Puerto de la Cruz has outdoor art on a very different scale from one street to the next. La Ranilla's large wall murals invite a walk through the old town; smaller figures and paintings on family houses reward a closer look. Elsewhere, new work can appear over older pieces. Use this guide to choose which part of the town's street art you want to explore, then follow the linked guides for the detail.
Street art at different scales
Puerto Street Art began bringing large murals to the old town in 2014, with work connected to the town's cultural festivals. The walls made La Ranilla an outdoor place to explore art. They are only one part of the picture: family nicknames became small paintings on house façades, and tiny figures have appeared in other public spots. Those works have different stories and need different kinds of attention.
The art is outdoors and can change. Enjoy what is visible on your visit rather than treating an older photograph or video as a promise that every piece is still there.
The large wall murals of La Ranilla
Start near Calle Mequinez, west of Plaza del Charco, and follow the streets around La Ranilla. The big murals occupy side walls rather than a single gallery or square. They include different artists, styles and stories: some draw on local life, while others bring imagined worlds or a fresh view of the town.
Our Wall Murals of Puerto de la Cruz Guided Tour has the filmed walk and the individual works. Watch it before you go, or use its written route at your own pace. The video belongs on that detailed guide, so this overview gives you a way into it without repeating the film.
Apodos: paintings on family homes
Look around the doors and windows of La Ranilla's houses as well as up at the tall murals. Local artist Juliana Serrano's Apodos paintings turn family nicknames into small images on some home façades. They connect street art to the memories of people who live here, and they can be easy to walk past.
Our Apodos painted houses guide explains the idea and the local stories behind it. These are private homes: enjoy the art from the public street and keep entrances clear.
Puerto's Little Men and Women
Big walls are not the only places to look. Our Puerto's Little Men guide takes a closer look at the small figures that have appeared around town, with our film and map. Their size makes the search different from a mural walk: notice details at street level and take time to look around.
Individual figures can disappear or move, so use the guide as inspiration to explore rather than a fixed inventory of what will be there on the day.
Small interventions can tell another story
The Puerto Street Art programme has also included small interventions in the street by the French artist OakOak. His playful use of existing urban features is distinct from Juliana Serrano's paintings about local family nicknames. You may encounter details like these while walking, but there is no need to chase a fixed checklist of older works. Take a careful look at the surroundings without blocking paths or entering private property.
A changing street art hotspot beyond the old town
Our Street Art Hotspot Update from October 2025 is a filmed visit to a different part of Puerto de la Cruz. The work there changes, so the video is a dated view of what we saw rather than a current artwork list or walking route. It offers another side of the town's outdoor art after you have explored La Ranilla.
How to enjoy the art on foot
La Ranilla is a lived-in neighbourhood with homes, shops and restaurants. Walk its lanes at your own pace, photograph from public space, leave doorways free and respect residents. A short wander can reveal a great deal; follow the mural guide if you want the longer route. As the works and their surroundings change, check what you can actually see rather than relying on a historical count.
For sculpture and places that hold exhibitions as well as art on the streets, continue to Art in Puerto de la Cruz.
Follow PuertoDeLaCruz.info in Google
If our Puerto de la Cruz guides are useful to you, you can add PuertoDeLaCruz.info as one of your preferred sources in Google.