Last time I was here, I wasn’t alone. I took my friend Mankica, a Ljubljana Spotter visiting Lisbon. We were checking the amazing painted buildings at Picoas when she told me how much she loved Street Art. I didn’t think twice.

I told her how much the Graffiti Movement has changed in Lisbon since it started as an outcast art, mainly political, sometimes stupid, in some cases naive, in general confined to suburban ugly areas in the outskirts of Lisbon. With only a few exceptions, all political murals were destroyed and all messages were erased, at least the pretty ones. Now it’s trendy, cool and legal, some graffiti artists are even supported by the local town hall!

The Amoreiras Wall started around 1995, although there were many political paintings from decades ago, the place is ideal for graffiti artists. Someone said that this is the biggest graffiti wall in the Iberian Peninsula. Not sure of that, but it’s really huge! Located between Amoreiras and Marquês de Pombal Square in a wealthy part of Lisbon, near good hotels and fancy restaurants, the Amoreiras Wall is an open-air art gallery. Artists like Aspen, Uber and many others have painted here.

There’s a graffiti from Nomen, Slap and Kurtz depicting Angela Merkel holding Portuguese politicians like puppets on strings, it was made just before her visit to Lisbon in 2012. Lately, because of the economic crisis, graffiti has become more political.

Check the portraits of Marilyn Monroe or Tupac. Make sure you don’t miss it!