Photo Gallery The World's Most Colorful Streets
Pictured here, the Muslim neighborhood of Bo-Kaap in Cape Town, South Africa. Many of its residents are the descendants of former slaves from India, Madagascar, Sri Lanka and other countries in Africa.
These colorful pastel buildings are in Willemstad, the capital of Curacao. The Caribbean island off the northern coast of Venezuela has been administered by the Netherlands since 1815, which explains the influence of European architecture.
Here, the famous Penha building in Willemstad, Curacao. Built in 1708, in the style of a Dutch merchant's home, it now houses the Penha label -- one of the top perfume and apparel brands in the Caribbean.
The neighborhood, or barrio, of La Boca, in the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires, is famous for its brightly painted houses and Argentine flair.
Another shot of the La Boca neighborhood in Buenos Aires. Apart from the architecture, La Boca is also known for tango, and as the home of the Boca Juniors, one of the world's best-known football clubs.
The Venezuelan capital Caracas boasts colorful neighborhoods too. Here, El Límon, which was recently spruced up as part of President Hugo Chavez's "Three-color Neighborhood" mission. In a bid to increase his popularity, Chavez ordered soldiers to give dilapidated houses a new lease on life with fresh coats of paint, new roofs and other repairs.
Times Square in Manhattan, New York City, has been hailed as "The Crossroads of the World." It is one of the busiest and brightest commercial intersections on earth, attracting over 39 million tourists annually.
A picture of Juzcar in southern Spain. The town was chosen by Sony to host the world premiere of "The Smurfs 3D" movie in June 2011, and had all of buildings painted blue. It became popular among tourists, leading residents to maintain the look.
A man walks past a smurf-blue house in Juzcar.
Blue houses are not restricted to Andalusia, though. There is also the Brahman Blue City of Jodhpur in Rajasthan, northern India. Residents paint their houses a deep shade of blue using the indigo plant that is native to the country.
Pastel shades are popular in Greenland. Here, the town of Ilulissat, where summers only last a few weeks each year. This gives its 4,500 residents all the more reason to celebrate their colorful buildings, though.
Multi-colored cottages along a canal on the Venetian island of Burano in Italy. Color is a serious business there: The local council determines which color residents are allowed to paint their homes by using historical records.
Perched high on cliffs in the National Park of the Cinque Terre is the Italian village of Manarola. The bright houses at this UNESCO World Heritage Site contrast beautifully against the Mediterranean Sea.
Bright Berlin: The German capital is well-known for its urban art. Here, a pedestrian walks past a mural at the East Side Gallery, the largest remaining part of the Berlin Wall, and the world's longest open-air gallery.
Germany also boasts color in Helgoland, a small archipelago in the North Sea. These beach cabanas were conceived of in the 1950's, after the British ended their WWII occupation of the island. Since then, Helgoland has been developed as a tourist destination.
The Nyhavn is a 17th century waterfront, canal and entertainment district in Copenhagen, Denmark. Today, it is one of the city's most vibrant and best-loved neighborhoods.
Traditional bright houses in Costa Nova on the west coast of Portugal. The community is known for its charming beaches, surfing and colorful architecture.
Colorful facades in Wroclaw, western Poland. Historically, the city has belonged to Poland, Germany, Austria, Prussia and Bohemia, giving it a rich and complicated architectural heritage.
San Francisco, California is known worldwide for its eclectic mix of Victorian and modern architecture. Here, Victorian townhouses are pictured in front of the modern skyline.
Brightly colored apartment buildings in Havana, Cuba. The city boasts some of the most diverse architecture in the world, from colonial style, to castles and modern high-rises.
The Taegeukdo village in Busan, South Korea's second largest city, boasts plenty of color, including the bright-blue water tanks that are scattered across the rooftops.
