15 Most Colorful Places in the World to Brighten Your Mood

What’s the most colorful place you’ve been to?

Grey skies can dampen our mood, but bright colors have a positive effect on us. Trippy user Courtney addressed that with this post on Trippy’s community page:

I was looking through some old travel photos last night and found some of Tirana, Albania. If you've ever been there, you probably know that a few years ago, the mayor had many of the buildings painted in colorful, crazy patterns to build the morale of the residents. It's kind of amazing to look at all of them together.
So tell me: What's the most colorful place?

Here are 15 most colorful places in the world, natural and manmade in descending order:

15. Tirana, Albania

Edi Rama, who was a painter and became the mayor of Tirana from 2000 to 2011, knew the power of color. He changed the landscape and mood of the rundown capital of Albania by painting bright colors over old and grey boxy buildings.

Listen to his TedTalk in TEDxThessaloniki where he talked about colors as referred to by Trippy user Courtney:

14. Capri, Italy

Maria chose Capri, and she said:

Capri in Italy is colorful. It's beautiful. You can see many flowers hanged from the walls of houses and doors. Being in Capri is like being in a picture itself.

The island of Capri’s crystal clear blue and aquamarine waters is absolutely stunning. Trippy user Brew chipped in with this suggestion:

If you love the water, you should definitely do the Grotta Azzurra (the Blue Grotto) and the Green Grotto. Sea caves that you take a boat to and can swim in. Very beautiful and fun.

13. Pasadena, California

Janelle from Charleston remembered her trip to Pasadena. She wrote:

Seeing the floats parked on display the day after the Rose Parade, Pasadena. After the parade is over, the floats are all taken to a large open field and put on display for spectators. We were in L.A. over New Year's when I was 13, and Mum and Dad took me to see the floats, which were an explosion of colors and intricate patterns from the flowers and other materials used to create them. Seeing them up close made me appreciate the workmanship and time it takes to make them look the way they do.

Pasadena’s sculptures and colorful murals are must-sees, according to Visit Pasadena. These are their recommendations:

Keith Haring Mural

Auguste Rodin sculptures

Pasadena Robinson Memorial

Fork in the Road

Kneeling Man with Hammer

Enduring Heroes

When it comes to dreams and visions mural

Pasadena, the City of Roses mural

The Dalton Tile Murals

Memorial Park Metro Station

Countdown Leader

12. Guanajuato, Mexico

Located about 200 miles from Mexico City is the UNESCO World Heritage site of Guanajuato. This old and colorful city has maze-like cobbled streets, colorful buildings, and tree-lined plazas. For the best view of this old silver-mining town, hike or take the cable car to the top of El Pipila.

11. Burano, Italy

Kim from Birmingham England said Burano:

Burano island in the Venice lagoon. All the little houses are painted in bright colors. It’s a beautiful place for a day trip from Venice!

Take a 45-minute water bus ride (Vaporetto number 12) from Venice to the colorful island of Burano. Known for its colorful fishermen houses along the canals and lacework, Burano also has a leaning tower, the Leaning Bell Tower of St. Martin’s Church.

10. Valparaiso, Chile

Claudia liked Valparaiso. She wrote:

In Valparaiso, Chile, you'll see colorful homes dot the 45 hills of Valparaiso, street art on walls in almost every neighborhood, painted stairs, and artwork on funiculars. Narrow alley walls are painted, such as the alleyway (photo above) to Casino Social J Cruz, a favorite local restaurant for the famous Chilean dish, chorrillana.

9. Bryce Canyon

Scott wrote:

I'm sure a lot of people would put the Grand Canyon National Park on their list, but for me, it really wasn't that interesting. Yes, it's big (really big), but it's just a hole in the ground. I found Bryce Canyon National Park to be MUCH more beautiful. Amazing colors and rock formations.

8. Willemstad, Curacao

Rosalie Ann loved the colors of Willemstad, Curacao. She wrote:

Probably Curacao. All the buildings are painted bright colors.

The painted bright colored buildings Rosalie Ann referred to are located in the historic area of Willemstad’s inner city and harbor. The Dutch came to Curacao in 1634 and started building a walled city in Willemstad.

Eventually, Willemstad became the capital of the Netherlands Antilles until 2010. Dutch influence is displayed throughout the city - Dutch-style gabled houses in the historic area, churches, and landhuizen (Dutch large plantation houses) in outlying areas built in the 18th and 19th centuries.

7. Copenhagen

Like Willemstad and Burano, Copenhagen has a row of colorful houses along the canals; the most iconic ones are at Nyhavn. Soren said:

Nyhavn is always colorful, though best during the summer where you can enjoy a beer outside, Tivoli is a bit small but a good break from the city. Go window-shopping (and maybe even people-spotting) down Strøget have a great burger at Vesterbros Originale Burgerrestaurant or maybe one of the restaurants at the old meat-packing district Kødbyen. More colorful ideas could be Urban Ranger Camp or Freetown Christiania.

Colorful buildings are also found in Sofiegade, Gernersgade, Overgade Oven Vandet, and Palads.

6. Vinicunca, Peru

Discovered only in 2015, Vinicunca, the Mountain of Seven Colors or Rainbow Mountain is now one of the most Instagrammable places in Peru. Located about 60 miles (about a four-hour drive) from Cusco, this mountain appeared when the snow melted and the geological masterpiece appeared.

5. Provence, France

From the last week of June to the beginning of August, Provence in the south of France is filled with pretty shades of purple in the lavender fields. And in July and August, besides lavender, there are acres upon acres of sunflower fields as well.

The best places to see the lavender fields are Valensole Plateau, Luberon Valley, and Sault.

4. Chefchaouen, Morocco

Chefchaouen, the Blue City in northwest Morocco, is a photographer’s paradise. According to Trippy user Matthew:

If the plan is to explore and photograph it (Chefchaouen), I would spend the night. The blue part of the city lies on a hillside, and both sunset and sunrise provide a different experience, as the light touches various alleys and buildings. Without the sunlight, though the town is just drab, thus spending the night will also give you the most chances for light. Chefchaouen was one of our favorite cities in Morocco; it was a nice, quiet place and an excellent example of what Morocco has to offer. We ended up staying two nights. We stayed at Dar Zman Guest House and had no problems, plus we really enjoyed the included breakfast. If, for some reason, you don't choose this one, make sure your hotel is within the old medina (city center).

3. Cartagena

The Old Town of Cartagena is a UNESCO world heritage site boasting of many bold-colored Spanish colonial houses, squares, and churches. Apart from the colorful buildings, there are Palanqueras, women who wear bright colors balancing fruit baskets on their head, walking, or sitting in the old town squares and streets on the walled-old town.

2. Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

Just like Cartagena, San Juan Puerto Rico was founded by the Spanish in the 16th century, Cartagena in 1533 and San Juan in 1521. It’s the second oldest European-founded city in the Americas.

Old San Juan is rich in history, and the cobblestone streets are lined with pastel-colored colonial buildings.

1. Zhangye Danxia Geopark, China

Known as the Rainbow Mountains, Zhangye Danxia Geopark, located in Northwest China, is a sight to behold. It’s a spectacular rock formation with different shades of red, blue, green, and yellow. The colors are most dramatic during sunrise and sunset. However, it is still beautiful throughout the day.