Porto's Painted Walls: A Deep Dive into the City's Vibrant Street Art Scene
If you ever thought that street art is all graffiti or large scale brash coloured murals, I would have been in good company with you, that is until recently, when I visited Porto for a long weekend. Having never visited, and with nearly a whole day to explore all on my own, I decided to look for something a little bit unusual to do, that would show me something of the city I might not have otherwise found. Browsing the ‘With Locals’ website I came across a Joao and his ‘Cool street art of Porto’, the description of which seemed to be exactly what I was looking for.
If you have never come across ‘with locals’ website before, I can highly recommend it. If you are visiting a new location, and would like a knowledgeable local to guide you to show you the less touristic side, or experience something like the food, history or culture its great. I have now had fantastic experiences in both Paris and Porto.
Now, I have to admit, I thought I knew something of street art having explored Arnhem near me. However, it turned out I had so much to learn, and Joao my guide, was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic, the two hours I explored the city with him disappeared as I was amazed at how hidden and understated some of the art is. I was lucky that Joao actually knows many of the artists personally, so knows the stories behind their work. This added such layers of depth to the experience. So where possible, I will include links to each artist to show my appreciation for their work. I will also add a link to Joao’s With Locals web page at the end of the article, as I highly recommend him as a guide if you are in the city.
Porto is Portugal’s second-largest city, is famous for its port wine (no explanation needed), its six bridges that span the Douro River and the most delicious sweet custard filled pastry; pastel de nata. However, over the last two decades, it’s also emerged as one of Europe’s most dynamic cities for street art. The once-conservative, granite-clad city has become a sprawling open-air gallery where historic facades are reimagined with colour, commentary, and creativity. From politically-charged stencils to sweeping murals several stories high, Porto’s streets tell a visual story of resistance, identity, and transformation.
Ines Peres (left) and Arisca (right)
A Brief History of Street Art in Porto
While graffiti culture began to take hold in Porto during the late 1980s and early 1990s, it remained largely underground for years, with artists operating in the shadows, facing both legal and social stigma. This era of anonymous tagging and protest art coincided with the post-dictatorship years in Portugal, when political expression was still finding new outlets after decades of repression.
The early 2000s brought a cultural shift. Porto’s city council began to embrace the idea of urban art as a form of public engagement rather than mere vandalism. Community-led initiatives, art festivals, and even commissioned works started appearing on city walls. The tipping point came when local authorities recognized the value of street art not just as social commentary, but as a tourism and cultural development asset.
This is the first piece of Street art commissioned by the city in 2013. The intention was for it only to ever to be temporary, however every few months as it was reviewed for removal, it remained. In 2025 when I visited, it looks fresh and sharp. It was painted to blend harmoniously with its surroundings, and the Don Quixote story it depicts is picked up by the artists and used as a statement ‘to carry on doing what you believe in, regardless of what others may think of you or say’.
This 150 square-meter collaborative work is by FEDOR, MEST, and MOTS. The first image shows it in its entirety, the second shows the sympathetic choice of colours used in the piece to blend it with the surrounding environment.
Now, murals are welcomed, and in many cases, officially sanctioned. Yet, the city's street art remains rooted in its rebellious spirit—often challenging societal norms, government policy, or even the gentrification the art itself is helping to fuel.
Porto’s Most Influential Street Artists
As I toured Porto with Joao, he explained the pieces of street art, their creators, but also the concepts and ideas behind the works. I had no idea of the political messages that lay behind so many of the pieces. What also amazed me, was the size (or lack of) in so many of the works. Blink and you could miss them. It was some of the smallest pieces that I found intriguing. I would have previously passed them by without a second glance. However, after my accompanied walk, I suddenly noticed them all over the city. An ongoing treasure hunt – what a joy.
This tiny piece for example by Douwannart I found on a corner of a wall – very inconspicuous, and nothing like what I thought street art was! The idea of this tiny piece, no bigger than your hand showing that you could take a photo of yourself in the mirror and bring the art, yourself and the city all into one image – genius.
One thing that Joao pointed out that may be quite unique to Porto is the use of tiles to create some of the murals or the art that you can find. This is a nod to Porto’s richly decorated building facades with tiles that you can find all over the city and that are so beautiful.
This is one of my favourite pieces of art that I found on my way round the city. It is made of tiles and beautiful colours, brush strokes and 3D elements. We came about it purely by chance as we hid among the shadows of the small alleyways from the sun. I was immediately struck by how it reminded me of the art work I had recently seen in an unforgettable exhibition In Amsterdam by Anselm Kiefer. I am rather disappointed to have not been able to find the artist though. I will add a of photo of Kiefer’s work, below so you can see why I thought one reminded me of the other.
With Joao’s help, and a super blog post that I found all about the street artists of Porto (link at the end of the blog), I have tried to put names to many of the pieces I found across the city. My collection is by no means exhaustive, and I missed a lot of the larger murals and pieces. However, my tour showed me hidden treasures that would probably not get a look in on the tourist trail normally.
In this blog post I have included a few of my favourite pieces, and an explanation why they are included, and any extra info I can find out about them. Because I made so many images (far too many for a blog post) I have also created a PDF with all my street art photos (with the names of the artists) so if you would like to have a look through that for more examples, it will expand the experience even further.
Hands down, this was my favourite street art of my Porto experience. I love it, because it is nothing like what I would have expected to fall under the banner of ‘street art’. It is so delicate, intricate and simple. I just loved all the paint strokes and the way the design embraced negative space and how the design reached into it. These two photos do not do the massive wall justice. Walking to the left end of the wall, I was struck by how the olive tree seemed to carry on into the mural.
This mural, that decorates the façade of Teatro Carlos Alberto in Porto was created by Martinha Maia, a visual artist from Porto. She won a public art competition organised by Teatro Nacional São João (which manages the venue), in collaboration with the Urban Art Program, on World Theatre Day, from among 36 submissions. The large-scale artwork — approximately 500 square meters — was inaugurated on September 8, 2016. The project aimed to enhance the building's visibility and encourage the production of urban art in the city.
In complete contrast to the delicacy of the previous piece, these also caught my eye for a completely different reason. I just loved the colour, energy, vibrance, fin and simple design of these pieces by Catia Vide. These two are part of a series of four that she created after winning the Porto EDP street art prize. Pombos da Cidade (City Pigeons) are described as ‘whimsical, stylised bird murals’.
Some of the artists come from an illustrating background. Whilst others you must assume have learnt their skill as painters before bringing it to the streets. I loved this beautiful portrait by Oh Chiko – this one was actually painted on glass, ands as the paint peeled off on the forehead you could glimpse the reflection of the street building opposite, almost like it was being given a second life to offer even more than the original piece of art.
As I mentioned before, I have way too many photos to put them all in a blog, so I will just finish with two very influential and recognised artists of Porto and their work. One cannot talk about street art in Porto without mentioning Hazul Luzah. Arguably the city’s most prolific and recognisable street artist, Hazul’s abstract and symbolic black-and-white figures appear all over the city—on crumbling doors, electricity boxes, and blank concrete walls. His work draws from a mixture of surrealism, sacred geometry, and Mediterranean symbolism, often featuring cloaked or masked figures that evoke mysticism and secrecy.
Costah is known for his playful, childlike style that belies a deeper social commentary. His characters—often wide-eyed, quirky figures—pop up unexpectedly across the city, usually painted on tiles or pasted up in the form of wheatpaste posters. Costah uses recycled materials in his work and often writes short, poignant messages alongside his images. His art invites viewers to pause, smile, and reflect. While less monumental than some of his peers, Costah’s work brings a sense of intimacy and emotion to the streets.
If you are in Porto, here are some of the areas to find street art
Rua Miguel Bombarda and the Arts District - Known for its contemporary galleries and experimental shops, this area is also rich in sanctioned and guerrilla street art. The walls are a constantly changing canvas, updated regularly during events like Simultaneous Openings, where local galleries launch new exhibitions all at once.
Rua de São Pedro de Miragaia - This riverside neighborhood is a quieter, more authentic part of Porto, often overlooked by tourists. Many artists have used its aging facades to create stunning visuals, and its winding streets provide a perfect backdrop for more contemplative works.
Trindade & Bolhão Areas -These bustling areas near the city center are home to some of the largest murals in Porto. You’ll find massive works on the sides of buildings, including collaborations between artists like Hazul and MrDheo.
Campanhã Train Station Area - An up-and-coming neighborhood in terms of street art, Campanhã has become a hotspot for larger commissioned murals, especially under the city’s urban renewal programs. Expect bold, thematic work with social commentary.
I hope you have enjoyed this bog post. Here are the promised links:
My PDF
https://flipbooklets.com/pdfflipbooklets/porto-s-painted-walls
Joao’s Cool Street art of Porto tour Cool Street Art of Porto - With Locals
With Locals website https://www.withlocals.com
Really informative blog post with lots of links and individual artist info.
If you love travel and would like to see some photos from other places I have travelled with my camera, you might like to check out this blog post as well:
Provence - France - https://charlottebellamy.com/lavender-fields-of-provence/
