Edinburgh isn’t a city you’d normally associate with street art with its historic buildings but some cool murals and graffiti can also be found away from the UNESCO area and Old Town. Photos by Buenos Aires Street Art.
Love Leith mural in Edinburgh (photo © BA Street Art)
Leith
Leith is a port area in the north of Edinburgh that has become gentrified in recent years with waterfront restaurants and also where the Royal Yacht Britannia is moored. Lots of street art and graffiti can be found in the neighbourhood like this artwork (above) painted on the clubhouse of Leith Athletic Football Club.
Duck with spray can in Leith (photo © BA Street Art)
Marine Parade Graffiti Wall
The Marine Parade Graffiti Wall (photo © BA Street Art)
The Marine Parade Graffiti Wall in Leith is one of the best spots in the city to check out old school graffiti and aerosol art. Part of the wall was demolished for a new tram line a few years ago but there are some cool graffiti pieces that can be seen when crossing the tram line between Newhaven Harbour and Ocean Terminal.
Wildstyle lettering (photo © BA Street Art)
Skeleton with boom box & aerosol by Reckless (photo © BA Street Art)
Love this skeleton (above) with a boom box, aerosol can and spliff painted by Reckless.
Piece by Parisian graffiti artist Ant One (photo © BA Street Art)
New mural painted by Hungry Window in 2026 (photo © BA Street Art)
Newhaven Harbour (photo © BA Street Art)
The Marine Parade Graffiti Wall is located off Lindsay Road a few minutes walk between Newhaven Harbour and Ocean Terminal. Also some nice fish restaurants around Newhaven Harbour and the lighthouse is a good spot to watch the sunset.
Portrait of Spud from Trainspotting by Surface Noise at Quality Yard (photo © BA Street Art)
Trainspotting
There is probably no other modern movie more associated with Edinburgh than Trainspotting. Street art featuring the film characters Spud and Renton by Surface Noise and Box Vincent respectively can be found at Quality Yard.
Portrait of Renton from Trainspotting painted by Box Vincent at Quality Yard (photo © BA Street Art)
Quality Yard
Mural by Ross MacCrae (photo © BA Street Art)
Quality Yard is an artists’ residence in Leith and is another great spot to check out street art. The courtyard and walls of the building are decorated with some striking murals and artworks like this one featuring a fishman (above) painted by Scottish artist and illustrator Ross MacCrae.
Artist Dilal in front of his mural at Quality Yard (photo © BA Street Art)
Was great to meet Dilal (above) who is one of the artists in residence at Quality Yard. The complex has four artists studios and many of them have painted murals on tis walls.
Artworks by Shona Hardie & KMG (photo © BA Street Art)
Mural by Philaico (photo © BA Street Art)
Brazilian artist Philaico painted this striking mural (above) on Maritime Lane in 2024.
Mural by Dead Beat Hero (photo © BA Street Art)
Vienna-based artist Rob Perez aka Dead Beat Hero painted this cool mural (above) at Quality Yard in 2025.
Mural by Blondie Howden on Maritime Lane (photo © BA Street Art)
Edinburgh Castle (photo © BA Street Art)
Cowgate
A few minutes walk from Edinburgh Castle and Royal Mile is the area of Cowgate where you can see two bizarre looking sculptures featuring a cow’s head and backside coming out of a wall. This one above is named ‘The Toon Coo-cillor’ and was created using wire by sculptor Polly Verity on the facade of the Rowan Tree bar.
Cow’s backside sculpture by Polly Verity on Cowgate (photo © BA Street Art)
From the 17th to 19th century, cows were herded along the street to the market. Several murals relating to cows can be found in Cowgate. These two sculptures (above) on the corner of Niddry Street and Cowgate feature the backside and head a cow passing through a wall.
Mural on front of OX184 restaurant on Cowgate (photo © BA Street Art)
Mural by Michael Corr on Cowgate St. (photo © BA Street Art)
Colinton
Colinton Gateway Mural by Chris Rutterford (photo © BA Street Art)
Colinton in the south of Edinburgh is a neighbourhood where more murals have been popping up in recent years. Local artist Chris Rutterford painted this mural (above) named The Colinton Gateway Mural in July 2025 that features local people, animals and relates to the history of the area.
Mural in Colinton by Chris Rutterford (photo © BA Street Art)
Another section of the mural on the corner of Cuddies Lane features Highland cattle and a donkey.
Colinton Tunnel
“Faster than witches” – part of 1st line of Robert Louis Stevenson poem (photo © BA Street Art)
Also in Colinton close to the parish church is a disused Victorian railway tunnel that has been transformed into a hotspot for street art by local artist Chris Rutterford and team together with Craig Robertson and Duncan Peace painting the words of the poem ‘From a Railway Carriage’ by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Rainbow mural in Colinton Tunnel (photo © BA Street Art)
We loved this rainbow artwork in the tunnel too. We’ve dedicated a separate blog post to the tunnel project as being 140 metres in length, it has many murals worth photographing.
All photos © Buenos Aires Street Art
