One way to see big cities is to go on a self-guided street art tour. The idea is to get information online about where there is some great graffiti or some great wall paintings around the city and then follow a route with these points.
It is a unique way to get around different small crafty streets and alleys, as well as a way to avoid tourist areas and experience more of the city's local atmosphere.
I found a pdf that I paid a small amount to download to my mobile phone and otherwise I was just off. If you want a tour with a tour guide, that is often also an option. See here for more info: Self-guided tour
I have worked with some of the paintings in Photoshop to better being able to appreciate the art. You can find them on Instagram here.
My AI friend says this about the capital, Sofia:
Sofia is known for its street art and graffiti, and the city has a thriving underground scene, where artists use the city's walls to express themselves creatively. Areas such as the city center, specifically around neighborhoods such as Kapana Quarter (although primarily located in Plovdiv, it is an inspiration for many cities) and Vitosha Boulevard, as well as small streets in neighborhoods such as Lozenets or Studentski Grad, are known for their vibrant murals and street art.
In addition, Sofia has several projects and initiatives that promote street art, such as the Urban Creatures Project, which attracts local and international artists to decorate buildings and walls with impressive works. Some murals have become iconic, and the city has street art walking tours that show the best spots.
The street art scene in Sofia is also a reflection of the city's culture and history, often with political, social or historical themes, giving the art a unique context. It is an exciting part of the city's modern identity.
The large wall paintings
When you're running around like another scout on a postal run and looking at Google Maps to find the next point on the PDF, you're always very pleasantly surprised when you suddenly discover a 10-20 meter high painting in front of you. It gives the city district a rather remarkable artistic touch.
The smaller and special ones
Often it is quite creative and different works that you see in the city. Notice the boy who is sitting and drawing. There is something strange about it - he has a nosebleed, but continues to draw undeterred.
The fish has a mixture of logos and special symbols and Andy Warhol boxers and Charles Chaplin have also joined the cityscape.
I also like the slightly disturbing sitting figure with the long nose that is in a parking lot in the middle of the city center, where I stayed overnight.
Also the artist the text "нито една повече" (not one more) maybe should practice paiting noses - the woman on the first paiting looks like she has a bean bag in the middle of her face.
Ordinary graffiti and small works of art
A long wooden fence was decorated like a train with a lot of passengers and you often find small works of art made on boxes with electrical installations.
Even the grilles that are rolled down in front of the shops can be seen decorated with beautiful decorations.
You can often find the artists of the works by looking at their tags. Some are more official than others, so the legal works can be found links to websites, among other things. I found these on the green house:
0511 design Instagram page
Fun findings
I took a random photo of a building with a graffiti of musical instruments and theater masks. It turned out to be a famous Bulgarian artist Krustyu Mirski (Кръстю Мирски) who had lived in the house and now a memorial plaque has been put up here.
I found myself walking on the street named after Neofit Rilski (Неофит Рилски). It was just a funny coincidence since I have previously written about the city of the same name in the section Bulgaria's Greatness on Display.
And much more to see
Sofia is truly filled with many exciting experiences. Exciting architecture and abandoned and overgrown buildings, as well as a lot of cultural landmarks such as the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and St. Sofia Church, which you also have the opportunity to visit on your street art hunt.
I love this way of coming across slightly exciting and random places in big cities.
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