12 Colorful Cities That You Need To Visit (2 of 3)

5. Izamal, Mexico

Think Chefchaouen, but instead of blue, the folks who live here prefer to paint their houses yellow. The colors really bring out the architectural character of the city. Helpful tip: if you should find yourself here, make sure to stop by their Mercado Izamal, a farmer’s market where you can buy locally grown produce and freshly butchered meats. Definitely try the local delicacy: a venison taco!

6. Willemstad, Curaçao

This small Dutch Caribbean island just north of Venezuela deserves to be better known. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, the island is dotted with buildings with beautiful, vibrant colors. What accounts for them? According to legend, 19th century Dutch Governor-General Albert Kikkert would suffer from terrible headaches as a result of the sunlight bouncing off the white buildings that were common at the time. To alleviate this problem, he had all the buildings painted in bright colors.

7. Bo-Kaap, Cape Town, South Africa

This suburb of Cape Town blends the architectural styles of the Georgian era with the country’s Dutch past. The city attracts visitors from all over the world who come for the sole purpose of snapping photos of the neighborhoods.

8. Guanajuato, Mexico

Another city to make UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites, Guanajuato is hands-down Mexico’s brightest, most energetic city. Head downtown and soak in the atmosphere as you view baroque and neoclassical style buildings full of contrasting colors ranging from pink to yellow to blue. You should also check out the yellow and red Cathedral Basilica Nuestra Señora de Guanajuato.