Banksy walking tour

Banksy is now a world-famous artist, whose work has sold for hundreds of thousands of pounds. But once, he was just another kid on the streets of Bristol with a can of spray paint in his hands. As a result, some of his earliest work is hidden around the city, and spotting it is an absolute must for fans of his work.

Born in Bristol in 1974, Banksy was involved in the wave of street art that took Bristol by storm in the 1980s. Throughout the follwing decades, his work has cropped up in London, LA and New York, and of course, in his home town of Bristol. In 2009, Banksy held a spectacular homecoming, when under complete confidentiality, he overtook Bristol Museum and Art Gallery for an exhibition that saw crowds queueing for hours on end for a glimpse of his work. 

See it for yourself

We've listed some of Banksy's most famous Bristol works, which together make for a great self-guided walking tour of the city. With plenty of stops to sample some of the bars, cafes and resaurants the city has to offer, it's a day of culture, Bristol fashion. 

Central Bristol: The Thekla, Grim reaper
A great place to start, one of the most infamous Banksy's work can be viewed on the side of the Thekla Social boat moored in Bristol harbour. Start here and take in the stunning harbourside, with its history and attraction. 
 
Central Bristol: Frogmore Street, Well Hung Lover
From the harbourside, head towards Park Street, one of Bristol’s most famous streets. Banksy's Frogmore Street artwork is actually on the side of a sexual health clinic, with the best views being had from the small bridge at the bottom of Park Street that crosses Frogmore Street. From here, head up the hill, browsing the great selection of trendy clothing shops, record stores and quirky fashion shops on the way.

Stoke's Croft: The Canten, Mild, mild west
Head to the heart of Bristol’s cultural quarter, Stokes Croft. Banksy’s Mild Mild West artwork is located next to The Canteen and the best best views are from the Jamaica Street Junction. The whole area resembles an outdoor gallery with colourful graffiti that continually transforms its walls and buildings, and is a must for street art fans.

Clic clack boom, Easton
A short bus or car ride from Stoke's Croft is Easton. It's slightly further out of the way but an area that contains some of Banky's oldest works and is a mecca for street art fans. Clic Clack Boom is a very early (and sadly now largely been covered) Banksy, just set back from the buzzing high street on Stanley Park.

Cat and dog, Easton
Just around the corner, on Foster Street is another, very early Banksy that again is set within a collection of fantastic street art. It's well worth a visit just to tkae in some of the other amaxing work that lines the streets there.

Masked gorilla, Easton
Headng out of Easton along Fishponds Road brings you to an early Banksy of a gorilla in a pink mask. This was accidentally painted over in 2011, but has since been restored and is now a ghostly version of the original.