Europe is full of towns that look like they were painted by an artist’s brightest palette. Here are carefully verified picks for the most colorful (and photogenic) villages and towns you should consider for your next trip.
1. Burano — Venice Lagoon, Italy
A tiny island in the Venetian lagoon famous for its brightly painted houses and lace-making tradition. The vivid facades are a long-standing local tradition (and there are local rules for repainting), making Burano one of Italy’s most instagrammable small towns.
2. Hallstatt — Salzkammergut / Austria
This lakeside village beneath Alpine peaks is known for its picturesque wooden houses, cascading window flowers in warmer months, and dramatic mountain backdrop. Hallstatt is in the Hallstatt-Dachstein / Salzkammergut region and is widely celebrated as a fairytale Alpine village.
3. Colmar (La Petite Venise) — Alsace, France
Colmar’s “Little Venice” (La Petite Venise) is the canal-side quarter where colorful half-timbered houses and flower-decked bridges create a storybook scene. The town’s tourist office and local guides consistently highlight this area as Colmar’s most photogenic spot.
4. Cinque Terre — Ligurian Coast, Italy
The five cliffside villages (Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore) form the UNESCO-protected Cinque Terre. Their stacked, pastel facades above the sea are one of Italy’s signature coastal images — best enjoyed by train, boat, or on foot between villages. 5. Kotor (Old Town) — Bay of Kotor, Montenegro
Kotor’s medieval old town — set inside fortified walls on the dramatic Bay of Kotor — is part of the “Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor,” a UNESCO World Heritage property. The mix of pastel facades, narrow streets and coastal setting gives it a colorful, historic charm.
6. Cobh — County Cork, Ireland
Cobh’s harbour-side row of brightly painted houses (nicknamed the “Deck of Cards”) and the soaring St Colman’s Cathedral above them are one of Ireland’s most photographed views. The colorful hillside houses and waterfront make Cobh a cheerful port town to visit.
