Tag: EUROPE

Best Street Art in LISBON – Part III: Moscavide

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This is the third and last part of the murals I saw during my recent trip to Lisbon. Already in some of my past posts on urban art, I took you to some rather inhospitable neighborhoods. Whether the 13th Arrondissement of Paris, Copenhagen’s Nordvest neighborhood, or the satellite town of San Pablo in the northeast of Seville – hardly any sightseer makes his way to these places on the outskirts of Europe’s glittering metropoles.
And in Lisbon, too, you have to leave the picturesque historic old town and roam through high-rise developments like Moscavide to see some of the best street art the city has to offer.

String Quintet by Juanjo Surace and a massive collage by Colectivo RUA in Moscavide where you can find some of the best street art Lisbon has to offer.
String Quintet by Juanjo Surace and a massive collage by Colectivo RUA are waiting for you in Moscavide.
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Best Street Art in LISBON – Part II: Marvila

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For years, when I travel, I have made sure to find out whether there is any street art worth seeing at my destination. And in fact, it’s very rare that I don’t find what I’m looking for. During my stay in Lisbon I not only found what I was looking for, I felt like I was overwhelmed by a tsunami of outstanding street art. Now, for cities like London and Bristol, I have divided my street art posts by area into two parts. But when it comes to Lisbon, it is actually the first time that I have to present the murals of a city into three parts so that the posts don’t become endlessly long.
Bravo, Lisbon, you’ve really made it to the top of the street art hotspots!
Drum roll, after I’ve introduced the most impressive murals in the very center of the city, here comes the best that the suburb of Marvila has to offer in terms of street art in Lisbon.

Mural by LS in Lisbon's neighborhood of Marvila.
Marvila’s local heroe LS painted a female portrait with reference to Portuguese Azulejos.
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Best Street Art in LISBON – Part I: Graça And Beyond

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Each time I write a post on the supposedly best street art in some place, I’m a bit hesitant. Can I rightfully claim to present the best pieces? Most of the time, I haven’t seen each and every mural a city has to offer. And even if I show a broad selection – who’s to judge what’s best, anyway?
Now, when it comes to Lisbon, I find my claim to introduce you to the best street art particularly preposterous as this city is just bursting with urban art. There are murals by the greatest of the greatest street artists everywhere. Also, the art festivals that flood Lisbon’s walls with dozens of new artworks every year don’t make the choice any easier. Yet, not only did I travel around the hotspots in the city center, I also made my way to the housing projects in Lisbon’s suburbs which are embellished by international superstars such as KOBRA, Shepard Fairey, and GLEO.
I tried hard to see as many murals as possible so that I could rightfully assert: In this post, I’m introducing the best pieces of street art Lisbon has to offer!

Mural by VHILS and Shepard Fairey in the Graca district of Lisbon.
It took two superstars of urban art to create this mural: Portuguese artist VHILS created the right side while the one and only Shepard Fairey painted the left half of the lady’s face.
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Best Street Art in PORTO

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Some of the worldwide most recognized muralists like Mr. Dheo and Daniel Eime are based in Porto, the vibrant Northern Portuguese city on the river Douro. Hence, it’s no wonder the façades and walls of Porto serve as canvases for some of the best street art.

Best Street Art in Porto by Mr. Dheo
Mr. Dheo’s tribute to his hometown alongside the Escadas dos Guindais.
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Best Street Art in BRUSSELS

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Brussels is famous for many things: The European Parliament, the Atomium, beer, waffles, and comic books. Belgium’s capital celebrates the latter even in a beautiful street art project called Parcours Bande Dessinée. I’ve introduced many of the walls decorated by beloved comic book characters in my former post The Best Murals Along Brussels’ Comic Book Route.
But how about other murals that are not comic-themed?
What a question!
In Belgium, you’ll find grand street art even in the smaller cities.
So of course there are amazing powerful murals all around the country’s capital – and in this post, I’m telling you where to find the best street art Brussels has in store.

Charm of Uniform by Jaune, one of the best pieces of street art in Brussels.
Charm of Uniform by Jaune.
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The Best Murals Along Brussels’ Comic Book Route

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In a wonderful urban art project, namely a Comic Book Route, Brussels unites the best of its iconic arts, namely comic books and murals.
In this post, I’ll take you on a special scavenger hunt along the fantastic Parcours Bande Dessinée through the exciting capital of Belgium. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes as many of Brussels’ picturesque streets and alleyways are made of cobblestones. But most importantly, keep your eyes peeled so you don’t miss any of the works of art with which Brussels pays homage to its countless comic artists.

Mural of Jonas Valentin aka Broussaille by Frank Pé on Brussels Comic Route.
The very first mural created for the Brussels Comic Route project was Jonas Valentin – or Broussaille in the original French version – by Frank Pé.
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24 hours in BRUSSELS

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I was on the very early morning flight to Brussels which was actually my final destination. That’s why I was completely relaxed when they said we couldn’t take off because of fog. The only thing that annoyed me was the idea that I could have slept a good hour longer. Other than that, I didn’t care too much.

However, things looked completely different around me: passengers were nervously shifting back and forth in their seats, checking their phones, and pestering the stewardesses about what their connecting flights looked like.

Grande Place, visited during 24 hours in Brussels
The most beautiful architectural treasures surround the Grande Place, Brussels’ precious centerpiece.

This was how I discovered that I was pretty much the only one who didn’t have a connecting flight to Madrid or Nice, Kigali or Abuja. Hmm, Brussels seemed to be an important hub for international air traffic, interesting. Hence, I should definitely add it to my 24 hours in… series. No sooner said than done!
Of course, I hope that your layover is planned and not because of air traffic disruptions.
Whatever the reason for your extended layover might be, with this post, I have you covered.

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Best Things to Do in BRUSSELS, the Capital of Europe

Posted onAuthorRenata Green83 Comments

Brussels is not only the amazingly vibrant capital of Belgium, it’s actually the historic, political, cultural, and gastronomic epicenter of Europe, for that matter. Breathtakingly beautiful historic architecture, fantastic museums, mighty street art, powerful international organizations, and last but not least beer, fries, and chocolate: This cosmopolitan city truly holds something for each and every one in store.
Therefore, it was quite a challenge to put together a list of just the very best things to do on a visit to Brussels.

Guide Capital Europe Brussels: Chocolaterie Manneken Pis
Different strokes for different folks: World’s most famous wee-er made of chocolate. Bon appetit.

If it hadn’t been for my daughter studying in Brussels, it probably wouldn’t have come to my mind to visit Belgium’s capital. Or Belgium at all, for that matter.

But Christmas came and families and loved ones were expected to get together. So I packed a couple of warm sweaters, threw in some fun presents, and hopped on the late flight to Brussels.
Just to find out that this European capital with all its old architecture and new street art, its pralines and beers, surrealist art, and political reality is not only for me but for everyone.

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A Day Trip to Lake Bohinj – Where Slovenia is Beautiful And Wild

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Lake Bohinj is Slovenia’s largest lake, wild and at the same time incredibly beautiful, which makes it the perfect day trip destination for everyone. The lake is a paradise on earth with its crystal clear water, shimmering in cool shades of turquoise and green, its densely wooded shores, and the heavenly tranquility. It’s a Garden of Eden for those seeking peace and quiet, who just want to take a stroll and otherwise relax on the banks. But it’s also a paradise for those who want to work out in unspoiled nature by hiking, cycling, rowing, or stand-up paddling.

Day Trip to the beautiful and wild Lake Bohinj
The beautiful water of Lake Bohinj is mirror-smooth and crystal clear.

In short, Lake Bohinj, Bohinjsko Jezero in Slovenian, is the perfect place to get away from it all and become one with nature – and yourself.

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Day Trip Into a Fairy Tale: Lake Bled by Public Bus

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Lake Bled is one of those European places of longing. It is one of the sites whose pure name brings a sparkle to the eyes of any day-tripper.
Who hasn’t seen the image of Saint Mary’s Church which seems to float on an island in the middle of the iconic Slovenian lake?
And believe me, this picture is no illusion. These sceneries fulfill their promise of captivating you the moment you lay eyes on them for the first time.
I had the privilege to experience this for myself on a day trip to Lake Bled, which I was actually able to organize myself by taking the public bus from Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana.

View of Lake Bled on a Day Trip by Public Bus
Everybody loves Lake Bled.
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