Graffiti, Tags, and Murals: A Lisbon Street Art Tour with Context

Lisbon’s Graça neighborhood is a testament to the transformative power of street art, which has evolved over the years to embody the city’s rich cultural heritage. Join architect and Context Travel expert Bert De Muynck on this walking tour as he takes you through the heart of Lisbon’s vibrant street art scene. With his help, you’ll see the dynamic interplay between graffiti, tagging, and murals, and learn to decipher the stories of urban renewal and cultural identity that they tell.

Starting from Miradouro da Senhora do Monte, one of the neighborhood’s two iconic viewpoints, you’ll venture into the historical streets of Graça. There, you’ll find masterpieces by renowned artists like Obey and Vhils, as well as the evocative works of local talents like Bordalo II and DRAS plastered throughout the area. Along the way, Bert will share the hidden meanings behind these captivating artworks, from political statements to nods to Portuguese literary icons. He’ll also tell you how street art has revitalized neglected spaces, transforming Lisbon into a vibrant hub of creativity and cultural diversity. From iconic collaborations between international artists to grassroots initiatives like the EBANO Collective – which paid tribute to female Portuguese writers and includes a mural with Florbela Espanca’s poem Ser poeta – each project adds to the city’s allure, attracting visitors from around the globe. You’ll also pass by Cantinho Da Fátima and learn about the mural on the restaurant’s wall created by the artist Mariana Malhao in celebration of small business owners. The tour ends at Graça’s other iconic viewpoint, the Miradouro da Graça.

On this Lisbon tour, you’ll:

• See A Shelter For Colors by Jose Carvalho’ (better known as Ozearv), a mural that merges with its surroundings
• Learn about Daniel Eime, considered a master of stencil art in the street art world, and find out what’s involved in stencil art graffiti
• Dive into Lisbon’s deep-rooted history of tagging and illegal street art, which has organically evolved into a vibrant and legitimate art scene
• Find out why Artur Bordalo adopted his grandfather’s name to become Bodalo II, and hear about his family’s artistic legacy while taking in his mural, Arca de Darwin
• Reflect on the literary references, political messages, and musings on the 2020 lockdown that you’ll see in this art
• Learn about Isa Silver, Florbela Espanca, Natália Correia, and other influential Portuguese women featured in the murals around the city
• Get examples of how artworks and projects can positively stimulate change in the community
• Learn about Mario Belem and his mural, Saudade, a reflection on spending so much time with our backs to the world without enjoying new thrills
• View the mural by Add Fuel, one of today’s most sought-after and acclaimed Portuguese street artists
• Discover how today murals are part of a wider urban renewal campaign to bring cultural recognition and identity to different parts of the city

Graça’s transformation over the past decade is a window onto street art’s journey to becoming part of the neighborhood’s identity. By the end of this tour, you’ll have a sense of how that journey has unfolded, and what contribution this art form has made to Graça’s cultural diversity.