9 Yellow Places Around the World You Shouldn't Skip

Perched on a hilltop in the Sintra Mountains, the mostly mustard-colored Pena National Palace can be seen from Lisbon and is a short drive from the city center. Once a summer residence for the Portuguese royal family, the palace-turned-museum makes the perfect half-day excursion for travelers who need a break from the city. To get a glimpse of the palace’s multicolored exterior and stately interior, you can drive yourself or opt for a private or small-group tour. Many tours of nearby attractions like Quinta da Regaleira and Sintra include palace visits, too.

The pastel exterior of Vienna’s Schoenbrunn Palace has earned itself its very own hue: Schoenbrunn Yellow (Schönbrunner Gelb). Though constructed in 1700, the Rococo-style residence wasn’t painted its distinctive color until 1830. The tint was quickly associated with the royal family, and local villas and churches were soon painted in Schoenbrunn Yellow. The interior of the opulent palace boasts many gilded details, impressive state rooms, and a fascinating history. You can enhance your visit and save some valuable vacation time on a skip-the-line small-group or private tour. Meanwhile, music-loving visitors may wish to attend an evening concert at the palace.

The UNESCO-listed city of Hoi An is known for its beautifully-preserved Ancient Town, where French colonial architecture, elaborate Vietnamese cube houses, and Chinese storefronts are all coated in a vibrant canary yellow. By night, the hue is heightened thanks to paper lanterns that bathe the charming city in amber light. If you wish to see this sunny-hued coastal city, opt to take half-day or full-day tours, some of which include a boat ride on the Thu Bon River, along with visits to surrounding attractions, such as Marble Mountains and My Son Sanctuary.

Yellow-loving travelers will find a happy holiday destination on Jeju Island during the annual Canola Flower Festival. The springtime celebration takes place in early April when the lemon-colored blossoms bloom en masse across the island’s southern region. The stunning floral setting makes an excellent background for a wide range of activities, including visits to the UNESCO heritage site Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak). Enhance your canola flower experience on a small-group or private day tour, or multi-day excursion. Travelers who can’t make it for the week-long event can enjoy the golden fields throughout the summer months—though the contrast is less dramatic.

Officially the Earth’s hottest location, the Danakil Depression in Dallol, Ethiopia, is also famous for its kaleidoscopic sulfur fields set 430 feet (130 meters) below sea level. Here, yellow-loving adventurers will discover otherworldly shades of gold, lemon, and ochre. While the area is most often traversed by camel, travelers staying in Mek’ele can take a day trip to Dallol. Meanwhile, those seeking an immersive Ethiopian adventure can visit the desert depression and the country’s other attractions on a multi-day tour.

Blasts from the Old Faithful Geyser aren’t the only visual amusement at the oldest national park in the US. Yellowstone National Park’s multi-hued geyser basins—in particular, Grand Prismatic Spring and Morning Glory Pool—are surrounded by hypnotic, fire-colored rings begging to be photographed. Visitors to the Wyoming park can enjoy these and other natural wonders, including wildlife such as bison, wolves, coyotes, and, occasionally, grizzly bears. Hiking, animal watching, and other park highlights are most easily enjoyed on a self-guided, group, or private tour.

Editor's note: Travel to Myanmar is not recommended due to serious safety risks in this area. Please follow your government's guidance and travel advisories.

The 367-foot (112-meter) gilded stupa of the 14th-century Shwedagon Pagoda, captures the eye of any Yangon visitor. Nicknamed the Golden Pagoda, it is Myanmar’s most sacred Buddhist site, as it’s believed to house relics of four Buddhas. Half-day, small-group tours in Yangon visit the religious complex and the city’s equally golden reclining Buddha, while a private day tour provides travelers with deeper insights into the site’s history and significance. Travelers with extra time may consider a day tour to the area’s second gilded attraction: Kyaiktiyo Pagoda, appropriately known as Golden Rock.

Named by Mexico’s Secretariat of Tourism as one of the country’s Magical Towns, Izamal is also known as the Yellow City (La Ciudad Amarilla). The pigment moniker is owed to the city’s buildings and arcades, which were all painted in a vibrant shade of sunflower yellow in advance of a papal visit in 1993. More than just a picture-perfect destination, Izamal also boasts Mayan pyramids, handicraft centers, and delicious regional food. Travelers staying in nearby Merida can easily take a private day tour to experience the magic of the Yellow City.

From the Colonial clocktower to homes on sleepy side streets, many of Cartagena’s buildings have been doused in sunshine yellow making the Colombian port city’s Old Town a colorful sight to behold. But this historical quarter boasts much more than stunning architecture. The Old Town is also the epicenter of Cartagena’s vibrant history, culture, and cuisine. Group walking tours, private excursions, and self-guided bus tours all give you the chance to enjoy an authentic Colombian experience without having your nose stuck in a guidebook.