Street art in Malaga
Updated May 2026
Estimated reading time: 15 minutes
Some of the best things to do in Malaga cost nothing and take you off the main tourist trail. Walking the street art in Soho and Lagunillas is one of them.
Soho’s murals are the work of internationally recognised artists, such as Obey, D*Face and ROA, brought to the city as part of a deliberate effort to transform a neglected neighbourhood into something worth visiting. It worked. Lagunillas, just north of Plaza de la Merced, is less polished and more personal: local creativity on local walls, with a few well-known names mixed in.
Neither district takes long to walk. Together they make one of the more memorable afternoons you can spend in the city. Discover the over 50 murals covering walls, doorways and windows in the two districts, with more in the pipeline, in our guide to where to see some of the best street art in Malaga.
Note that Malaga street art is always evolving, so what you see on one visit might not be there on the next. (The perfect excuse to come back!)
Street art in Soho
Soho’s street art is the brain child of MAUS (the Spanish acronym for Urban Art in Soho Malaga), a project designed to convert the district into a backdrop for art in all its forms, but with particular emphasis on street art.
And not just any old art. Soho boasts murals by some of the world’s best including American Shepard Fairey aka Obey, British D*Face and Ben Eine, French Remed and Spanish Doger and Okuda.
Many of the murals date from 2013, so you’ll find that some have slightly faded colours and some are a bit deteriorated. This is particularly true of the bright reds in the Obey murals – they’re more a crimson now – but nevertheless, all the murals are still impressive.
Getting there
The Soho district lies to the south of the Alameda Principal between the river and Malaga Port, just a few minutes’ walk from Calle Larios.
Allow 45 minutes for to see the main murals in Soho, walking at a relaxed pace and starting at the river.
About MAUS
MAUS is a collaborative project between Malaga Council and Soho residents, that started in 2010. Its aim was to regenerate the district by transforming it into a cultural centre.
Riverside
Malaga’s most iconic murals are next to river, on the west side of Soho. They’re by US artist Obey and British artist D*Face. They took three days to finish and measure 38m tall by 9m wide.
Next, make your way to the school next to the Obey and D*Face murals. Check out the front of the wall where crocodiles and bathers are enjoying a dip. Walk round the corner along the river and you’ll see a giant mural showing a deepsea diver and underwater fauna and flora.
Calle Alemania
Before you head into the streets of Soho, don’t miss the mural on the Calle Alemania car park, the work of Andi Rivas. It says ‘Hola Spain. Welcome to Malaga’ and each letter represents a symbol of something to do in Malaga. Our favourite is the sardine espeto L in Malaga.
Next cross the Alameda de Colón and make your way into Soho proper, where you’ll find an evolving world of street art.
Calle Somera
You’ll find three murals here, all worth seeking out.
Works by Okuda, Remed and Aryz
Two giant murals covers two façades of the seven-storey Soho Boutique Hotel BahÃa. On one side, you can see ‘La Danse de Venus et du Marin’ by Okuda and Remed. Its bright colours represent Venus (think Botticelli’s famous ‘Birth of Venus’) and a sailor. To see how the two intertwine, get as far back from the mural as you can.
On the other is an unnamed abstract mural by Catalan artist Aryz. It comes from his abstract series, depicting an intertwining network of pipes. It took him a week to complete.
Neither of these murals is easy to see because the street is narrow and it’s difficult to get far away for a real perspective. We think it’s a pity that these street art masterpieces weren’t painted on more accessible buildings.
Graffiti vandals
Opposite the Venus mural are Soho graffiti vandals reminding us that street art isn’t always on the right side of the law.
Calle Tomás Heredia
The main pedestrian street in Soho also has some of the earlier examples of street art in the neighbourhood. As you look towards the port, look up to another creation by Obey. Mujer Fatal is a portrait of his wife and a symbol of peace. (This one only took him 7 hours because he came with a template!)
Walk towards the Alameda Principal to see one of our favourite murals in Soho, painted by Chinese artist DALeast.
Calle Casas del Campo
This narrow street has several pieces of street art, but the most famous are by ROA, a Belgian artist who specialises in black and white graphics of wildlife. At one end of the street, you’ll see the lizard/chameleon – perhaps the icon of Soho street art – and at the other, several rats and a badger on the main facade of a multi-storey car park.
There are other graffiti panels in Soho, although much of it appears and then disappears. Walk along Calle Casas de Campos and Calle Vendeja to see it.
Street art in Lagunillas
The Lagunillas district lies to the north of Plaza de la Merced, where Picasso was born. Its street art is younger than Soho’s and less polished, although some of the murals carry well-known signatures.
Street art here reflects the locals’ bid to brighten up their neighbourhood, using colour and creativity on facades and walls. The murals depict famous locals, typical scenes from everyday life or abstract ideas. Lagunillas feels very different to Soho, rougher round the edges, less curated, more lived-in, all reflected in the murals.
The area is also undergoing development – housing is under construction in several plots – and in spring 2026, Calle Lagunillas was being completely refurbished, with new pavements. Think of this area as “a work in progress”!
To find it, go to Picasso’s birthplace and follow Calle La Merced into Calle Huerto del Conde. Then wander around the surrounding streets:
A note about the map: the best way to explore Lagunillas is to put it away after a while and just walk along the streets. The murals reward a wander because many of the good ones are on corners or up staircases you’d never find if you were looking at your phone.
Getting there
Make your way to Plaza de la Merced on foot from Calle Larios (10-minute walk).
Allow 45 to 60 minutes to see the Lagunillas street art, walking at a leisurely pace and starting at the Casa Natal Picasso.
Calle Alonso BenÃtez
The side street in the neighbourhood begins with the mural below, outside La Camborias cultural centre. It depicts a flamenco dancer, reflecting the area’s traditional roots.
Further up the street, at the intersection with Calle Lagunillas, is a mural showing Pablo Raez (1996-2017). From Marbella and a promising sportsman, Pablo became a local symbol of strength and resilience in his fight against leucemia and defence of bone marrow donations. Lalone is the author of the mural, currently not easy to see because of the trees.
As you walk along Calle Lagunillas (and the other streets), keep an eye open for street art details in mosaics, plants and the use of everyday objects.
Like this area? Follow our self-guided Calle Victoria walking tour to see one of the finest churches in the city, with a spooky crypt, and a historic chapel.
Calle Vital Aza
Known as the epicentre for street art in the neighbourhood. Look out for the cultural centre headquarters – El Futuro es Muy Grease – with its mosaics and bike accessories on the facade.
You can also see ‘The Octopus Man’, by Malaga artist Lalore, an iconic piece in the area, and ‘Sleeping Girl’, attributed to CoF, an Argentinian artist.
Calle Pinillos
This narrow pedestrian street begins with a fun mural, combining dinosaurs in sunglasses and kids. Walk further up to the stairs for more Lalore – this is one of his more colourfaul murals.
Avoid
Don’t venture into Calle Cruz Verde and beyond, particularly first or last thing and never at night. It unfortunately isn’t always safe.
We’ve walked through Lagunillas many times and felt perfectly fine sticking to the streets in this guide. Just use the same common sense you would in any unfamiliar city neighbourhood.
Read our guide to staying safe in Malaga
More street art in Malaga
Although Soho and Lagunillas have the most murals, they’re not the only places to see street art in Malaga. Check out these other locations in the city centre:
Doger Flamenca mural
See this mural when you take our self-guided walking around the Picasso Museum.
See this one in Plaza de la JuderÃa next to El Pimpi. It’s one of our favourite pieces – we love the colours! Don’t miss the Picasso-style lady to the right of the fountain.
Summer Days
Find this one in Calle Comedias, round the corner from the Carmen Thyssen Museum. This is Lalone’s version of Vicente Palmaroli’s famous painting. The use of cobalt is particularly stunning and because this facade faces north, the colours have worn well in the Malaga sun.
Surrealist sculptures
If you like quirky figures, head for Parque del Oeste where you’ll find a park full of fun sculptures by Stefan van Reiswitz. Our favourite is the audio book (pictured below) but we also love the armadillo and flying pigs. Read our guide to Parque del Oeste
Get to Parque del Oeste on the No 7 from the Alameda Principal (south side) – get off at Las Delicias stop. Or walk along the western seafront (allow 40 minutes from the centre).
Beach huts
Most of the huts along Malaga beaches have fun artwork on their walls. Whether they’re toilet blocks, shower cubicles or lifeguard stations, the wooden huts come with beach-themed decoration.
Check them out as you walk by on the seafronts or use the facilities! Our favourite is the one above – you couldn’t be more chilled than this guy!
Need more info? Read these FAQs
Allow around 45-60 minutes for each at a relaxed pace. You can combine both districts in a half-day, with time for a coffee stop in between.
Yes, entirely. All the murals are on public streets and accessible at any time of day.
Yes, during the day. Stick to the streets in this guide and use the same common sense you would in any unfamiliar neighbourhood. Avoid Calle Cruz Verde, particularly early morning, late evening, or at night.
Yes. Malaga’s street art scene is constantly evolving as new murals appear and older ones fade or get painted over. This is particularly true of the murals in Lagunillas because of new development.
The murals in this guide were verified in May 2026 but it’s worth checking before a dedicated visit.
Want more art?
As well as street art, Malaga has several excellent art museums. For more information:
Read our guide to the Picasso Museum
Read about the Carmen Thyssen Museum
Start planning your street art discovery trip to Malaga!
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