São Paulo is one of the world’s street art capitals, and you can see graffiti for free in many parts of the city. These are four of the best-known spots, from Batman’s Alley (Beco do Batman) to Brazil’s first open-air museum of urban art.
1. Batman’s Alley (Vila Madalena)
The city’s most famous open-air gallery, between Rua Gonçalo Afonso and Rua Medeiros de Albuquerque. The murals are repainted often and have featured works by artists such as Os Gêmeos and Speto. See our complete guide to Batman’s Alley.
2. Beco do Aprendiz (Pinheiros)
Just a few blocks from Batman’s Alley, around Rua Belmiro Braga, Beco do Aprendiz was revitalized by a project of the NGO Associação Cidade Escola Aprendiz, which spread graffiti across Vila Madalena between 2000 and 2012. Today it features works by dozens of graffiti artists.
3. Minhocão (Elevado João Goulart)
Along this elevated highway, huge graffiti murals cover the blank side walls of the buildings. The city government recommends it to anyone who wants to continue their street art tour after Batman’s Alley.
4. Open Museum of Urban Art (Santana)
Created in 2011, the MAAU (Museu Aberto de Arte Urbana) brings together 66 graffiti panels on the pillars of metro Line 1-Blue, along the central median of Avenida Cruzeiro do Sul, between Santana and Portuguesa-Tietê stations. The city’s North Zone is considered one of the birthplaces of São Paulo graffiti, and 58 artists took part in the project.
Tips for your tour
- Batman’s Alley and Beco do Aprendiz are close to each other and fit into a single morning. See what to do in Vila Madalena.
- The MAAU is easy to see by metro: the panels run along Line 1-Blue.
- Go during the day to see the colors and take photos.
More Batman’s Alley guides
Where to stay to enjoy the neighborhood
To explore at a relaxed pace, without rushing to catch the metro back, it is worth staying in the area. See hotels and guesthouses in Vila Madalena on Booking.com and hotels in Pinheiros, or read our guide Where to stay near Batman’s Alley. (Affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.)