11 of the Most Colorful Cities in the World

11 of the Most Colorful Cities in the World

1. Guanajuato City, Mexico

photo source

Nestled in the mountains of the Sierra de Guanajuato lies the beautiful colonial city of Guanajuato. The city was founded in 1554 next to one of the richest silver mining areas of Mexico. The 16th-century mining boom led to the construction of beautiful haciendas and fine colonial buildings.

photo source

Guanajuato streets and many colorful alleyways spread out in every direction while most of its traffic is served by a network of underground tunnels making it an excellent city for pedestrians.

2. Willemstad, Netherlands Antilles

photo source

Willemstad is the chief town of Curaçao located on the southern coast of the island. The Dutch colonial architecture of Willemstad is decidedly picturesque when set against the Caribbean waters.

photo source

The historic centre of the city consists of two quarters: Punda and Otrobanda.  The Punda district is the main shopping area and the seat of government of the Netherlands Antilles. It is the oldest district of Willemstad, established in 1634. The bright and diverse colors of the buildings in Willemstad are justification enough to make the trip.

3. Valparaiso, Chile

photo source

Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere.

photo source

The houses here are painted all different shades of bright colors. This was because when the ships were docked for repairs and repainting, they’d leave the extra paint on the docks. People would grab whatever paint they could find and paint their houses. The colorful houses have become a Valparaiso trademark. 

4.St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada

photo source

St. John's is the capital and largest city of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada and is the primary municipality of the St. John's Metropolitan Area. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland.

photo source

St. John's is a colourful place. The older houses with wooden sidings are brightly coloured especially in the downtown area (viewed here).

5. Manarola, Italy

photo source

Manarola is one of the oldest towns in Cinque Terre and is nestled in the Italian Riviera. This picturesque village sprouts out of the mountainside to provide a breathtaking view of the Mediterranean sea.

photo source

Just climb the winding streets and enjoy and espresso at any of the outdoor cafe’s and absorb the stunning scenery.

6.Wroclaw, Poland

photo source

Wroclaw, located in the south-west, is Poland's most charming city. The town square dates back to the 12th century, and its 14th century brick Gothic architecture is particularly inspiring.

photo source

Like most of the country, it has a strong Roman Catholic affiliation. Thus, cathedrals of celebratory hues line the streets. 


7. Lima, Peru

photo source

Unlike many of the tourist-driven towns on this list, Lima is very much a working city. Unique in its mixture of poverty, native and imported cultures and varied development, Lima is especially noted for its different architectural styles. 

 photo source

Spanish baroque, French neoclassicism and art nouveau buildings make the city an arena of colors and art.


8. Utrecht, Netherlands

photo source

Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. 

photo source

It is located in the eastern end of the Randstad, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands, with a population of 307,000.

9. Stockholm, Sweden

photo source

Stockholm, one of the most beautiful capitals in the world, is built on 14 islands connected by 57 bridges.

photo source

The beautiful buildings, the greenery, the fresh air and the proximity to the water are distinctive traits of this city. 

10. Jaipur, India

photo source

Though not multicolored, Jaipur explore shades of pink. Nicknamed the “pink city”, Jaipur, the capital city of the desert state of Rajasthan, features architecture of pink sandstone – from grand structures and forts to tiny markets. The town looks even more surreal with elephants, camels and cows strolling past the pink buildings.

photo source

Painting a building a vivid color contributes greatly to the beautification of a town. A colorful facade has the power to turn an ordinary town into one bucolic and charming. If not quite ready to throw a bucket of purple paint on your home, visit these pretty towns and brave seeing the world in brighter color.

11. Jodhpur, India

photo source

In the middle of the barren Thar desert you will find Jodhpur, also known as Blue City.  It got that nickname because every little building and house in this fortress city is painted in ablue color, so from above it looks like a blue spot in the middle of the Thar desert. 

photo source

It is still unknown why they all painted in the color blue but some will say that it has something to do with the caste system in India. This historic city is full of forts, palaces and temples.