Very Cool Graffiti Street Art and Murals of San José, Costa Rica

Join us for a walk through the City of Colour – the famous artistic street of Costa Rica’s capital San José, and enjoy very cool graffiti murals and urban art.

Streets of San Jose with colourful walls — Cosmos walking the streets of downtown San Jose enjoying the urban art and murals

In our opinion, nothing can express the character of a notorious travel destination or a small town alike better than its graffiti street art – San José, the capital of Costa Rica, is no exception. With this post we invite you for a walk to check out the urban art of downtown San José – the City of Colour murals district – as we’ve seen it on our vacation family trip to Costa Rica in December 2021.

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Graffiti Street Art Murals Urban San José Costa Rica City of Colour - pinterest — PIN IT: “City of Colour” Graffiti district of San José Costa Rica – full of Urban Street Art and Murals

“City of Colour Murals” – the Downtown Urban Art District

The colourful artistic neighbourhoods in San José are no secret. Costa Rican art evolved over time and the streets became more colourful. As a result, remarkably, today’s San José is considered to be one of the most important artistic spots in Central America.

City of Colour Calle 17 San Jose Costa Rica — Street Art of San Jose, Costa Rica – the City of Colour is one of the most famous urban art travel destinations in Central America

There are many cool street art and graffiti collections locations all around the city you can check out.

City of Colour Calle 17 San Jose Costa Rica official sign — Calle 17 – “City of Colour” artistic district official sign announcing the main urban art and graffiti location in San Jose, Costa Rica

Yet if you travel through and only have one or two days in San José – our advice is to head straight into the downtown core. The “City of Colour” district – right behind the National Museum of Costa Rica – is hosting a huge collection of graffiti, murals, and other street art, sometimes by quite famous local urban artists.

City of Colour Calle 17 San Jose Costa Rica location map — City of Colour Murals location on the map of San Jose. PURPLE – graffiti and murals locations

Let’s check out this famous Graffiti Street of San José

Graffiti Street Art Murals Urban San José Costa Rica City of Colour - palm — Mural by @DiegoFournier

Graffiti Street Art Murals Urban San José Costa Rica City of Colour - fruit and veggie — too bad some of these cool murals are not signed. yet Calle 17 – the City of Colour is one of the most famous urban art travel destinations in Central America

Graffiti Street Art Murals Urban San José Costa Rica City of Colour - the people — complicated and fascinating street art masterpiece at Calle 17 in the City of Colour district at San Jose

Graffiti Street Art Murals Urban San José Costa Rica City of Colour - thunder — What do you see in this mural? I've been staring at it for hours and still can't understand what is depicted here. Yet it is beautiful nonetheless

Graffiti Street Art Murals Urban San José Costa Rica City of Colour - cat and mouse — “the Cat” – this mural is one of the most iconic street art images of San Jose, Costa Rica

Graffiti Street Art Murals Urban San José Costa Rica City of Colour - orange questions — Boga's “Juice Trader”

Graffiti Street Art Murals Urban San José Costa Rica City of Colour - monsters — “The Monsters” by Bryan Miranda

Graffiti Street Art Murals Urban San José Costa Rica City of Colour - diamond — “The Diamond Squid”. It is unfortunate that some of the graffiti and murals are peeling off and get destroyed by elements with time

Graffiti Street Art Murals Urban San José Costa Rica City of Colour - maya — Mural by @ MUSH

Graffiti Street Art Murals Urban San José Costa Rica City of Colour - orchid — “The Orchid” – this one is one my personal favourite murals in the San Jose's City of Colour district. Don't ask, LOL

Graffiti Street Art Murals Urban San José Costa Rica City of Colour - monkey politician — Fralem’s “Monkey Politician”

Graffiti Street Art Murals Urban San José Costa Rica City of Colour - geometry floor — in the City of Colour you'll find street art even under your feet!

Graffiti Street Art Murals Urban San José Costa Rica City of Colour - heels and skirts — San Jose's murals often depict day-to-day life of the city: here a family hugging before going to work and school.

Graffiti Street Art Murals Urban San José Costa Rica City of Colour - kids soccer — Another scene of the day-to-day life in San Jose: kids playing soccer on the street

Graffiti Street Art Murals Urban San José Costa Rica City of Colour - bety — colourful graffiti sometimes is just the name of the artist. yet still fascinating.

Graffiti Street Art Murals Urban San José Costa Rica City of Colour - sing — “Sing” graffiti on the streets of San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica

Graffiti Street Art Murals Urban San José Costa Rica City of Colour - magenta wall — street graffiti in San Jose, Costa Rica

Graffiti Street Art Murals Urban San José Costa Rica City of Colour - purple brain — “The Purple Brain” – urban art of San Jose, Costa Rica

Want to Learn to Create Graffiti and Murals?

Are you or your kids fascinated by all these cool graffiti and street art? Would you like to learn how to create your own? Luckily there are many opportunities to learn online even if you've never held a spray paint can in your hands ever. Here are some of the urban art and graffiti creation courses I have found:

product udemy online course graffiti fundamentals — ONLINE COURSE:
Graffiti Styles – Fundamentals

product udemy online course Graffiti Formula - Complete Guide to Graffiti Sketching — ONLINE COURSE:
Graffiti Formula
Complete Guide to Graffiti Sketching

ONLINE COURSE:
Graffiti Styles – Advanced

product udemy online course Animating the graffiti, paintings and NFTs — ONLINE COURSE:
Animating the graffiti, paintings and NFTs

Concluding notes

I hope you have thoroughly enjoyed our travel photos and notes from the San José downtown urban art “the Graffiti street” gallery.

To support local street artists and Costa Rican urban art clubs, you can locate artist’s accounts on social media. Many of them have websites and online stores where they sell photos, posters and digital files of their art to be printed on clothing. Some may have donation wallets you can contribute to. And of course you can purchase art from local businesses and markets scattered throughout the streets of San José. (More gift ideas and what to bring as a souvenir from your family vacation in Costa Rica to follow)

Graffiti Street Art Murals Urban San José Costa Rica City of Colour - power — Colourful decoration of San Jose streets – murals by @ Rylyuk

Other cool street art locations around the world that we’ve visited:

Fort Langley, British Columbia, Canada was a large collection of outdoor murals and fun colourful graffiti
Fusterlandia in Havana, Cuba is an art house of its own. It spills our murals and urban art sculpture beyond its boundaries and into the streets of nearby neighbourhoods.
Powell River, British Columbia, Canada has a small but vibrant artistic community and very positive inspiring street art

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