Alternative London: Street Art Walking Tour in Shoreditch

Loving London requires you to be able to find your own little spot and own it. It’s like walking into a symphony and blending in with your own tune and rhythm. We found ours in Shoreditch – a hippie enclave that’s just bursting with creativity, talent, artisanal stores and the most amazing street art.

Read on to find out more about our experience with Alternative London as they brought us on a street art walking tour in Shoreditch!

Our guide from Alternative London was Lily (or Lily Mixe), a spunky street artist from Paris. She shuttled us around Hackney, the poorest borough of London, and explained to us its history and how it resulted in the birth of street art here. It was truly a visual spectacle as there were amazing pieces of art literally all around us, on the walls, on the floor, at the little corners of buildings and even on top of lampposts! Street art can essentially be created and spotted anywhere and everywhere here, and our senses were kept fully engaged for the two hours as we kept our eyes peeled for all the little details. Honestly, there was so much to see that a two hour walking tour barely scratched the surface of the gems in this area. What made it interesting though, was how Lily was able to help us view the art through the perspective of a street artist, explaining to us the various techniques used to create the different pieces as well as the stories and inspirations behind the art and the artists. This made the experience so much richer and meaningful as some of these stories are truly amazing. We were enlightened on which types of street art was illegal (or not) and the creative ways in which some street artists have resorted to to displaying their work.

The best part (and also the worst) is that the nature of street art is so fluid that you will never go on the same tour twice as there are always new art pieces popping up. Unfortunately, several of the excellent pieces that we saw on our tour will be gone in the next month or so because of all the upcoming redevelopment plans in the area.

What’s awesome about the Alternative London Street Art Walking Tour is that it is a free walking tour, which means that you essentially pay the guide based on your perceived value of the tour at the end of it. The street art could definitely be viewed at your own leisure, but understanding the context behind these pieces makes a world of a difference. Do take note that the tour lasts around 3 hours and that there are no toilet breaks so make sure to use the toilet before you get started! (ET learnt this the hard way.)

If you have the time, we would also strongly urge you to spend a whole afternoon or even day in this area. It’s a neighbourhood brimming with creativity and energy and there’s just so much to see and explore. The vintage shops and markets, such as the Boxpark Pop-Up Mall, are ideal for a day of endless wandering. It’s also apparently the best area in London for an Indian curry!