The world’s most colorful cities

The capital of Curacao boasts a waterfront of splashy buildings. According to Travel & Leisure, as the story goes, when the Dutch claimed and developed the island, the only materials available for construction included a plaster made from crushed white shells. Thus, the entire city was covered in a blanket of white, which gave the then-governor severe headaches. In his pain, he commanded that all of the houses be repainted anything but white. His decree has since made the city a popular tourist destination.

The second largest metropolitan area in Chile is also one of the most colorful. During its golden age, Valparaíso was rightfully called “The Jewel of the Pacific,” although that was mainly for its status as a major stopover for ships traveling between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Today, the Chilean port town is a major educational center with four universities and several vocational colleges.

The “Pink City” of Jaipur is the largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. In 1876, during the rule of Sawai Ram Singh, Jaipur was painted pink to welcome the Prince of Wales — a fitting pigment as it symbolizes hospitality. Not every structure was transformed, but many avenues were recolored, and the reputation stuck.

Of all of the major Canadian cities, St. John’s is among the foggiest, windiest and cloudiest. Thanks to Water Street and Duckworth Street — known for their brightly colored shops, boutiques and restaurants — the nearly easternmost point in Canada isn’t totaly lacking in bright, sunny hues.