Embrace The Barbie Spirit By Visiting The World's Most Colourful Cities

Hi Barbie! With cinemas around the world welcoming an explosion of hot pink onto our screens, we decided to get into the Barbie spirit by looking at some of the most vibrant cities on the planet. They’re not quite Barbie World, but we’re sure she’d approve.

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Chefchaouen, Morocco

Someone in Morocco must have seen Jodhpur’s blue buildings and decided to double down with its own cerulean city. There’s nothing gloomy about the blue streets of Chefchaouen, however. It’s eye-popping combination of blue and white stone houses stands out remarkably amid the surrounding forests and hills of the Rif Mountains. This place was originally a military outpost, which welcomed huge numbers of fleeing Muslim and Jewish refugees, having been forced out of southern Spain. Today it’s a charming old city, housing barely 50 thousand inhabitants, and welcoming holidaymakers from both Morocco and the rest of the world, keen to meander through the city’s surreal blue streets, embellished with mini mosaics and hanging plant pots. Barbie may be more of a pink girl, and blue might traditionally be more Ken, but we’re pretty sure she’d love to spend some time in Chefchaouen. It’s one of the highlights of our Epic Morocco itinerary, a comprehensive tour of the gateway to Africa, which heads straight to the Blue City on day two.

From US$2369

Next available from 10th Feb 2024

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Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Casablanca, Morocco

ENDS AT

Marrakech, Morocco

DURATION

11

GROUP SIZE

16

PHYSICAL RATING

Moderate

STYLE

Discovery

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Colourful buildings in Bo-Kaap district in Cape Town, South Africa.

Bo Kaap, Cape Town

We’re going to zone in a little more specifically than just a city for this one, because Cape Town’s Bo-Kaap district has more than enough colour on its own. Racial segregation was rife in apartheid South Africa and, while the more immediate image conjured up is that of Black African townships like Langa, there was also the Malay Quarter, where the city’s Muslim population were segregated. Out of dark times flourished a variety of vibrant communities with a strong sense of togetherness, identity and cultural pride. Now known as Bo-Kaap, the district remains majority Muslim to this day, and the cobblestone streets here are lined with a rainbow-like collection of brightly painted buildings – this is the Rainbow Nation, after all. It’s a joyous sight, and quite rightly has National Heritage status in South Africa. You’ll be able to visit the area on our 11-day Splendid South Africa trip, which starts and ends in Cape Town. Our excursion to Bo-Kaap is centred around an authentic Cape Malay cooking class, so you can simultaneously learn about Cape Town’s Muslim community whilst feasting on their delicious African-Asian fusion cuisine.

From US$2899

Next available from 3rd Feb 2024

Secure your spot with a low deposit

Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Cape Town, South Africa

ENDS AT

Cape Town, South Africa

DURATION

11

GROUP SIZE

16

PHYSICAL RATING

Moderate

STYLE

Discovery

View Trip

landscape with balloons floating in the air

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