I feel like I know Budapest almost as well as I know Berlin. I’ve been there so many times that it’s become familiar, and getting around the city is like second nature. Perhaps I’m an honorary Hungarian after all? A friend once jokingly suggested this years ago when she observed my undeniable love (obsession?) for Budapest.
This begs the question, how does an “expert” like myself find new ways to discover my favorite city? Easy. Ask Google about “Alternative things to do in Budapest.” The all-knowing Google offered a walking tour with Discover Budapest, which promised to take me to hipster cafés, community art spaces, and various instances of Budapest street art.
It only took me about 10 seconds to make a decision and sign up for the tour. At only €24 a pop, it wasn’t such a big expense and fit my overall budget travel style. In addition to the guided tour, I also set about walking through the city and came upon plenty more Budapest street art on my own.
A Tour of District 7 Through Budapest Street Art
There’s street art all over the city, and it’s most prominent in Budapest’s District 7. A neighborhood filled with plenty of ruin pubs, trendy restaurants, cafés, and vintage clothing shops, District 7 is one of my longtime favorite areas of the city.
Recommended reading: Why you should visit these cool places in Budapest.
Through the Façade Rehab Project, local authorities granted permission for eight different buildings to be painted over with beautiful street art murals.
1) Playground
One of the most well-known murals in District 7, Playground, is located along Kiraly Utca. After waiting over two years for permission to begin work, a local group of artists known as Neopaint finally did the work for free so they could publicly show how quickly a rundown, old building could be transformed into something much more beautiful.
2) Chill or Rage
Polish artist Lukas Berge completed this Chill or Rage mural, with the intention to make you question whether you prefer to relax or get absolutely wild. The tones in the mural were set to match those along Akácfa Utca, the street where the mural resides.
3) Swallows
Swallows, which regularly nest in Hungary, are said to be a symbol of tranquility.
4) Match of the Century
This famed “match of the century” references a historic soccer match at Wembley Stadium, in London, when Hungary beat England 6:3. England’s team had previously remained undefeated for over 90 years.
5) Polish-Hungarian Friendship Tree
Another creation by Neopaint, the intent of this mural is to show the common ties between the Polish and Hungarian cultures.
The text on the mural reads:
“Hungary and Poland are two forever-living oaks, which have their own trunks, but their roots are far beneath the earth: they have joined and invisibly merged. So the existence and strength of each one is tied to life and health of the other.” — Stanislaw Worcell
6) Buda or Pest
The city of Budapest is divided by the Danube River into two parts – Buda and Pest. In the mural, the Buda side is depicted as a turtle-human hybrid, while Pest is shown as the more lively side of the city. Here, the artist is expressing that although these two areas are within the same city, each one couldn’t be any more different.
7) Budapest Ain’t That Small
This mural rather cutely titled Budapest Ain’t That Small shows there is more to Budapest than just District 7. The clouds surrounding the map show other neighborhoods around the city that are worth a visit.
8) City or Nature? Colorful Mother of Earth vs the Grey City
This detailed mural has been interpreted in various ways:
1) As a tree of life (like this one in Italy), with a root, a stem, and a crown.
2) As a chain of DNA, showing the connection of the soul with the world when we are alive. The smoke shows that our souls will leave us elsewhere, a dark reminder that none of us will live forever.
3) The whirl looks like a tunnel that never ends, a way to a remote destination not in this world.
9) Everyone Has a City
This mural was, by far, my favorite mural in District 7, as the attached concept is something to which I can completely relate. The title of the mural conveys that everyone belongs somewhere. Take, for example, how I came to adopt Berlin as my home. The male and female figures shown in the mural don’t necessarily represent Budapest, although they do resemble figures of Hungarian folklore.
10) Other Budapest Street Art
While the murals are surely meaningful and beautiful, the other instances of Budapest street art around the city are no less compelling.
Take, for example, the sticker art by the Sheepist pictured above. His stickers can be found in different European cities. I even spied one in Prague when I traveled there for a weekend last June.
Space Invader street art appears in cities all around the world. What makes this one unique is that it is set in the cobblestones of a street in District 7. Although it’s no longer functioning, it used to light up when you stepped on it.
Note – For each piece of street art, I’ve listed the name, artist, and location, when known. If you have more details on any of the identified artists, please let me know in the comments below and I’ll update the post.
What do you think of the street art in Budapest? Do you have any other tips for the city? Leave us a comment down below.
Good to Know
1) You can see most of these by walking along Kiraly Utca or booking the Alternative Budapest Walking Tour. The tour is €24 per person.
2) To check out accommodation options for Budapest, take a look at booking.com.
Booking.com3) Make your time in Budapest memorable and book a guided tour with Get Your Guide.
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*Disclosure – This post contains some affiliate links. If you book a tour or hotel, I’ll earn a tiny commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support.
I didn’t realise Budapest had such a great street art scene! The last time I visited Budapest was 11 years ago – it was the first city my now husband and I visited together. We were both young and relatively new to travelling so weren’t particularly adventurous… Very much “see the sights the guidebook tells you too”.
It would be great to revisit Budapest one day soon with a totally different approach to travelling and our love of street art.
Thanks for sharing all the photos!
It’s nothing like Berlin which is a street art mecca but it’s pretty good! Seems you need to go back to Budapest and experience the city all over again. 🙂
space invader is this euro legend http://www.space-invaders.com/home/
He most definitely is! Love this art project.
Hi Cheryl,
Are you still in Budapest and if so, are your tours still available?
Regards,
Ross
Hi Ross,
Thanks for reading. If you read the post again, you’ll realize that I don’t live in Budapest and don’t offer tours. You’ll also see that I actually recommend a tour company too.
Have fun!
– Cheryl
Hi where is the space invader please?
Hey Scott! I don’t recall, to be honest – I’d recommend doing the Alternative Budapest tour as they’ll be sure to take you there. Cheers!