Adding a new lick of paint can transform a home, and sometimes the appearance of whole streets. On a bigger scale, bright and colourful buildings can inject a new lease of life into towns and cities that benefit both locals and visitors alike.
I thought it would be fun to put a list together of some of the most colourful places I’ve visited across Europe.
1. Reykjavik | Iceland
Climb to the top of Hallgrímskirkja Church for panoramic views of the city. From such lofty heights, it reveals how even the rooftops are awash with bold colours to resemble a monopoly board brought to life.
I wouldn’t consider myself a good photographer in any way, but my photos of Reykjavik landed in the Germany edition of Rolling Stone Magazine. Now, that’s not a testimony to my skills, but rather Reykjavik being extremely photogenic!
For more things to do in Reykjavik read: 10 Things You Should Really Do in Reykjavik.
2. Alesund | Norway
Not only is Alesund in Norway one of the most colourful cities I’ve ever visited, it’s also the prettiest. I mean, it really does shine like a stained glass window.
To see the city at its most scenic, walk the 418 steps from the town park to viewpoint Aksla. The panorama captures a full view of the town, fjord and the Sunnmore Alps in the distance.
Seeing Alesund look so beautiful now, it’s hard to believe that it was completely destroyed by a fire in 1904. Prior to the fire, most of the houses were built using wood. To prevent something like that ever happening again, they rebuilt the whole city using brick and concrete.
Since the city was essentially a blank canvas, it was rebuilt entirely in Art Nouveau style which was the most sought-after and modern style at the time. Along with Riga, it has some of the most beautiful Art Nouveau buildings you’ll see anywhere in Europe.
3. Longyearbyen | Svalbard
To take the sting out of harsh winters you will discover a surprising amount of brightly painted houses and buildings in many high Arctic towns. I’d like to draw your attention to Longyearbyen, the world’s northernmost town.
Trees and most common types of flowers don’t grow so far up North. Instead, to add a splash of colour to the Arctic tundra we have these brightly-coloured beauties.
If you’re interested in visiting this fascinating place, take a look at my guide to Svalbard.
4. Notting Hill | England
Ever since Julia Roberts fell in love with bookshop owner, Hugh Grant, there are few places more synonymous with London than Notting Hill.
Notting Hill is a must-visit place for literature lovers with its abundance of bookshops and literary connections. George Orwell used to live on perhaps the most famous street of all, Portobello Road. However, it’s better known for being home to a row of cute and colourful townhouses.
It’ll be busy, but go to Notting Hill on a Saturday to experience the market in full swing. If you enjoy browsing antiques and vintage objects, you could easily whittle away the whole morning and afternoon perusing the shops and digging out little gems.
5. Copenhagen | Denmark
You don’t have to walk far to capture the colours of Copenhagen, but for the biggest splashes of colour head over to Nyhvan, a 17th Century waterfront filled to the brim with cafes, restaurants and boats.
It does get busy there so if you’re looking to escape the crowds and see a different side to Copenhagen, visit Freetown Christiania, known commonly as a hippy commune filled with vibrant houses and wall murals.
For more things to do in the Danish capital, take a look at my guide to the best things to do in Copenhagen.
6. Berlin | Germany
Berlin isn’t like the others in this list. Instead of painted buildings, I’m talking street art. There’s no getting away from it in Berlin.
Tip: Don’t miss this alley in Hackescher Markt, or Teufelsberg Spy Station.
→ Search for hotels in Berlin
7. Stockholm | Sweden
Stockholm’s old town, Gamla Stan is a Baltic beauty and UNESCO World Heritage Site. But what I really, really, really love about Stockholm is its underground art exhibition spanning over 90 of Stockholm’s 100 underground stations.
Who would have ever guessed that most of Stockholm’s public art sits below the ground?
8. Lisbon | Portugal
First impressions count, and all the street art and patterned tiles on the buildings made Lisbon an instant hit. It tumbles down seven hills in a mosaic of sun-warmed yellows, ocean blues, and soft pinks – each tile, each wall, a brushstroke of history and imperfection.
It’s no secret that I fell in love with Lisbon, and obviously the vast array of museums and great weather had something to do with that too. In keeping with the theme, take a peek inside Lisbon’s quirky tile museum.
9. Trondheim | Norway
Norway’s 3rd largest city has a vibrant café culture, and the best way to enjoy it is by parking up at Bakklandet, Trondheim’s old quarter that lies on the eastern side of the Nidelva River.
Don’t miss: Nidaros Cathedral – an immense, gothic masterpiece that carries the weight of history. Built over the burial site of Saint Olav, the Viking king who brought Christianity to Norway in the 11th century, it has been a destination for pilgrims for nearly a thousand years. In fact, Nidaros was once as important to Northern Europe’s faithful as Santiago de Compostela was to the south.
10. Brighton | England
Brighton is one of those places everyone loves. It’s less than an hour away from London but the vibe couldn’t be more different.
Well, actually I guess you could describe it a bit like Camden by the beach, but much prettier. These beach huts make any visit feel like you’re on holiday.
→ Search hotels in Brighton
11. Burano | Italy
Don’t you hate it when you go somewhere and it’s not until you return home that you realised you missed out on seeing something amazing? Well that frustration for me is Venice. I can’t believe I’ve visited not once but TWICE and had never heard of Burano, an islands located only 7 kilometres north of Venice. Shame on me.
→ Search hotels in Burano
12. Honningsvag | Norway
Honningsvåg is another one of those high Arctic towns. It feels like the end of the world – and in a way, it is. Perched at the northern tip of Norway, it’s the last real town before the barren cliffs of the North Cape drop into the Arctic Ocean.
The winters here can be brutal, but yet the colourful boats and buildings pierce through a blanket of snow and ice. The Norwegians know what they’re doing to offset the dark and stormy days.
Honningsvåg isn’t trying to impress you; it’s just surviving beautifully at the edge of everything, and that itself is impressive.
13. Prague | Czechia
From any direction, with it’s colourful buildings painted in shades of blue, pink, green and yellow pastel and highly detailed structures, you are certain to find beauty on any corner.
Prague is also incredibly romantic city. So if you’re looking to go away somewhere special, Prague won’t disappoint.
14. Poznan | Poland
Out of all the places I’ve listed, the Main Square of Poznan is perhaps the most colourful and also my favourite. When I read lists about colourful places, I’m always astounded that this place is never on it – so here’s to rectifying that!
If you love Poznan’s main square, you might also like to see my list of favourite main squares in Europe. Steeped in history and adorned with architectural marvels, they hold a special space in the community.
44 responses
You can tell you’re a Scandinavia aficionado! I don’t think you can beat Burano with its colourful houses, although I remember an episode of Michael Palin in New Europe, and Tirana in Albania was surprisingly colourful.The mayor had no money for regeneration, so instead he painted all the old communist housing schemes bright pink, yellow and blue.
Wow! Thanks for drawing my attention to Tirana Richard! I’ve now opened up another tab so I can check for flights and prices (so typically me). Using paint and street art as a way to regenerate the city is a wonderful idea, proving creativity is more important for change than throwing a load of money into a project.
Shingaling, we should’ve taken you to Burano when you visited, i can’t believe you didn’t know it was there! Very sweet indeed, with some wonderous risotto to their name! x
Phoebe I hold you accountable for this! I guess I’ll just have to return, which isn’t so bad is it? 😉
I think I’m most impressed with Alesund and Trondheim out of this lot. And Burano feels totally different from the main island of Venice!
Alesund is stunning from atop isn’t it?! It’s got a fascinating history too, just over a 100 years ago it completely burnt to the ground. However, it’s rebuilt was extremely successful and the buildings are thankfully no longer built in wood!
Ha, I laughed out loud at the picture of your one friend covering the other’s face! “It looks like a stained glass window…” is a perfect analogy! And most definitely sign me up for Stockholm’s underground art exhibition…that would be amazing. I was trying to picture it in my mind and I would love to see that same Svalbard photo in their dead of winter! As you know I avoid crowds if possible so I would try to steer my tour there accordingly. Or anywhere in the world for that matter 🙂 That’s noble of you to take a humble approach about your photography but I can assure you that what you present to us readers in your shots is always spectacular! Your photos always tell a story that lines up perfectly with your text! Great job again, Shing! 🙂
Haha, I love the photo of my two friends too, usually one of them is telling the other to shut up 😉
You would love Stockholm’s underground, anyone would, they are unbelievable! Hope you and Phoenix are enjoying your weekend! 🙂
I’ve decided that my life needs more colour! It seems that for this I should head north to the Scandinavian countries. Coming from a city that doesn’t have snow, I hadn’t thought about the fact that colour brightens their day in the middle of winter! Fabulous photos as usual Shing and some great travel inspiration.
Haha this list is very Scandinavian-centric isn’t it Jenny? (Just how I like it :D) However, if this post referred to the world and not just Europe then I’m sure San Francisco would have made an appearance, and I haven’t been to places like Cuba and India which look very, very colourful in certain towns!
When I first discovered why all the houses in the Arctic were usually bright and colourful it made me smile. You’re right – everyone needs more colour in their life!
What a nifty round-up of places! I haven’t been to most of these locations but I most certainly agree about Copenhagen. I loved that city and would jump at the chance to go back. As for new cities, Poznan definitely struck my fancy!
Have you been to Tallin, Estonia? The old town is another incredibly vibrant place to explore.
Hi Cassandra, nice to find you here! Glad to read you love Copenhagen – I’m itching to go back too! No, I’ve not made it to Tallin yet but I really want to, and whilst I’m there I would also like to visit Riga which looks really colourful too. Ahem… all in good time!
Great selection Shing! This has definitely brightened up my Monday morning 🙂 I loved Burano when I visited – it’s probably the most colourful place I’ve been to so far. Though Brasov in Romania and Ljubljana are strong contenders!
Don’t rub salt into my wound by telling me how much you loved Burano Lizzie 😉 Brasov and Ljubljana are high on my list, I enjoyed reading your articles on both countries!
I can’t pick a favorite. They all look really cool.
Glad you like them!
Burano isle is a photographers dream for sure! In case you haven’t been there yet, you should definitely go! Even though it’s pretty popular among tourists, there are still streets and squares where you won’t see anyone 🙂
And Reykjavik looks just gorgeous!
I’ve got my eye firmly on Burano, it’s slipped through my fingers before but it won’t happen again!! Glad to know visitors can still find some peaceful spots in an otherwise touristy place!
The city of Porto is beautiful – especially, the Ribiera area, with it’s ageing, colorful facades!! Heavenly!
http://instagram.com/p/rLs1jZPcoR/
http://instagram.com/p/q_bwWGPcv7/
Fabulous photos, thanks for sharing! After visiting Lisbon earlier this year and falling head over heels in love with the place I’m now itching to go to Porto! If I had been I’m sure it would have made it onto the list.
Thank you!
Lisbon is so gorgeous! While you are going to Porto, maybe you could plan a little side trip to Aveiro – the Venice of Portugal. I couldn’t go to Aveiro, but it was recommended by every single local we spoke with.
I hope I get to visit some of these lovely places from your post, esp. Rejkavik, Alesund and Burano! They look stunning..
Villajoyosa is worth a mention too
I’m looking at photos of Villajoyosa now and it certainly looks colourful! Apart from Burano, I chose places where I had been, which means beauties like Villajoyosa were missed out. However, I had never heard of this place until now so thank you for bringing it to my attention. I’ve got a friend going to Valencia soon so I’ll tell her to make a day trip there!
I am so glad I checked out the other islands in the Venice lagoon, having lunch on Burano island was the highlight of Venice for me, and thats saying something!
Burano is the only place on this list I have not been to. Stop making me jealous now 🙂
If it makes you feel better I missed out on St Michelle while in Venice which looked beautiful from the vaporetto. The way I deal with travelers regret, I just squint, smile and tell myself “Next time..”
Really interested to see Lisbon after Porto later this year too
Great places! I’ve just came back from Lisbon and I could not believe how colorful the whole city was! Something incredible.
Happy to read you loved Lisbon Agness, and I hope your mum did too! Now I’ve got my eye on Porto!
These are some lovely looking places and I hope to at least see Reykjavik this year (finally!).
I have to say that the most colourful place I have ever been is way ay down in the other hemisphere.. Valparaiso on the coast of Chile. Like Lisbon, much of it is built into the coastal hillside and so you can get a great view of individual areas and buildings from below. Most of the buildings are painted in beautiful, inviting colours and the irregular construction of the area makes it a real visual treat. As well as that, winding stone stairways (often also painted) lead up through the streets and alleyways which have been beautifully decorated by some of the world’s finest street artists. It’s a real pleasure just to walk and see the artworks and then find yourself at a viewpoint over the city and it’s harbour. I’d highly recommend this place to anyone. 🙂 Thanks for the article Shing 🙂
Hi Johnners, I’m certain you’re going to love Reykjavik, make sure you try and visit the Blue Lagoon (during the early evening until closing time when it’s less busy) and also do the Golden Circle – and anything else you do will be a bonus!)
I’ve read and seen picture of Valparaiso, it’s definitely somewhere I’d LOVE to go, it looks unbelievably colourful! I’m imagining myself walking through those winding stone stairways that lead up to alleyways decorated by world renowned street artists. Ohhh… you’ve planted the seed now – I must go!
Thanks for commenting, and if you would like any recommendations on Iceland then don’t hesitate to ask! 🙂
Thank you for the advice! I will put those on my list for sure 🙂 It’s funny how Iceland has always seemed so far away to me and yet it’s nowhere near as far as Chile.. I guess it shows how the notion of distance can be a psychological thing as much as it is a physical determinant.
You should definitely visit Valparaiso… and Chile in general, it is a country with everything from the driest place on Earth, to the largest glacier ( I think anyway… Pius X1). You can watch flowers bloom in the desert and drink a whiskey with a million year old ice cube! The climate is good and the people are fun loving and friendly. If you learn some Chileno Spanish there, you will be able to speak Spanish anywhere in the world, or so they say 🙂
As for colourful towns, they have a great attitude there. Graffiti and street art is not only encouraged, but expected and it’s not uncommon to see full buildings be-decked in wonderfully outsized artworks that will take your breath away…
Just book your ticket now 😀
Those are some amazing photographs! Definitely an excellent choice of locations, each very deserving of mention. I’ve never heard of Burano either but will make sure not to miss it when I get to Venice…thanks!
Hi Derek, glad to read you now know about Burano. From the feedback I’ve had, it sounds like it’s one of the must-do places during any trip to Venice!
Gorgeous photos…Europe is certainly a very colourful place! Poznan looks beautiful – I was there last summer, but only to walk from the bus station to the train station in the dark – I had no idea I was missing such a vibrant main square! One of my favourite places is Warsaw’s old town – it’s unbelievably pretty.
Oh dear! Seeing me place Poznan at the top must have made you do a Homer Simpson ‘Doh’! I totally agree about Warsaw, I should have put the Old Town in my list, plus 15 sounds so much better than 14!!
Miranda, about Warsaw’s Old Square, its not the original one, it was destroyed during Warsaw Uprising in 1944 and after it when Nazis tried to destroy entire city of Warsaw. After ending of World War II it was rebuild using the paintings left from XVIII century painter Marcello Baciarelli who painted for Poland’s last king Stanislaus August the II 🙂
Hi Bartek! Warsaw has a fascinating history, and although some of the people at the time didn’t like the rebuilt because it wasn’t true to the city’s original designs, it is still very beautiful and it must be nice to hear how much visitors enjoy it. I went during Christmas and I couldn’t quite believe how magical the Old Town looked!
Tobermory in Scotland is also a nice place. It is known as Balamory shown in BBC series for kids.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobermory,_Mull#mediaviewer/File:Tobermory_Main_Street_2012-08-09.jpg
Hi Yarly! This place looks awesome and it certainly deserves to be in this list, but I kept the list to places where I had personally travelled to (bar Burano) – but maybe this was a mistake! However, you’ve given me a VERY good reason to travel to Tobermory. I can’t wait. Thanks for your contribution!
I’m sooooo happy, that you liked Poznań and you added it to the 14 Most Colourful Towns and Cities in Europe.
Thank you very much ^^
Hi Aleksandra! How could I not include Poznan? I couldn’t stop smiling when I turned the corner into the square and was greeted with such a bright and colourful vision!
hi, shing. this is judy from the philippines! i am pleased to share to you that we have a similar place, newly “inaugurated”, here in the philippines, called STOBOSA (which stands for three sitios of the town of La Trinidad in the province of Benguet, namely: Stonehill, Botiwtiw and Sadjab, all in Barangay Balili).
For the details of this masterpiece project, you can find it in the caption of the photo. I hope you could visit my beautiful country and also enjoy our stunning beaches and other breathtaking destinations.
Here’s the link to the photo: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1228049547215007&set=gm.1023193911063561&type=3&theater
I had never heard of Poznaň before, thank you for bringing it to my attention! It looks beautiful! And cheap flights from the uk to Poznaň means I have added it to my “must visit” list!
That list is awesome!! Just what we’ve been looking for! A city can never be colourful enough, it instantly looks more charming 🙂
xx Anna & Vanessa