Best Places to Study Abroad for Street Art Enthusiasts

Named the “City of Design” by UNESCO, Berlin has a thriving artistic subculture that includes a graffiti magazine, alternative art tours, and the first-ever street art museum – The Urban Nation Museum for Urban Contemporary Art.

When you finish taking in the preserved art in the museum, head over to Haus Schwarzenburg Street Art Alley to find something new every week as images are regularly painted over and added to. Who knows? You could catch a painting by famous street artists El Bocho, Miss Van, Stinkfish, or Otto Schade, who have all left their mark on the Alley before.

When you study abroad in Berlin with IES Abroad, you can dive even deeper into urban art through our Visual Culture and the Urban Landscape course, which include a tour of the East Side Gallery – the historic street art left on the Berlin Wall.

Study Abroad in Berlin

When you study abroad in Dublin, immerse yourself in the growing arts scene where businesses, arts organizations, and even the Dublin City Council are sponsoring artists and commissioning street art pieces around the city.

You can find works by famous street artists likes Maser and Conor Harrington in the Temple Bar Neighborhood – Dublin’s cultural hotspot and nightlife center. For a less touristy trek, walk down the narrow graffiti-filled Liberty Lane, which boasts some of the best street art in central Dublin.

End your art-filled expedition at The Bernard Shaw – a famously quirky and hip pub covered with street art. Check out its outdoor art gallery, complete with a painted, double-decker bus-turned-food-truck you can sit on while enjoying a slice of pizza.

Study Abroad in Dublin

Your days will be filled with more than just tapas and sunsets over the Alhambra when you study abroad in Granada. Stroll through the southern Spanish city to discover its surrealist street art scene. Inspired by Andalusian cultural traditions, playful and thoughtful street art is found predominately in Granada’s Realejo neighborhood.

By far the most famous street artist in Granada is Raul Ruiz, better known as El Niño de las Pinturas, who commonly combines images with words and poetry. Before you leave Granada, make sure to wander through Placeta Joe Strummer, a small plaza near the Alhambra to take a look at El Niño’s portrait of the famed 1980s guitarist.

Whatever small street you find yourself on, you’re bound to find a hidden artistic gem right around the corner. Don’t take our word for it! Hear from IES Abroad Creative Correspondent Noah Heil as he reflects on his favorite pieces of street art in Granada.

Study Abroad in Granada

Studying abroad in Chile just got more colorful. Home to notable urban artists such as INTI, Mambo, and Sofrenia, Santiago is rich in street art. Be sure to add the Bellavista neighborhood  – most famous for street art  – to your must-see list. You won’t need a map to point you to the colorful murals in this bohemian, hip area, as art sprawls across walls, sidewalks, and benches.

While you’re at it, check out Museo a Cielo Abierto – an open-air museum of 40 large murals covering multiple city blocks and two other popular neighborhoods for street art: Brasil and Lastarria.

Continue your street art viewing expedition with a trip to coastal Valparaíso – one of the field trips offered by IES Abroad Santiago. Just about every inch of this culturally-rich port city is covered in colorful, creative street art. Join a street art tour or plan to visit during the Cerro Polanco neighborhood’s graffiti festival.

Study Abroad in Santiago

Vienna is most famous for its historic architecture and producing some of the foremost Western musical and artistic geniuses: Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Klimt, and Schiele. However, a burgeoning street art scene is sure to impress urban art enthusiasts when they study abroad in Vienna.

Walk along the Donaukanal (Danube Canal) between Schwedenplatz and Schottenring for colorful, modern paintings mixed with historic, conservative architecture. On your way to the Museumsquartier, an area with multiple art museums and contemporary art exhibit spaces, take the Street Art Passage bridge that showcases French urban artists Invader’s permanent tile work.

While there are fewer street art tours available compared to other major street art cities, the Vienna street art scene is for those who don’t mind finding their own way. (Sometimes the best gems are ones you stumble upon!)

Study Abroad in Vienna