cart; the street art tour has become an indispensable part of the range of tourist attractions at home and abroad.

It will not have escaped anyone's notice that street art has become an integral part of the cultural identities of cities worldwide. The art form, which has long since transcended the status of a trend, is now widely used for city marketing . For instance, street art murals can give newly developed areas a creative boost, make disadvantaged neighborhoods more attractive, and connect neighborhoods and residents. And through street art routes, the city gains a dynamic and contemporary open-air museum.

Whether you ride a Segway past the murals of the East side Gallery in Berlin or take part in a street art tour in Hawaii on a hoverboard, it is certain that every city has its own unique street art experience.

About the street art tours in all its forms will this one blog we will also highlight the street art initiatives in a number of cities. What kind of tours are offered in the Netherlands? Are the routes only found in the city or also in the provinces? What about the street art tours in the rest of Europe and beyond? And what role do these tours, as a cultural product of a creative city, have on its residents and the public outdoor space?

Street Art tours in the Netherlands

Numerous street art tours are offered in the Netherlands. Every relatively large city now has one or more tours, each with its own theme or character. To give you a good overview, you will find a breakdown per province below - and yes, every province is represented!

Looking for miniatures in Friesland

Every province in the Netherlands has its own specialties when it comes to street art tours. To start with, the province of Friesland. In Leeuwarden, with a route map in hand, you can go in search of the almost invisible miniatures by local artist Michel Tilma. At the time of writing, the Miniature People project features 49 small scenes at 38 different locations throughout the city. The route is appealing to young and old and was created in collaboration with A Guide to Leeuwarden . During the spring and summer months, they also organize a 'Free Tour' that tells participants more about the history of Leeuwarden through various murals and other forms of street art.

A musical street art tour in Groningen

The Province of Groningen, in collaboration with the Groninger Museum, is offering a musical street art tour. The multimedia walking and cycling tour takes you past street art and graffiti murals in the city and features, in addition to background information about the artists, musical accompaniment selected by Thijs de Vlieger (Noisia) and Frank Post (Posij). You can start the city walk at any time and from any location using your own phone and earphones. The speakers you will hear during the audio tour are Aileen Middel ( known as graffiti artist Mick la Rock) and Rayvano Sabajo (rapper and spoken word artist). Slightly more traditional in nature is the walking route compiled by the ANWB. This eight-kilometer route past large and small murals is easy to follow via the Eropuit app.

Street art with information via QR codes in Flevoland

Flevoland has recently also gained a number of street art routes. The tour in Lelystad consists of six murals in the Stadshart and three in the Lelycentre and can be easily followed using the SMARTIFY: Museum & art guide app. By scanning the QR codes that have been placed next to the murals, you will learn a little more about the history of the city, the flora and fauna and the surrounding environment, in addition to information about the artwork and the maker himself. Almere is now also a number of walls – and therefore also a street art route – richer. The imposing works of Fanakapan, Hugo Kaagman and NEAN Kingdom can be found via the ANWB Eropuit app, just like in Groningen.

Graffiti art in the former zoo Emmen

In Drenthe, you can book a street art walking tour on Saturdays and Sundays at the former zoo in Emmen. Graffiti artists from the Netherlands and Belgium have completely transformed the old, grey elephant enclosure into a colorful spectacle. The more than 2500 square meters of sprayed surfaces in and around the enclosure make this location something special.

Street art via downloadable route booklet

In the province of Overijssel, you can download a route booklet from the Street Art Streets website that shows you a number of special murals in Deventer.

With a city guide along murals and street poetry in Utrecht

During the 'Greetings from Utrecht' tour, you will walk past a large number of murals that the city boasts, as well as highlights of the Utrecht graffiti scene and other forms of street art such as poems, illegally placed figurines, and street haikus. A local city guide will take you along the street art in Utrecht and tell you about the background of the works and the artists. Through the murals, you will also learn more about the history of the city and the diverse neighborhoods of Utrecht. Want to know more about street art in Utrecht ? Check out the related article ' Street art in the neighborhoods of Utrecht ' for information about the various Utrecht neighborhoods and the murals to discover.

Graffiti murals & street art in North Holland

In North Holland, the larger cities offer various options. In Amsterdam, organizations such as SAMA (Street Art Museum Amsterdam), Alltournative, or RUA (Reflexo on Urban Art) offer walking tours that highlight a specific area of ​​the city. SAMA focuses primarily on outdoor art in Amsterdam West and, in addition to two online routes, also offers private walks for a fee. RUA focuses mainly on the enormous painted walls of apartment buildings in Amsterdam Southeast and collaborates with Alltournative , which also offers a walking tour of the NDSM Wharf or a bike tour through other parts of the capital. In Amsterdam North, the NDSM Wharf is a real hotspot for outdoor artists and street artists. Looking for hidden gems yourself? Read more about the history of street art in Amsterdam before you head out.

Street Art routes in South Holland

Over the past few years, local, national, and international artists have contributed to the street art tour of the platform The Hague Street Art . You can walk or cycle this free do-it-yourself tour (the detailed route map is available online). It leads you through the Binckhorst art district and the Segbroek district of The Hague, where nearly forty large artworks in public spaces form a public gallery.

Rotterdam offers walking or cycling routes through various parts of the city via the Rewriters app. In this form, the routes can be experienced individually or in small groups, and the app is now completely free! If you want to book a tour for groups (minimum fifteen people) or with an educational purpose, you can choose from twelve routes that you walk together with a guide. Not finished yet street art in Rotterdam? In the blog 'Street art in Rotterdam, from the past to the present' we tell you some fun (and for most still unknown) facts.

And in the South Holland city of Dordrecht, you can also download a free online street art route . For those who prefer not to head out with a phone in hand, a paper version of the route is available at the Dordrecht Tourist Information Office. More information about the street art tour in Dordrecht can be found on the InDordrecht website.

View Zeeland murals with the ANWB Eropuit app

In Zeeland you can open the ANWB Eropuit app again. This walking route takes you past Zeeland girls, cats and pigeons dozens of meters high, made by national and international artists.

Colorful silos and walls in Gelderland

In Gelderland, in addition to a regular tour, Arnhem Life has put together a Self-Guided Street Art Quiz Tour , in which you compete against your friends, family, or colleagues. If you prefer viewing art while enjoying a bite to eat and a drink, then the Street Art & High Beer Tour might be just the thing for you – you guessed it: during this tour, you view Arnhem's beautiful murals together with a street art expert , accompanied by a beer sommelier who also takes you to a number of breweries. Afterwards, you settle down at a cozy location for a 'High Beer'. Various beers are sampled, and naturally, this is accompanied by various tasty snacks.

The Silo Art Tour in the Achterhoek proves that the street art tour is not limited to urban areas , where silos and barns have been transformed into outdoor artworks. The tour was specifically developed to strengthen the cultural identity and livability of this region. Works by Zenkone, Dopie, TelmoMiel, Paul Wieggers, and Smates, among others, can be found in Doetinchem, Bronkhorst-Hengelo, Lochem, Sinderen, Aalten, and Winterswijk. These are beautiful places that you, as a resident of the Randstad, might not visit so readily, but which receive an extra (tourist) boost thanks to the artworks created.

DIY and guided tours in North Brabant

In recent years, the province of Brabant has clearly focused on street art in the urban landscape. In Eindhoven, you can enjoy a three-hour bike tour that takes you past hotspots such as the Berenkuil, where the annual “Step in the Arena” festival is held; hip Strijp-S – a cultural breeding ground on the former industrial site of the Philips group; and Woensel-West – this former Philips working-class neighborhood has been transformed into a modern, colorful, and hip district, where you even visit a street art hotel.

Oddly enough, Den Bosch is not yet equipped with an official street art tour, even though there is plenty to see and tell. Consider the area around the Tramkade and the beautiful grain silos on the grounds of the former Verkade factory. Or the twenty-three containers in public spaces that have been adorned with street art at the initiative of the Kings of Color Foundation. Of course, what isn't there yet may still come.

Tilburg, on the other hand, offers you a complete package including the Urban Street Art tour . You can follow this tour by city scooter, bicycle, or on foot. After booking, you pick up the scooter or bicycle at the Mercure Hotel in the city center, and upon departure, you will also receive a well-stocked 'Borrel To Go' bag for the road. You can get a drink at various bars and restaurants by showing your route map.

Street art enthusiasts will also find plenty to enjoy in Breda. From April through October, you can join the Blind Walls Gallery Tour every last Sunday of the month. During a one-and-a-half-hour walking tour, the guide will tell you all the ins and outs of the murals. Would you prefer to view the murals in Breda on another day? Then you can also explore on your own using the map on the Blind Walls Gallery website . Please note that Breda features more than a hundred works, so you will likely have to make choices.

City walks along the street art murals of Heerlen

In Limburg, you can't ignore Heerlen. Heerlen, the city that has literally gained a distinctive 'face' thanks to its many street art murals , offers not only several guided city walks but also a DIY tour using the ENNE guide and an online tour. With just a few taps on your screen, you can walk through various spaces (optionally with a VR headset) of Gallery Encore, where murals are presented with a healthy dose of street credibility. Also check out our previously written article, ' The murals of Heerlen as a large open-air museum, ' for more information about street art in Heerlen.

Selling 'Streetness' as an experience in an 'Urban destination'

As you have read above, the street art tour is ubiquitous in the Netherlands. Street art in the form of murals has gained a significant level of institutional approval and is eagerly utilized for various reasons by local private developers, city councils, galleries, and other cultural institutions. Could the street art tour also have contributed to legitimizing and constructing this art form?

There is no doubt that the walking tours influence the urban character of a city. Take as an example the street art route with the theme: 'Off the beaten track'. This tour takes you to places you would normally not go so quickly. These are neighborhoods with their own character. These can be places where mainly the local population enjoys themselves or a neighborhood that has been designated by the municipality to make it more attractive and safer. In the favorable case, such a neighborhood will improve; in the worse case, these neighborhoods (where no 'tour tourists' used to stay) also lose a bit of their authenticity.

Street art as city marketing?

Where do the boundaries lie when it comes to using street art for city marketing ? The app model is perhaps the best, because least burdensome, solution. Art lovers have a route and decide for themselves which works they want to see, how long they walk around a neighborhood, and who they go out with. The digital guide can be turned on or off as desired, and it does not result in large groups of tourists standing at the ready with their phones to snap a picture. This is the most favorable scenario. The worst-case scenario results in hordes of tourists in small streets where the local population has to close their curtains to prevent prying eyes.

Fortunately, things are not that far in the Netherlands (yet), unlike Shoreditch, for example. This neighborhood in 'London's East End' was known as a deprived area – full of empty warehouses, factories and workers' homes. If you had no business there you walked around it with a wide berth. Now Shoreditch is completely devoted to Street Art tourism. Every hour, different tours depart from various street corners, taking hordes of tourists in tow. And this is where it really starts to wring a bit.

As a global citizen and an art lover, you would rather not trudge through a city like a stereotypical tourist. To avoid being too much of a burden to the local population, you should at least move through the city a bit 'streetwise' and like a normal city user. Furthermore, this tour experience actually deprives you of the opportunity to individually discover what the street has to offer as a museum. Moreover, after a year of research in London, it has been established that the tours not only go to where the street art is, but also vice versa; the street art goes to where the tours are.

Mass tourism vs. 'artist guided' tours by locals

Perhaps the so-called 'Artist Guide' as in Paris offers the solution. This tour offers an alternative view of all the must-see works of art in the Louvre Museum. During your museum visit, a specialized guide will tell the story behind the original works of art from the permanent collection and show you (digital) street artworks inspired by them. These are iconic contemporary examples from all over the world, each of which has its own story.

For those who would rather actually take to the streets to view the murals , there is a great selection from the organizers of Street Art-tour Paris . These dedicated artists and guides are also the creators of the original concept at the Louvre. They are part of the local artist community and are happy to share their knowledge and insights into the Parisian art scene. The tours take place in the artistic district of Belleville or allow you to discover Vitry-sur-Seine – the street art capital of France.

If you would prefer to see the XXL murals of the 13th arrondissement by Segway or learn how the street art in Montmartre came to be, that is of course also an option; there are plenty of choices in the city of love. You can even book a tour of the remarkable works along the Canal de l'Ourcq.

Street art tours in Belgium, Germany and other European countries

If you want to take a street art tour in Belgium, you can indulge yourself in various cities such as Antwerp, Ghent, Hasselt, Brussels, and Ostend. Antwerp combines street art with street food. During the walk, you will discover the different aspects of street art , from small hidden spots you might easily walk past to the grand masterpieces by international artists. You will stop twice along the way for an exotic bite and end at a nice terrace where you can enjoy a drink. For example, take a look at the ' street art street food tour '.

In Ghent, the extensive Concrete Canvas tour is highly recommended. You can take this tour independently or with a guide. In Brussels, a street art tour awaits comic book enthusiasts. For a small fee, you can purchase a paper map at the local tourist office marking murals of Belgian and international comic book heroes. Hasselt, not far from the Dutch border, offers various self-guided routes. And in Ostend, you can visit over 70 street art artworks using the comprehensive map in The Crystal Ship app.

Urban Straßenkunst in Germany

Of all European capitals, Berlin seems to be the city with the most street art tours. That is not surprising if you know a little about the city's urban art history. In Berlin, street art began on the Berlin Wall. The separation between East and West quickly became a place for artists to express their ideas and frustrations. The wall became an outlet. Along a section of this wall is now the East Side Gallery, the longest remaining stretch of the Berlin Wall. This large open-air gallery is 1,3 km long and features 118 works by artists of no fewer than 22 different nationalities. Check out some street art routes in Berlin.

One of the most iconic pieces to be found there is the 'kiss of friendship' between Leonid Brezhnev and Erich Honecker. Today, a sense of artistic honesty still prevails in the city. Hard messages and striking imagery populate almost every street corner. Whether walking with a local guide, cycling, or riding a Segway, you will have a unique urban experience. In addition to the somewhat obvious East Side Gallery, the 'Alternative Berlin' art tour focuses primarily on the Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg districts. As you make your way through the city, look out for iconic tags and throw-ups by Berlin's largest street art team: 1UP.

Modern street art in Imperial Vienna

Vienna is a strong competitor to Berlin. Thanks to the many street art murals in diverse neighborhoods, you learn to appreciate the imperial city in a different light. Whether it is a tour past the many city murals on both sides of the Danube Canal or in one of the interesting suburbs, Vienna is certainly not lagging behind when it comes to urban art and murals. Big names in the scene such as ROA, Blu, Stink Fish, and Shepard Fairey discovered the city long ago. In addition, the rapidly growing local Viennese street art scene is perhaps leaving an even bigger mark on the city by now, with names like Nycos, Frau Isa, Friend, Deadbeat Hero, and Skirl. The street art murals in Vienna can be discovered, among other ways, by means of a private walking tour.

København street art district

Those interested in a street art tour in Copenhagen can choose from various options. In the Nørrebro district, with the Bolshefabrikken, you find yourself in the largest open-air graffiti museum Copenhagen currently has to offer. It is a non-commercial area where many non-profit organizations and cultural associations are housed behind the graffiti walls. Additionally, tours in the Vesterbro district and the free state of Christiania are also available.

Tours outside Europe – New York, Miami, Hawaii and Canada

In New York there are several organizations that have committed to giving certain parts of the city a colorful boost; the 'Bushwick Collective' in Brooklyn and 'The LISA Project' in Manhattan. Bushwick has long been a neighborhood with major social problems and today is clearly a lot rougher than the rest of New York. What started as a small-scale project to revitalize the neighborhood has developed into the 'Bushwick Collective' with annual block parties. Such parties (the birthplace of hip hop in the 70s) are literally celebrated on the street and are intended to bring the residents of a neighborhood or 'block' together.

The Bushwick neighborhood has gradually transformed into an open-air museum for everyone to enjoy. Legendary names in the street art world such as Blek le Rat, Banksy, Shepard Fairey, and Tristan Eaton, as well as famous local artists like Sara Erenthal, whose work can be seen throughout the city, have supported this organization, and visitors from all over the world are more than welcome. The free-to-pay-what-you-want tour starts daily from the Northeast corner of Wyckoff Avenue & Starr Street.

The Little Italy Street Art Project in NYC

'The LISA Project NYC' (Little Italy Street Art Project) focuses primarily on the walls of 'Lower Manhattan'. The large cast-iron buildings in SoHo, the barracks of the Lower East Side, the bustling streets of Chinatown, and the cozy streets of Little Italy serve as canvases for the towering murals of the LISA Street Art Tour . You will be amazed at how beautifully the graffiti art combines with these buildings.

The Coney Island Walls tour

A very special experience is the Coney Island Walls tour. Street art is literally combined with entertainment on this tour. The Coney Island amusement park in the Brooklyn neighborhood of the same name has been known for its attractions since 1903. Over time, the lunapark has grown into a true entertainment center full of spectacular attractions and now also features street art. The project, which started in 2015, now has 68 large murals. These are located between the attractions of the amusement park.

Coney Art Walls has brought together some of the best artists to offer visitors an art experience alongside the rides you expect in an amusement park. Imagine this tour as enjoying a roller coaster ride one moment and then viewing the large murals of this vast open-air museum the next. From New York's finest, such as Lee Quiñones, who laid the foundation for 'Wild Style,' to the Gypsy with Stallions by Miss Van from France—street art enthusiasts are sure to find something to their liking here.

The Wynwood project in Miami

In Miami you have the opportunity to view street art from a golf cart. Driving around with a guide, this experience may be a bit like the experience (as described above) in the amusement park. It will certainly be busy – the Wynwood district, where you can book this tour, has actually been completely taken over by Street Art tourism, just like London's Shoreditch district. The early years of the Wynwood project were really focused on the art itself. Wide streets full of warehouses, breweries and factories with large empty wall surfaces were ideal for the large murals. The founder of the Wynwood Walls project had it right when he set out in 2009 to breathe new life into this forgotten part of Miami through art. In recent years, Wynwood has been overrun by crowds of people wandering the open-air museum streets. Be warned: taking a picture of the artworks without people on them will be tricky!

Montreal's walks on the wild side tour

The Walks on the Wild Side tour in Montreal focuses primarily on the alleys and streets of 'The Plateau', a neighborhood in the Eastern Canadian city with the highest concentration of street art. Many of the city's less obvious spots—alleys, doorways, and abandoned city lots, for example—hide the most beautiful treasures. A street art tour is certainly worthwhile, as the work of talented street artists like MissMe, Chris Dyer, Stikki Peaches, Futur Lasor Now, 52hz, Stela+, and Philippe Mastrocola is not always easy to find.

The immense murals of Hawaii

Finally, Hawaii. Hawaii is probably not the first place you think of when it comes to a street art tour , but it is definitely 'the place to be' for lovers of this art form. Since the launch of the POW! WOW! festival, which was first held in 2011 in the Kaka'ako District in Honolulu, the street art tour has rightly become a 'must do' according to various platforms. Hawaii boasts a total of 387 murals, 347 of which are located in Honolulu. It is probably not the most obvious city trip, but should you head that way, the Hoverboard tour in Honolulu is highly recommended. You glide past the immense murals on your self-balancing hoverboard with a select group (maximum 6 participants).

Summary and conclusion

Whether you are riding a Segway past the graffiti murals of the East Side Gallery in Berlin or joining a street art/food tour in Antwerp on foot, it is certain that every city has its own unique street art culture. In Montreal, the best works are graffiti-driven and somewhat more hidden. Vienna celebrates many homegrown artists. The murals in Rotterdam, as well as those in New York and Amsterdam, seek connection, and the array of murals in Miami and Honolulu has become so extensive that you almost have to visit them by golf cart or hoverboard.

Coming back to the question of whether the street art tour ultimately contributed to legitimizing and constructing this art form. The answer to this is yes – often when developing street art a neighborhood or municipality works with a certain theme and with a tour to be set up in mind. Sometimes residents from the neighborhood have a say or a multi-day street art festival takes place with a specific theme. It depends on the organization how free the artists are in their performance. Does this 'restriction' fit with the character of outdoor art, which originally cannot be defined by rules and fixed frameworks? In our view, the answer to that is; Yes and no.

Street art has now become institutionalized. Many artists started on the streets and gradually evolved into true ' muralists '. These autodidacts, each with a carefully developed personal style and working method, often began in the classic graffiti scene and subsequently grew with it. With their murals, they form the foundation of this young, eye-catching art form, which tour operators are so eagerly embracing and which entertains a rapidly growing audience.

Want to know more about the street art tours?

Do you have any questions after reading this article or do you want to know more about the street art tours? Please feel free to contact one of our specialists. We wish you a lot of fun discovering the colorful murals, surprising outdoor art and 3D illusions. Don't forget to bring your camera for a nice #streetartselfie and don't miss out on this one blog another tour that you think should definitely be mentioned? Let us know!