Ghent has a reputation as a city of art, and not all of it is in a museum. Werregarenstraat, known to everyone as Graffiti Alley, is a short, narrow street in the heart of the old town where young street artists are allowed to paint with spray cans. It operates as a tolerance zone with one rule, the rule of the spray can: respect work that is better than your own and let the residents have their evening rest. The result is a constantly changing gallery of tags, characters, abstract pieces and humour, layered over each other so that the wall looks different from one week to the next. It is free, always accessible and very popular with photographers, and it takes only a few minutes to walk through. Beyond the alley, Ghent has a wider street art scene, with large murals by well known artists such as Roa, whose black and white animals appear on city walls, and Bue the Warrior, who works in bright colours and cheerful shapes.
Street art in Ghent is a mix of the permitted and the tolerated. In the alley itself, anyone with a can can add to the wall, and the city accepts the free expression as part of its identity. Elsewhere, the city has commissioned murals and invited artists to paint buildings, including works inspired by the Ghent Altarpiece and by the city's history.
The tourism board produces a street art map, known as Sorry, Not Sorry, which shows the main locations in the centre and is available in several languages from the tourist office. Following it is a lovely way to discover neighbourhoods and corners you would not otherwise visit, and it combines well with a coffee stop or a walk to the quays.
Visit in daylight for the best colours, and expect to share the narrow space with other visitors and, from time to time, with artists at work. Watch where you step, since paint cans and spilled colour can make the ground slippery, and wear shoes you do not mind getting dirty. Respect the residents who live around the alley, keep voices low in the evening and never touch fresh paint.
If you are tempted to paint yourself, remember that the alley's rules rely on courtesy: do not paint over a work that is better than your own, and do not leave litter. The tourism board describes the alley as suitable for children and accessible by wheelchair, but the surface is uneven in places, so take care. The alley is in the city's low emission area, which matters only if you drive.
The alley is close to the Patershol district and the Vrijdagmarkt, so it fits naturally into a walk that also includes lunch or a beer. It is also the final stop on a self-guided Van Eyck walk that the city has created, so you can combine the two. If you want to dig deeper, several local organisations offer guided street art tours, which explain the artists, the techniques and the stories behind the pieces.
Allow about fifteen minutes for the alley alone, or an hour or two if you follow the map to other murals. Because the works change constantly, a photograph taken today may be gone tomorrow, which is half the charm. Take your camera, travel light and enjoy a side of Ghent that is lively, young and unpolished.
What to expect
The experience
A free walk through an open-air alley of constantly changing graffiti, with optional street art routes elsewhere in the centre.
Best time
Daytime, when the colours are at their best, and on weekdays when it is quieter.
How long
Fifteen minutes for the alley, or one to two hours following a street art map.
Tips
Wear shoes you do not mind getting dirty, respect the residents and never touch fresh paint.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Photographers and anyone who wants a free, colourful side of Ghent.
- Families
- Children like the colour, though the narrow alley can be busy.
- Couples
- A fun stop on a walk between Patershol and the quays.
- Pair with
- Patershol for lunch and the Van Eyck walk.
- Time needed
- Allow half an hour, more if you follow the street art map.
Good questions
Is Graffiti Alley free?+
Yes, the alley is open to everyone and costs nothing. It is a public street.
Where is Graffiti Alley?+
On Werregarenstraat, in the centre of the old town, close to the Vrijdagmarkt and Patershol.
Can I paint there?+
The alley is a tolerance zone where spray-can artists may paint, with one rule: respect better work than your own and let residents rest in the evening.
Is there a street art map?+
Yes, the tourism board publishes a street art map called Sorry, Not Sorry, available in several languages from the tourist office.
Is it suitable for children?+
Yes, the tourism board describes it as child-friendly, though the alley can be busy and the ground uneven.
