10 Enchanting Cities with Colorful Houses

Bright colors can change the appearance of a city significantly. When Edi Rama became mayor of Tirana, the capital of Albania, in 2000 he launched a campaign to add color to the post-communist city. Apartment blocks and public buildings were painted in intense colors, transforming the city into a colorful capital with pink, green, blue and red colors. So if colors can brighten up the crumbling tower blocks of Tirana imagine what they can do for some of the prettiest cities around the globe.

This serene neighborhood facing the Copenhagen harbor in Denmark is a popular area with both locals and tourists. The many bars and restaurants make and ideal location to relax along the canal or to go bar hopping. Be sure to visit number 9, the oldest standing building in Copenhagen, constructed in 1681. Danish author Hans Christian Andersen lived at number 18 for some years.

Bo-Kaap is a picturesque part of Cape Town, South Africa, situated on the slopes of Signal Hill above the city centre. Bo-Kaap is locally referred to as the Malay Quarter since the majority of its inhabitants are descendants of India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and of course Malaysia slaves brought here by the Dutch East Indian Trading Company in the 17th and 18th centuries. Tourists can walk the narrow and winding streets and take in all the bright and vibrant colors adorning the buildings.

The Mexican city of Zacatecas was founded in 1548 to provide shelter to the silver miners and reached the height of its prosperity in the 16th and 17th centuries. The city is built on the slopes of a narrow valley with narrow streets climbing the steep hillsides. The old center contains many colorful buildings, most of them from the 18th century, including the beautiful Cathedral and the Church of Santo Domingo which has a richly sculpted facade.

Greenland seems to have plenty of colorful houses that brighten up the otherwise bleak landscape. A good example is the settlement of Kulusuk located on a small rocky island . This tiny village is the gateway to east Greenland. Adventurous tourist can find stunning views of the enormous icebergs in the Denmark Strait and East Greenland’s magnificent mountains. Kulusk has one hotel built in 1999 and a youth hostel.

La Boca is is a working class district of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The artistic panache of it’s inhabitants put La Boca firmly on this list. The colourful houses are stunning examples of the independent nature of La Boca’s residents. Most of the brightly colorful houses are clustered by the port. Other attractions include many tango clubs and Italian taverns, as well as La Bombonera, home of the famous football club Boca Juniors.

Salvador is the capital of the state of Bahia, Brazil. The historical center, frequently called the Pelourinho, is renowned for its Portuguese colonial architecture with historical monuments dating from the 17th through the 19th centuries. Tourists can visit the Cathedral of Salvador a former Jesuit church or simply walk the winding streets and enjoy the breathtaking colonial architecture of the Pelourinho neighborhood.

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. Just climb the winding streets and enjoy and espresso at any of the outdoor cafe’s and absorb the stunning scenery of one of the most popular tourist attractions in Italy.

In the middle of the barren Thar desert in India you will find Jodhpur. This historic city is full of forts, palaces and temples. When you walk the streets of Jodhpur the stark whiteness of the buildings is almost blinding in the sunlight. View the city from afar and these same buildings take on a bluish hue. No wonder it is known as the Blue City.

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. 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 Punda are justification enough to make the trip.

Nestled in the mountains of the Sierra de Guanajuato in Mexico 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. 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.