1: The Allure of Color in Travel – The Language of Place-Based Palettes
“Colors are the deeds and sufferings of light.” – Goethe
This dramatic assertion by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, from his 1810 work “Theory of Colours”, captures the essence of color as something alive, dynamic, and deeply expressive—a perfect lens through which to explore color, pattern, and identity across cultures. In this first of four posts, I reflect on my recent travels to Croatia, Turkey, and Venice, where the colors seemed to narrate stories deeply intertwined with each place's history, culture, and environment.
In this opening post in a series on color, I want to delve into the concept of place-based palettes, which serves as both a thematic anchor for my research and an entry point into understanding how color expresses the essence of a place and its inhabitants. The study of color is complex, saturated with cultural, physiological, and psychological implications. Great thinkers, artists, and scientists have long debated what color truly is, how we perceive it, and, most compellingly, how we articulate it. So, indulge me on this post. I will get wordy, and I will wax on about various ways to name a color in these landscapes. It is all part of the plan.
What fascinates me most is this language of color—how personal and varied it can be. One person’s "pink" might be described by another as "bubblegum," "ballet," or "peony." Even perception varies: where I might distinguish cool and warm undertones in pinks and oranges, someone else might simply say, “It’s pink!!!.” In my design courses, I emphasize the importance of discussing color, encouraging young designers to merge verbal descriptions with visual representations. This shared language strengthens collaboration within design teams and helps bridge differing backgrounds and experiences. Pink, therefore, is never just pink; it’s a story, an association, a feeling shaped by culture, tradition, and personal interpretation.
Place-Based Palettes: Color and Materials
During my recent travels across the Adriatic and Aegean, I was struck by how central color became to my observations and research. Although I expected to encounter vibrant textiles, mosaics, and art, I hadn’t anticipated how deeply color and pattern would influence my understanding of these places. The palettes I discovered—within bustling cities, serene villages, and along coastlines—were remarkably distinctive. Moving from Dubrovnik's sun-drenched stone streets to Bodrum’s cobalt-blue houses and Venice’s shimmering canals revealed not only different shades but different stories.
I often refer in my courses and design work to the idea of internal and external colors. Internal colors are those we use to adorn our bodies and private spaces, crafting intimate settings that reflect taste, emotion, and tradition. External colors, by contrast, are found in public realms: the hues of commercial, religious, and domestic architecture that shape communal perception and contribute to the visual identity of a place. Though theories might separate urban and rural palettes, my experience has shown that public and private colors intertwine in unexpected ways. Tradition mingles with modernity, yielding combinations that defy categorization.
Perception of color is also subjective. It varies with personal experience, mood, and context, while elements like lighting and the time of day transform how colors are perceived—from the sharpness of midday to the softened glow of dawn or dusk. These subtleties reveal that the experience of color in different places is nuanced, layered, and endlessly fascinating.
Croatia: Stone and Sea
In Croatia, the color palette is tightly controlled, featuring old stone houses and modern homes painted in neutral, stone-like hues alongside clay-tiled roofs. The greens of the hills and valleys, particularly shades like sage and olive, add depth to the landscape. The cool blue-grays of the mountains rise majestically from the ever-changing Adriatic Sea, shifting from deep cerulean, aquamarine to silver grey..
Tourism brochures often highlight the “marble” of Dubrovnik and Split—grand cities rising from the Adriatic like sentinels. But as I walked along the Stradun, Dubrovnik’s wide limestone-paved street, the details beneath my feet told richer stories. This thoroughfare, lined with shops and cafes, felt like a living corridor of history. The limestone, softened over centuries of footsteps, took on a creamy beige glow, accented by subtle veins of gray and hints of golden ochre that caught the light at certain angles. These worn surfaces, polished to an almost liquid sheen, whispered resilience and the enduring human touch.
Clay roof tiles across Croatia exhibit rich variations of terracotta—from bright marigold and paprika to deeper shades of burnt sienna and copper. The patchwork of colors hints at age, conflict, and renewal, as some tiles date back to the pre-Croatian War of Independence (1991–1995), while others were replaced post-bombardment. This visual story of resilience is seen in towns that cling to the coastline, their rooftops appearing as an intricate mosaic when viewed from above.
The mountains of the Konavle region, towering dramatically above, are steeped in a palette of indigo, teal-gray, and deep mulberry, their peaks casting shadowed blues that shift in the sunlight. The slopes of the Konavle Valley, where silvery-green pines meet the verdant greens of cypress and herb-strewn fields, create an interplay of rugged and soft colors. Known as the “pharmacy of the medieval world,” the region's herbs and plants were traded and used for medicinal purposes across the Mediterranean and Europe.
This fertile land of the Konavle Valley and Dubrovnik region yields crops that blend a brilliant and earthy palette—deep purples of grapes and figs, vibrant greens of olives and herbs, crimson pomegranates, golden citrus hues, and soft lavender. This rich array, from aubergine vegetables to warm browns of nuts and carob, shapes a sensory identity in the landscape.
Istanbul: Mosaic of Influence
Istanbul enveloped me in its multifaceted embrace—a vibrant tapestry woven from millennia of empires, echoing Greek, Byzantine, Roman, Ottoman, and modern influences. Externally, the city presents itself in muted tones: warm beiges, sun-worn stone, and aged wood, evoking a sense of history etched into every corner. But the internal colors tell a different story. The deep, commanding red of the Turkish flag—referred to as "Anatolian Red"—is emblematic of heritage, pride, and identity, standing in striking contrast to the black-and-white portraits of Mustafa Atatürk that watch over the city.
The Grand Bazaar is a living canvas, alive with saturated hues. Rich burgundy carpets, vivid cobalt-blue ceramics, and the omnipresent “nazar” trinkets interplay with the warm golden glow of hanging lamps. In the Spice Bazaar, the palette comes alive in sun-golden saffron, terracotta sumac, and the deep umber of cinnamon, complemented by sweet apricots and deep inky black of dried eggplants under a canopy of silvery cigarette smoke amid golden light.
Descending into the underground cisterns, the slate grays and mossy greens create a serene yet mysterious atmosphere. Under dim lighting, emerald and midnight blue reflections dance across the water, turning the cavernous space into a living artwork. These spaces, illuminated in theatrical green hues, emerge to create spaces that evoke secret relics and weaving tales of ancient myths.
Emerging from the coolness, the majesty of Istanbul’s mosques unfolds, where gold leaf and deep lapis mosaics catch the sun’s rays. The Byzantine icons at St. Mary of the Mongols and St. George Church offer a quieter yet profound palette—flickers of gold and silver that shift in the shadows, inviting moments of reverence and reflection.
Crossing the Bosphorus into Kadıköy = a district on the Asian side of Istanbul, reveals a shift in energy. Here, palm fronds in soft greens play against the teal-blue strait. Street murals explode in all manner of fiery hot colors celebrating the area’s modern creative spirit. The market streets burst with fuchsia and sunflower yellow, while café chairs in bold hues beckon visitors to linger over deep amber “chai” and the “wine-dark” of a strong “kahve”.
As twilight falls, the skyline of Istanbul merges ancient minarets with modern towers in a rich, layered palette. This city, always vibrant, always evolving, is a living mosaic where colors are more than hues; they are whispers of the past and shouts of the present.
Bodrum: Coastal Heritage
Bodrum, formerly Halicarnassus, is drenched in a palette of a classic postcard. Bold, whitewashed homes with cobalt blue trim recall the scenes of its Greek neighbors, their brightness softened by cascading hot magenta bougainvillea. Olive trees, with their silvery-green leaves, lend a soft warmth to the golden hues of the sun-soaked streets, while fig trees offer dappled tones of spring-like green. The stone-gray and emerald green accents of the mosques and minarets punctuate the sky.
In the seaside villages of Yalıkavak and Gümüşlük, colors shift to a sherbet-colored sunset of peach, lemon yellow, mint green, lavender, pale pink, coral, and soft blue—bouncing off sumac-colored rooftops, weathered wooden doors in faded turquoise, and ochre stone paths that have absorbed centuries of sun and sea spray. These subtle hues tell a quieter story, contrasting with the chalk whites and cerulean blues that evoke the Aegean’s aesthetic.
Venetian Light and Shadow
Venice’s palette is layered and nuanced, evoking a city that plays with both external and internal colors to tell a story of faded elegance and painterly light. The green of the canals captures sunlight uniquely, shifting throughout the day to reveal sea-glass greens and muted moss tones against weathered façades. This textured, decaying look speaks to Venice’s long-standing relationship with its watery foundation. Chipped stucco unveils layers of weathered olive, muted moss green, and dusty teal where water has seeped into the plaster. Ivory and pale rose create a shifting canvas that mirrors the city’s changing light, while clay tiles in deep sienna and burnt copper whisper stories of aged splendor.
The façades themselves, marked by soft grays and charcoal streaks, hold the imprints of Venice’s humid, salty air. Internally, the city dazzles with the opulence of its churches and palazzi. Alabaster-toned bridges gleam, while frescoes shimmer with antique gold and copper inlaid mosaics. This richness, punctuated by cooler silver-gray corners and shadowed archways, evokes a sense of mystery and timelessness, illustrating Venice’s dance between light and shadow—its external and internal colors entwined.
In contrast, Dubrovnik’s palette of sun-warmed sienna and bright cobalt blue reflects a straightforward, resilient vibrancy. Istanbul, with its layered mosaics and vivid bazaars, pulses with dynamic warmth. Each of these palettes, whether in Dubrovnik’s steadfast stones, Istanbul’s kaleidoscopic markets, or Venice’s luminous canals, tells a story steeped in time, place, and identity. These colors have left me reflecting on how deeply hues define a place.
My research wanderings allowed me to fully soak in the sensory overload of each city’s palette and begin the process of understanding cultural identities woven through their colors, textures, and timeless aesthetics.
Question to Answer Below In Comments:
Have you ever visited a place where the colors left a lasting impression on you? What colors do you associate with your favorite travel destinations?
-Val
Fascinating read! A wealth of ideas to explore. Comparing each location's abstracted palette is striking, and the concept of public and private colors is intriguing.
I love the mention of the intersection of science, and art when talking about color. As well as acknowledging how difficult it can be to even begin discussing color with others... as each one of us brings not only our own physiology, but our own creativity as well! Another fabulous read Val. Can't wait for more!