The best street art murals in the North & Scotland

The North of England and Scotland are creative places. Our bands and musicians rule the charts, our actors grace the biggest stages, and our artists always make a statement.

So, it’s no surprise to see the buildings and walls of our cities decorated with some of the finest and most inspiring street art found anywhere in the UK and beyond. And now, the world’s seeing it too through the power of Instagram. By tracking #streetart over the summer, we’ve identified the top cities in the North of the UK for street art, and the murals and artists that are getting the most Insta-love.

The UK’s top northern UK cities for street art

Having first looked at the top cities for street art in 2019, we’ve seen huge growth in people posting to the ’gram over the last five years. Glasgow has seen the largest increase, with 29,420 photos shared since the summer of 2019 – and it’s all down to the larger-than-life murals which can be found in nearly every corner of the city. When it comes to street art, this Scottish city knows how to do it best.

Also making waves amongst street art lovers is Manchester in second place, thanks to its portraits of the city’s most famous sons and daughters, and homages to the worker bee. Finally, Sheffield is third, where it’s all about birds, bright colours and an elderly lady called Muriel. It has truly been a summer of street art!

1. Glasgow

Glasgow is a city on the up, with regeneration in the pipeline and its population planned to nearly double by 2035. But it’s a city that never forgets its past. The top piece of street art in Glasgow is a portrait of the founder and patron saint of the city, Saint Mungo. Also in the top five is a huge mural of another of the city’s patron saints, Saint Enoch. The rest of Glasgow’s top 10 sees an eclectic mix of people, including celebrities, a floating taxi and ‘traffic troll’. Why not?!

If Glasgow’s collection of magnificent murals tickles your fancy, why not book yourself a street art-filled day or weekend trip? Trains run from across the UK, including from Edinburgh and Manchester, so it’s easily accessible from almost anywhere.

2. Manchester

Manchester’s street art hub is the city’s hipster hangout, the Northern Quarter. Sometimes used as a backdrop for NYC in the movies, the NQ is packed with old, red-brick warehouses complete with external fire escapes, quirky bars and plenty of street art. For a city that’s had a serious impact on pop culture, it’s easy to see this influence throughout the area’s artwork. It’s no surprise then, given the recent Oasis reunion tour announcement, that a mural of the Gallager brothers takes the top spot as the most Instagrammed piece in Manchester.

Want to explore Manchester’s street art for yourself? You can easily hop on a train to Manchester from all over the UK, including nearby cities like Liverpool or Leeds. Manchester Piccadilly station is just a stone’s throw away from the Northern Quarter too, so you can get your street art on as soon as you step off the platform.

3. Sheffield

Birds, bright colours and Yorkshire grit. That’s what the street art scene in Sheffield is all about. At the top of the list of the most Instagrammed artwork in the city, ‘Reverie’, by Peachzz brings two feathery friends to Carver Street. This new mural is one of the largest in the city, and its impressive visuals make it easy to see why it takes the top spot. ‘Now Then, Then Now’ by Rob Lee adds some vibrancy to Howard Street, and ‘The Snog’ by Pete McKee (which has been recently renovated) highlights the playful side of the city.

Feeling inspired to visit Sheffield? Sheffield station sits in the centre of the city and can be reached by train from most cities like Leeds and Manchester.

4. Liverpool

Liverpool is a fiercely proud Northern city. Whether shown through their support for their musicians, the liver bird, or the famous faces with an affiliation to the city, there’s plenty of street art which reflects the city’s pride. At the top of the list in Liverpool is the Ringo Star mural by John Culshaw, which can be found near this Beatle’s childhood home. An awe-inspiring mural of Liverpool’s own medal-winning Olympian, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, takes the second spot, painted by Paul Curtis.

Liverpool has a mix of vibrant murals found across the city, making it a top destination to visit for those looking to up their Insta-grid game. Book train tickets to Liverpool for popular routes such as Glasgow Central and Manchester Piccadilly.

5. Edinburgh

Like other cities in the list, portraits make for the most Instagrammable murals in Edinburgh. One of the most popular pieces of street art on the ‘gram in Scotland’s capital is one such portrait by SKEPS at Quality Yard, home of the 360° Street Art Exhibition. Other amazing pieces in Edinburgh that made our top 10 include a portrait of the Leith-born sculptor and artist, Eduardo Paolozzi, a jumping trout, and a big friendly worm.

While this historic city isn’t often thought of as a mecca for street art, you can still have an action-packed day of street art spotting along Edinburgh’s cobbled streets. If this sounds like your ideal day out, why not book a visit? Edinburgh can easily be accessed by train from cities across the UK, like Newcastle or Liverpool.

The most Instagrammed street artists and themes

Often, street art is snapped without any recognition for the artist behind the work. We’ve done the research behind the murals, and the Manchester-based artist, Akse 19, comes out on top as the most Instagrammed artist – with over 10 thousand posts of his work. When it comes to the top themes for the street art that is most likely to grace your feed, portraits of famous musicians spark a connection with Instagrammers the most, typically being the most photographed pieces.

To learn more about street art and its impact on our cities, we’ve also asked some northern based street artists a few questions:

You might have seen these amazing pieces on Instagram, but there’s nothing quite like appreciating the art adorning the walls of our great northern cities in person. It’s all about enjoying street art in the moment and in the place the artist intended. With TransPennine Express you can explore the very best of the North of England and Scotland and update your Instagram with #streetart as you go. So, why not book your tickets now?