There are colors that convey power, class or prestige and there are colors that leave a special mark on the beholder. The 11 places before you are cities whose buildings have been painted in different and special colors that give them a spectacular, magical and unique look that you won’t forget for a long time.
1. Manarola – Italy
Manarola lies in Italy and is located on a cliff overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. This ancient fishing town is filled with narrow cobbled streets and charming colorful buildings built in Roman times. The happy colors reflect the lifestyle of the residents of this amazing town, which can be reached by train or by sea only. Tours of the city’s streets are by foot only.
2. Colmar – France
Colmar is a picturesque French town on the border of Germany and Switzerland. Colmar is fondly called "Little Venice" and the reason for this is the charming water trenches that cross the streets of the town and connect to the Rhine River. The old houses, some of which were built in the 9th century and painted in pastel shades to give them a playful and lively appearance, are among Colmar's most outstanding and magical characteristics.
3. Costa Nova – Portugal
Costa Nova is situated next to the impressive Aveiro Lagoon, which is located in one of Portugal's coastal areas, and its colorful log cabins are the hallmarks of this quiet and peaceful coastline. The first settlers in the town were fishermen who used the wooden cabins to store machines and animals that would tow their fishing boats to shore. In the mid-19th century, artists and politicians began to flock to the area.
Towards the end of that century, when bathing in the sea became fashionable, fishermen began to rent their huts during the summer. However, in order to make the cabins attractive and more beautiful, it was suggested to paint them in different colors but still uniformly. The idea of painting the cabins proved itself, thus making this coastline the most attractive and beautiful in the area.
4. Sighisoara, Romania
Sighisoara is the most colorful city in Romania, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city is decorated in different styles, as befits classical European buildings that combine medieval touches with forts. Among the other colorful buildings in this picturesque city, you can also see fortresses and unique houses decorated with arches that surround the streets and capture attention.
5. Zalipie, Poland
The small village of Zalipie, known as "Little Poland", is located in a secluded area in the south of Poland, but those who make the effort to reach it are rewarded because the village contains an amazing surprise on the walls of its houses. The residents have a charming tradition that began over a century ago when the women of the village began to decorate the walls of their homes with paintings of beautiful flowers. Slowly, the paintings became an integral part of local culture and the village began to initiate annual art competitions. Local painters, both women, and men, create flower paintings on the walls of the houses and judges decide whose is best.
6. Teror, Spain
Somewhere in the Canary Islands of Spain, is one of the most charming towns in Gran Canaria - Teror. Visitors of Teror are greeted by colonial buildings and one of the most important churches in the Canary Islands. As you advance through the streets of the old and well-tended town towards the main square, you can see old and colorful houses decorated with wooden balconies and painted in bold and spectacular shades.
7. Cape Town - South Africa
In Cape Town, South Africa, there are many houses painted in different colors, but a high concentration of such buildings can be seen in the Malay Quarter on the slopes of Signal Hill. This neighborhood was built in the second half of the 18th century and one-story houses with flat roofs and mosques were built in it and are used daily. The roofs of these buildings were painted with strong pastel colors, and the minarets of the mosques were as well. Another stretch of colorful buildings can also be seen on the coast of Wiesenberg, where the wooden Victorian houses are used as rental bungalows and allow visitors to wake up on the beach with an amazing view.
8. Reykjavik – Iceland
Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is the smallest and most northern capital in Europe. For most of the year, Reykjavík has cold weather and snow covers the area. The city is generally isolated and is surrounded only by rural areas populated by a relatively small population compared to the size of the country. However, despite the country’s cold weather, the spirit and the lively temperament of the residents aren’t affected, and this can be seen by the colorful houses that give joy to all who look at them.
9. Girona – Spain
The Catalan city of Girona lies not far from Barcelona, and the beauty and uniqueness of the city is a continuous process of combining old and new, which is evident in the architectural line of the buildings in the city. Among the famous sites in Girona you can see the bridge built by Gustav Eiffel, the designer, and contractor who built the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and of course the colors of the houses decorated in sweet shades of pink, yellow and orange, which can be seen from afar.
10. Wroclaw, Poland
As the fourth largest city in Poland, Wroclaw has many surprising things to see, from the old Gothic and Baroque buildings to the new art - Nouveau art. The historic buildings have been painted in pastel colors and surround the market square that has existed since the Middle Ages. Preserving and painting the old buildings are the main factors that made Wroclaw one of the most colorful and fascinating cities in Europe.
11. Burano, Italy
Burano is a town spread over five colorful islands in the Venice Lagoon and is about 40 minutes by boat from Venice itself. Burano is known for two famous characteristics unique to it; one is the amazing colorful houses that adorn every corner of the city, and the second is the production of quality lace fabrics in the world. The mosaic of amazing houses that we see on the islands is not accidental - every house in Burano is painted in a different and unique color, and in order to paint their house the owners must send a special request to the municipality and wait for approval.
image source: Cristian Bortes www.eyee..., Iso Brown FR
