Enjoy the colours...

This is a slightly different post to normal and purely inspired by some of the stunning towns and cities we frequently come across in our villa destinations. There are so many intriguing places to visit where the local flora, fauna and scenery take on an unexpected hue and are worth a visit in their own right.

Rua Nova do Carvalho or 'Pink Street' in Lisbon - this is an area full of nightlife, which locals head back via, usually after a night in the cool bars of the Bairro Alto. It was once a red light district for the sailors docking nearby (not the colour this article was intending to cover!) but now has a trendy vibe. Try the bars of Cais de Sodre, like Sol e Pesca where not only the whole bar fills up but usually the street outside or equally popular Pensao Amor.   

The White City of Ostuni in Puglia - located in the province of Brindisi, Ostuni is a major tourist attraction and famed for being known the as The White City for its famous dazzling whitewashed houses, all set among a series of staircases, small roads, alleyways and archways. There is a genuine taste of history as little has changed architecturally over the ages. This is a place to lose yourself among pretty churches, trulli houses, museums and to find that secluded trattoria for lunch.

Marrakech - the Red City. The whole of the city pretty much emits a reddish hue...whether from the soil itself to the buildings, perhaps enhanced by sunsets, but without doubt it takes on a romantic tone all of its own. The city itself has stood for over 1000 years and has a colourful history including the time of the Saadians in the 16th century who built it to such grandeur as we see still today. Marrakech is a vibrant and fascinating place - a labyrinth of alleyways, a Souks and the famous Jemaa-el-Fnaa square plus palaces such as Badii wait to be explored. 

Chefchaouen Blue - Morocco. Located in the Rif mountains of northwest Morocco, another addition to the palette of coloured cities, these blue tones were introduced by Jewish refugees in the 1930's and represent a symbol of sky and heaven in Judaism. When rain has fallen you would be forgiven for thinking you were in a blue waterworld...