Graffiti Alley

A spot to take any tourists to.

Graffiti Alley, as the name suggests is an alley filled with graffiti. It spans for a couple of streets long, with different graffiti art found throughout the alley. It's quite beautiful and definitely a place to take any tourists, friends or family that are out of town. It gets pretty busy on the weekends with a lot of people taking pictures for their social media accounts. Definitely a place to check out for some unique art, things to look at and just a beautiful casual stroll in the neighbourhood.

My solitude whilst this beautiful city sleeps or does she ... Graffiti Alley the luv of the 6IX
OneLove

It's Canadian Thanksgiving Day! Virtually no foot traffic today! It was a worthwhile stop to check out the local graffiti. Parking seems to be a challenge if it weren't for the holiday. Lots of graffiti to checkout very interesting!

Yelp Review 2024 #40:

I had dinner reservations at restaurant nearby and needed to kill time instead of just staying in my hotel room so, I went to Graffiti Alley. I appreciate all forms and sorts of art/ artistic expression whether it may be high art inside a museum or public art like murals and graffiti. I've been to multiple cities around the world with really fantastic graffiti: Barcelona, Prague, Belfast, Bogota (probably the best with a sad history behind it too), Melbourne, etc. Where does Toronto's Graffiti Alley rank?

First of all, it's located between Portland and Spadina and runs parallel to Queen Street where you can access the streetcar/ tram. In this neighborhood, there are lots of restaurants, bars, cafes, and other businesses. I got to see an artist at work.

I like the cute chicks. Some walls have graffiti but got tagged by some bored person with no talent. And some walls were simply just tags (when I went). But with graffiti, nothing is permanent. You might see one mural one time, and it's spray painted over the next year.

It's not one of my top cities for graffiti but if you have time, go see it. And it's free!

So many different artist was really interesting to see. This is a must see while visiting Toronto.

I'm a sucker for public art. So naturally, when my weekend plans took me to Toronto, I knew Graffiti Alley was a must-see.

STAR #1 - There's a little bit of everything here! From typical tags, throw-ups, wildstyle, stencils, pieces, and more! So no matter your graffiti-tastes, there's bound to be something you'll appreciate.

STAR #2 - Seeking a creative place for a photo shoot? This may very well be the most interesting of backdrops to let those creative juices flow. Many people were doing just that during our visit.

STAR #3 - Graffiti Alley is located within walking distance of some really fun neighborhoods. So it's super easy to check it out as you head from one place to the next.

STAR #4 - It's free! So grab some coffee (Tim Horton's anyone) and meander a while.

...only downside here is that, being an alley, it's obviously got trash strewn about. Not terrible, but I can see where some people would want to steer clear of it, especially in the warmer summer months.

If you're a fan of street art, Graffiti Alley should absolutely be on your must-see list when in Toronto.

Really cool few blocks of you have some time to explore. I enjoyed the various styles of graffiti, and how so much of it blended together despite being from different artists.

Once you're done, head back down queen st and visit the awesome shops & restaurants!

We have visited many graffiti displays and murals in different cities and countries, and this is one of the better ones.

+ large variety of styles and higher quality artwork
+ graffitis are concentrated, it's easy to see most of the artwork all in one place

- as with others, this is a residential neighborhood, some places are cleaner than others

Tips: there are a ton of restaurants nearby, if you go around lunch time, and try some interesting food.

Parking: there is a pretty large lot nearby, you can park conveniently using the Green-P app.

Super unique and cool area in Toronto. We heard it changes every year but it was cool to see the work of different artists and especially cool to see murals of things that relate to Toronto. A must see when visiting Toronto! Just about 2 blocks long but quick and easy to get to and see.

"Going home, running home
Down to Gasoline Alley where I started from"
(Rod Stewart)

Where does the word "graffiti" come from?

It's a plural of the Italian word 'graffito'. It describes a drawing or writing scratched on a wall or other surface.

Today, the word graffiti is used for "art that is written, painted or drawn on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view". (Wikipedia)

As you walk north toward Chinatown on Spadina Avenue in Toronto you'll catch a splash of color on your left. Welcome to Graffiti Alley - a small section of town where graffiti is encouraged and the kaleidoscope of colors and designs will blow your mind.

The spray painted colors are everywhere - alleys, back streets and even the trash dumpsters. Just be careful where you walk because the street/alley surfaces aren't in tip-top condition.

It's a pretty amazing sight and I can only imagine how many photos, selfies, and Instagram posts originated in Graffiti Alley!