STA Travel has had enough of boring black and white, and in addition to sending Travel Weekly a towering rainbow cake, it’s put together a list of the 10 most colourful destinations from all corners of the globe.

Whether it’s literally ‘colourful’, or if the colour comes from its character and environment, it turns out the world is full of dazzling places.

So, in no particular order, here they are:

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona – Park Guell, Spain

Up first is the beautiful Barcelona, Spain. It’s hard to not get caught up in the vibrant colours of this magical city, from the intricate details of Gaudi’s designs spread out across the city, to the street festivals and markets, Barcelona is loud, obnoxious (in the best way) and one big celebration of the people, city and culture from touch-down.

Marrakech, Morocco

Selection of spices on a traditional Moroccan market (souk) in Marrakech, Morocco

Number two, you ask? That would be Marrakech, Morocco, or as you may have heard it fondly referred to… ’The Rose City’. The laneways, buildings and streets of Marrakech make this city one of the most colourful destinations in the world.

A tourist hotspot in Africa, Marrakech is loved for it’s exotic designs and culture.

Izamal, Mexico 

Izamal,Mexico,22nd December 2015:Quiet life in small town.Local street vendor going to his location on his bycicle,motorbike passing by

The whole of Mexico in general is one huge explosion of colour, but it’s the infrastructure of Izamal, Mexico that makes it our third Most Colourful Destination. The small city of Izamal is endearingly referred to as ‘The Yellow City’ thanks to the colour most buildings are painted.

Having significance from an archaeological sense, the city is known for the Pre-Colombian Maya civilisation that once called the area Izamal has since been built on, home. The peaceful city is brought to life throughout the year with major fiestas (arrrrriba!!) taking place to celebrate the vibrant area and its history.

Delhi, India

Delhi, India – March 20, 2011: people celebrate festival Holi in Delhi, India.

Fourth on the list is Delhi, India. Besides the stunning temples and shrines that feature such breathtaking colours and architecture, Delhi is also known as a colourful destination due to the sacred Holi celebrations the city holds each year.

The Festival of Colour sees the streets, pavement, buildings and people of Delhi literally covered in bright and colourful outfits, decorations and celebrations to usher in spring and celebrate love.

New Orleans, USA 

New Orleans USA  Feb 2 2016: Street musicians are  all over in the French Quarter’s  streets of New Orleans. People are celebrating and welcoming locals and visitors while enjoying the music. This is an ongoing  style of celebration.  There are a lot of talented artists in the city

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is MAMBO (destination) number five. The home of Mardi Gras in the America, New Orleans, USA is our fifth fabulous destination thanks to its colourful characters, enthralling history and eruption of music at every corner.

The place to be if you want to experience a Mardi Gras to remember, the ‘Big Easy’ is as vibrant in spirit as it is in scenery. If that wasn’t enough for it to qualify as a Colourful Destination, the mix of African, American and French cultures surely sends energy levels well into colourful territory.

Cinque Terre, Italy

Colorful harbor at Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy

Where to begin? Carb-loading has never been attempted at a more beautiful location. It’s hard to believe this town is a part of Italy when considering the stark contrast of the hustle and bustle of the main towns and cities; the streets are almost completely car-free, the people live slow-paced, relaxing lives and the buildings are COL-OUR-FUL.

Never will you find a beachside town on the edge of a cliff with more eclectic colour choices. Whether the occupants of this
sleepy town decided to do their own thing or it was a well thought out plan, Cinque Terre is up there with the most beautiful, colourful destinations we’ve had the pleasure of hiking through. Literally, though… no cars, remember?

Rio, Brazil

Colorful cute Toucan tropical bird, Brazilian Amazon – blurred green background

Next up is quite possibly the biggest colour explosion you may have ever seen… Rio De Janerio, Brazil. Two million people flock to the streets of Rio every year to witness the magic that is Carnival.

Considered the biggest carnival in the world, the festival dates back to 1723 (so it’s probably one of the oldest, too). Bursting
with vivacious costumes, eclectic people and celebrations of life, the streets of Rio come alive in the most colourful, crazy way every single year.

Valparaiso, Chile

Residential District of Valparaiso

Packed full of vibrant art, culture, and colourful rainbow buildings means that “The Jewel of the Pacific” is our ninth Colourful Destination (and to those not familiar with the nickname, you can just refer to it as Valparaiso, Chile like the rest of us).

Described by many as a beachside Berlin, the strong street art culture has drawn musicians, writers and artists to the town for many years. Mixed in with towering buildings are flourishing greenery, disjointed graffiti and dedicated murals that will leave you wandering the streets for hours at a time.

The Northern Lights, Iceland

Hikers under the northern lights in Iceland.

Our ninth Most Colourful Destination takes the colour from the walls, laneways, costumes and culture and instead leaves us looking into the sky for our colour fix.

Literally lighting up the sky The Northern Lights, Iceland. While they can be seen from many different places around the world, travellers are most commonly drawn to Iceland and the Artic region to be a part of this humbling and spiritual experience.

The calming, swirling lights are as close as we’ll ever get to real-life magic, and are truly a jaw-dropping experience.

Nyhavn, Denmark

Nyhavn pier, Copenhagen, Denmark

Clean, precise and planned, the district of Nyhavn in Copenhagen, Denmark rounds out STA Travel’s Top 10 MOST Colourful Destinations as only Scandinavians know how – organised, timely, efficient and tidy.

Symmetrical houses anywhere else in the world look sad, grey-scale and awkwardly planned, but the soft pastels and adorable designs of the buildings make it feel homely and inspiring. The reflections of the colours on the water create a hypnotizing flow that mixes into the sunrise and sunset of this beautiful little area.

And with STA Travel’s unbeatable ‘Blue Ticket’ airfares, it’s never been easier to Colour Your World. Lay-by your international flights for just $99 today, and forget about living in 50 shades of grey.