Enter Street Art London, a small operation run by some incredibly passionate guides who seem to know all there is to know about the city’s best street art. Tours are currently running on Saturdays and Sundays and cost £15.

Street Art London

I decided to give it a go and went along to one of the Saturday tours which start at Old Street station in East London at 11 a.m. I was surprised to find another 25 people shivering away and waiting for the tour to start, a testament to the fact that London’s street art really is worth seeing.

James Cochrane paints those he’s met along the way.

The tour changes, of course, depending on whether new pieces of art have gone up, if works have been buffed over by the council or even painted over by other artists.

A sticky start

I must admit, our tour didn’t start as I’d imagined. Our guides herded us across the road and we huddled around to squint at a new piece by Ben Wilson, a street artist who solely focuses on painting miniature artworks on chewing gum stuck to the pavement. Even if you needed a magnifying glass to see the minute detail, it was pretty incredible.

The tour wound its way around Hoxton and into Brick Lane, stopping at pieces by some of the UK’s biggest street artists like Stik, who’s simple yet strangely emotive “stik” people hover in doorways and high up on billboards all over the city. We even caught a glimpse of a few perspex-covered artworks by Banksy.

Roa’s monochromatic animals lord over abandoned buildings.

We were left open-mouthed as our guides explained that while the legendary Banksy has the support of the council, he has ruffled a few feathers with other graffiti artists who set out to deface his work as soon as a new piece goes up. It was these stories that really added color – finding out where an artist is from, what their background is and what their work stands for really brought it to life.

Bastardilla’s lively pieces really stood out, but more so when our guides explained they were a commentary on the diamond trade in her native Colombia. Australian-born James Cochrane’s multi-layered portraits of locals and people he has met on his travels perfectly illustrated the high quality of the art you can find on the street.

We were also treated to numerous pieces of awe-inspiring artwork by Belgian artist, Roa. Roa’s somewhat fantastical and larger-than-life monochrome animals grace the sides of derelict buildings and peer out of forgotten corners of the city, as though London’s underworld was being run by oversized storks and snoozing warthogs.

It’s easy to pass Pablo Delgado’s tiny works without noticing.

Making the streets fun (and fun of the streets)

Beyond these big statement pieces, the tour also opened my eyes to previously unnoticed humorous ideas that make walking the streets of London a lot more fun. Pablo Delgado’s miniature characters that reside on the very bottom of walls, Christiaan Negal’s mushrooms that sit on top of buildings, and the mysterious ceramic pigs that have started to appear in the city… They all seem to be smirking at the busy pedestrians, who mostly pass by without noticing. They brighten up the streets and, if you spot one, will make you smile.

In the end the tour lasted five hours instead of four, giving us our money’s worth. This was largely because the guides kept thinking of more things to show us. (It might be worth taking a snack with you as there is no break for lunch.)

Most importantly, the tour lets you in on a secret. It opens your eyes to what’s right before you in the streets of London.

For more information visit Street Art London.

Also in our guide: If you’re wandering the streets of London looking for a great affordable place to sleep, check out our London guide. All of our recommended hotels have been visited, inspected and reviewed by our editors.

The post London: A street art walking tour, from Banksy to Bastardilla appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

1. Start with a free map

Free maps are available at the tourist information office, as well as the blue kiosks at Central Station.

2. Food Markets

Stroll along and fill your senses with sight, sound and smell at one of the many outdoor food markets like Albert Cuypstraat and Dapper markets. Go for free samples of cheeses and produce!

3. Free coffee

Some Albert Hein grocery stores have a coffee machine dispensing freshly-ground cups for shoppers; follow your nose!

4. Ferry rides

All ferries behind Central Station are free; pick one and see where it leads you (the average travel time is just five to 15 minutes).

5. See street art

A walk down Spuistraat will make you feel like you’ve entered a gritty and colorful street art exhibition. Art pieces can scale entire building faces, and much of the street is lined with different works side-by-side.

6. The Wave Game

My favorite game to play on a sunny afternoon. Dangle your legs on a canal that’s busy with touristy boats. When one putts along, wave at the boaters and count how many wave back (a good way to measure which boats are the most fun!).

7. Hang at the Dam

Spend time under the National Monument (you know, that tall, phallic-looking statue at Dam Square) and watch the many street performers and gathering crowds come and go.

8. Free jazz

There are quite a few free jazz nights at cafes like Jazz Café Alto and Chet’s. See what’s on when you’re in town. (Check out our previous post on free jazz performances for every night of the week.)

9. Free jigs

Mulligan’s Irish Bar, just off Rembrandtplein, hosts free live Irish music every night in its cozy and cheerful pub.

10. Flower power

Have you seen the floating flower market? It’s better to look and not buy the overly-priced souvenirs anyway, so have at it!

11. Jumping Jordaan

Walking the streets of the Jordaan district is a must for every visitor in Amsterdam. It was once an area for blue-collar workers during the 1600s, but now the quaint and cute streets and alleys have been gentrified and host a number of small art galleries.

12. Nose around Noordermarkt

On Saturdays there is a Farmers market, while Mondays are a mix of vintage clothing and antiques.

13. Nieuwmarkt is neat-o

The giant weigh station in the center of the square, De Waag, is often mistaken for a castle. However, this was the main entrance to old Amsterdam before the Golden Ages; then the square continued to lure locals interested in their main 17th-century attraction – public beheadings.

14. Free internet at the library

The public library (OBA) is right next to Central Station. It’s new and boasts a sleek modern look, with seven floors and the latest computers with free internet, free wireless, and even a free piano for tickling the ivory.

15. Priceless (and free) rooftop view

Also at the OBA is one of the best views of the Dam. Head to the top floor where café La Place is located, and outside there is a roof terrace overlooking the entire city.

16. Park it

Warm weather sends locals out to the parks. Spending the day in the sun with a good book and good company at hotspots like Vondelpark and Westerpark is one of the best ways to pass time in Amsterdam.

17. Naked ladies

Visiting the Red Light District is free, and safe! It’s the most visited part of the city, but hold off until dark when the red lights are glowing and swans gracefully float along the city’s oldest canals.

18. Free peace

In the heart of Spui square is the Begijnhof, a place where French nuns sought refuge from persecution in the 1600s. Inside this courtyard is a hidden Catholic church, a Protestant church (with services in English), and one of the two remaining wooden houses in Amsterdam.

19. Free art

Just next to Begijnhof on the left (from the exit facing the shopping street Kalverstraat ) is a hallway that’s part of the Amsterdam History Museum. It’s free to walk through, and the walls hold large portrait paintings of wealthy families and businessmen from the 1600s.

20. Beach it

A 20-minute train ride takes you to the North Sea coast town of Zandvoort. It’s the perfect place to soak up the sun with a good book.

Also in our guide: Planning a trip to Amsterdam right now? Check out our Amsterdam hotel guide, with reviews of budget hotels that have been visited and inspected by our editors. Read more in our Amsterdam hotel guide.

The post 20 free things to do in Amsterdam appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

It is therefore unsurprising that the city’s art landscape includes a number of galleries exclusively showing street art. Overkill Shop, Circle Culture, and Intoxicated Demons are a few choice examples of galleries specializing in bringing street art inside. And recent super-successful shows by celebrated local street artists such as EVOL and Jaybo Aka Monk demonstrate the commercial viability of street art for international collectors.

A graffiti guide

But for everyone interested in just appreciating the work in its natural habitat, there is a new book by graphic designer Benjamin Wolbergs, “Urban Illustration Berlin: Street Art Cityguide.” The book makes the perfect guide for a walking tour through Berlin’s outdoor street art scene.

Written in both German and English, the book offers exclusive interviews with seventeen of the elusive artists. Wolbergs does not limit his focus to spray paint. Instead, he gives attention to the rich range of stencils, cutouts, markers and wheatpaste works across the city.

Wolbergs’ stunning street photography in “Urban Illustration Berlin: Street Art Cityguide,” along with the interviews’ insight into the artists’ working techniques, motives, and philosophies on street art, make the book a valuable purchase, regardless of whether one is planning a visit to Berlin.

A self-guided graffiti walking tour

However, the book’s real treasure is a tear-out city map detailing the locations of 500 iconic and admired instances of Berlin’s street art featured in the book. Tear it out and take yourself on a walking tour.

Street art is fragile. And a few of the works Wolbergs spotlighted no longer exist. But the neighborhoods remain active areas for street artists and well worth visiting for anyone interested in the origins of Berlin’s vibrant international art scene.

The post Berlin Graffiti: Street art guide, with walking tour appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.