Buenos Aires is one of the great street-art cities of the world, in part because, for years, painting a mural on a building with the owner's permission has been broadly tolerated, and in part because the city's politics and its artists have never been shy. Palermo has some of the best examples, and this two-hour walking tour is a compact way to see them. According to the booking page, it starts at three in the afternoon at Plazoleta Julio Cortázar, better known as Plaza Serrano, at the corner of Honduras and Borges, where the guide waits in an orange T-shirt or jacket. The route covers the creative streets of Palermo, with a pass by Palermo Hollywood, and ends at the corner of Gorriti and Lavalleja, about seven blocks from the start and eight blocks from the Scalabrini Ortiz subway station on Line D. The tour is run in English, with a guide who has a portable microphone, so you can hear over the traffic. The booking page shows a maximum group size of thirty-five, so it is a larger walking group than the small-group food tours, but it moves along at a comfortable pace and stops at each major piece.
What you learn
A good street-art guide does more than point at paint. You hear about the artists, local and international, the techniques from stencils and paste-ups to giant roller murals, the way some walls are commissioned and others are claimed, and the way the city's tolerance for graffiti links to its political history and to its social movements. Palermo's murals change constantly, so no two tours are the same, and the guide can tell you which pieces are new and which have outlasted dozens of rivals.
Practical details
The tour is rated 4.9 from more than eight hundred reviews, and the booking page shows a very low entry price, with the guide tip as the customary extra. Wear comfortable shoes and bring water and a hat, because most of the route is outdoors and in the open. The booking page offers full refunds up to 24 hours ahead. Because it starts mid-afternoon, it combines naturally with a late lunch in Palermo Soho and with the boutiques, cafés and bars of the same streets.
If you want to see more street art, there are other options. A bike tour covers more ground and reaches southern barrios such as La Boca and Barracas, while a football-themed graffiti walk takes in murals of Maradona and Messi. Palermo's tour is the best choice for first-timers: easy to reach, easy to follow and easy to fit in before dinner. Take your camera, and be ready to be surprised by how many walls you pass every day without noticing.
If you want to explore on your own afterwards, Palermo rewards wandering: side streets between Plaza Serrano and Palermo Hollywood hide murals on garage doors, shopfronts and corner walls, and the neighbourhood's cafés and independent shops make good stops. The tour gives you the vocabulary and the confidence to look closely, and you will find yourself noticing artists' signatures and styles in other parts of the city too.
What to expect
The experience
A guided walk through Palermo's murals and creative streets, starting at Plaza Serrano, with the guide using a portable microphone; English-language tour.
Best time
The listed start is mid-afternoon, which suits a late lunch in Palermo before or after.
How long
About 2 hours.
Tips
Look for the guide in an orange T-shirt or jacket at Plaza Serrano. Wear comfortable shoes and bring water; the tip is customary.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Art lovers and curious first-timers who want to see Palermo through its murals.
- Families
- Good for teenagers; two hours of walking suits children who like the outdoors.
- Couples
- A relaxed afternoon activity followed by a drink in Palermo Soho.
- Pair with
- A lunch in Palermo Soho and a stroll through the Palermo parks.
- Time needed
- Two hours plus a coffee afterwards.
Good questions
Where does the tour start?+
At Plazoleta Julio Cortázar, known as Plaza Serrano, at Honduras and Borges.
What language is it in?+
English, according to the booking page.
How many people are in a group?+
The booking page shows a maximum of thirty-five travellers.
Where does it end?+
At Gorriti and Lavalleja, about eight blocks from the Scalabrini Ortiz subway station.
Can I get a refund?+
The booking page offers a full refund if you cancel up to 24 hours before the tour.
