Juzcar, Spain, Andalusia, blue, city, Smurfs
From a monochromatic blue in Spain to a full palette of hues in Buenos Aires, these five towns are a shade above the rest. Among the iconic White Towns of Andalusia, the town of Júzcar’s uniform blue colouring seems almost cartoonishly incongruent. Once also whitewashed, the town adopted its new form when Hollywood executives inquired whether the residents would paint their homes blue for a promotional blitz surrounding the Smurfs movie. Sony offered to paint the town back afterwards, but, aware of the skyrocketing tourist numbers that resulted from the gimmick, the 220 citizens voted to keep it blue. (Mark Fischer)
Morocco, Chefchaouen, Rif Mountains, Fez, city, turquoise
A four-hour drive from Fez leads to Chefchaouen, a city high in Morocco’s Rif Mountains known for its labyrinthine medina bathed entirely in shades of blue. The area was once a refuge for Spanish Jews fleeing the Inquisition in the 16th Century. While most have now migrated to Israel, the warren of turquoise alleys remains as their legacy. (Mark Fischer)
Curaçao, Caribbean, Willemstad
Legend has it that when the Dutch ruled the Caribbean island of Curaçao in the 19th Century, the then-governor attributed his migraines to the powerful sun reflecting off the colony’s stark walls. The verdict resulted in an official decree that commanded citizens to paint the structures any colour but white. Today, capital city and World Heritage site Willemstad owes its distinctive pastel shades to one man’s maladies. (Kerrick James/Corbis)
Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, colours, city, neighbourhood
No two shades are repeated in the charming, seven-block neighbourhood of Old San Juan, an area of Puerto Rico notable for its old-world European architecture. Palm trees add a decidedly Caribbean feel, and the area heats up in the evenings; behind the vibrant facades are some of San Juan’s finest restaurants and bars. (Atlantide Phototravel/Corbis)
Buenos Aires, Argentina, city, colours, shipyards, neighbourhood, Riachuelo River
It seems as though a full palette of colours appears in the working-class district of La Boca. Located at the mouth of the Riachuelo River, the Buenos Aires neighbourhood was constructed with scrap materials from nearby shipyards, including leftover paint scrounged together by residents which resulted in this visual treat. (Dennis Degnan/Corbis)
