The street in the image above is in the Blue City in Jodhpur, India. The narrow maze of alleys that make up the city were painted blue to signify the presence of the Brahmin, or priest, caste.

It features on CNN‘s list of the most beautiful streets in the world, which aren’t ranked in any particular order.

Instead, the list pays homage to the best way to experience a city – going for a stroll and taking it all in from the ground.

Here are 10 of our favourite streets in the list, including one from South Africa.

Umbrella Sky Project, Agueda, Portugal

Since 2011, the four main streets of Agueda, including Rua Luis de Camoes, have been transformed into colorful, umbrella-shaded paradises.

The Umbrella Sky Project forms part of the town’s annual Agitagueda Art Festival, which takes place during July, August and September.

Cockburn Street, Edinburgh, Scotland

The steep, curving street was developed in the 1850s, cutting through medieval neighborhoods with the aim of offering easier access to the new train station. Until then, travelers had to use the steep steps and dark alleyways down from the Royal Mile to catch their trains.

Flask Walk, Hampstead, London, England

This quintessentially London street starts as a narrow pedestrian alleyway, passing a traditional pub and beautiful Victorian shopfronts before opening out into one of the city’s most gorgeous residential streets, all tumbling townhouses and impressive mansions.

The Philosopher’s Walk, Kyoto, Japan

Alongside the canal that runs between Ginkaku-Ji and Nanzen-Ji, the Philosopher’s Walk is Japan’s most picturesque street, thanks to the cherry trees which crowd both banks.

It’s best seen during sakura, cherry blossom, season which tends to start in early April and lasts for around two weeks. The path is named after Nishida Kitaro, the philosopher who meditated on this route daily.

Caminito, La Boca, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Meaning “the little path,” Caminito is the most colorful street in the most colorful area of Buenos Aires.

The street fell into disrepair in the 1950s after the railroad which ran through the area closed (the tracks are still here), before local artist Benito Quinquela Martín set about regenerating the area.

Lombard St, San Francisco

Famed for its eight hairpins, which twist between a single block, Lombard Street is one of San Francisco’s busiest attractions.

And while the crowds lining up to take shots for Instagram can get a bit much, they shouldn’t put you off going.

Jinli Street, Chengdu, China

Qing Dynasty style wooden houses and shops, replete with red lanterns and traditional signage help make Chengdu’s biggest tourist attraction look pleasingly historic.

While it was restored into its current form in 2004, Jinli Street traces its history back some 1,800 years, making it one of the oldest shopping streets in Sichuan province.

Convent Avenue, Harlem, New York City

New York City is blessed with some of the most architecturally arresting streets in the world. But Harlem’s Convent Avenue stands out from the pack, thanks to its knockout buildings and tree-lined sidewalks.

If you want to take a free online tour of New York, with a local guide, check out Walks NY.

Chefchaouen, Morocco

The blue-washed alleyways of Chefchaouen in northwest Morocco are a photographers’ paradise.

Various theories abound as to why its streets are blue, with some claiming it’s to deter mosquitoes and others saying Jewish refugees painted the buildings after escaping Nazi Germany.

Herbert Baker Street, Pretoria, South Africa

Last, but certainly not least, our very own Herbert Baker Street in Pretoria.

Between September and November, Pretoria transforms into The Jacaranda City.
The purple blooms of 70,000 trees can be seen from the vantage point of the Klapperkop Nature Reserve.

While picking out a single street is a challenge, Herbert Baker Street in Groenkloof stands apart from the others — it has rows of 100 white, rather than purple, jacarandas.

This isn’t the first time that CNN has taken note of Pretoria. They wrote a lengthy piece on it in 2016, describing it as the “city of change”.

Unfortunately, it’s going to be a rainy couple of days in Pretoria, but as soon as that sun is out again, feel free to get your stroll on.

[source:cnn]