How a Village in Spain Became Covered in Blue Paint Thanks to The Smurfs

Imagine cruising through the rolling hills of southern Spain, enjoying the beautiful whitewashed villages…and then—bam!—you’re in a town that looks like it was dunked in blue paint by Papa Smurf himself. Welcome to Júzcar, the tiny Spanish village that traded tradition for The Smurfs in the name of a successful Hollywood marketing stunt.

A Historic Andalusian White Village Goes Blue

In 2011, Sony Pictures was gearing up to release The Smurfs movie, a live-action / animated reboot of the classic cartoon. But in the age of viral marketing, they needed more than just billboards and trailers—they needed something big.

Their solution? Find a picturesque village and turn it into a real-life Smurf town.

Júzcar, a tiny, sleepy village in Spain’s Andalusia region, was chosen for the honor. Traditionally, its buildings were painted white, like most villages in the area. That all changed when, as a tourism and film marketing push, they worked with Sony España’s marketing team to repaint all the buildings bright blue. It took 4,000 liters of paint to cover each of the homes, the church, and even the town hall in time for the movie to have its world premiere in the village on June 16.

The stunt was incredibly successful for Júzcar. Within six months of the paint job, 95,000 tourists had visited—more than 10 times the number they usually welcomed per year! Smurf fans, curious travelers, and social media influencers came from all over to snap photos with blue buildings, Smurf murals, and newly created Smurf-themed attractions.

As a result, the village held a special referendum where residents voted to keep the buildings blue, despite Sony’s original agreement to revert them to white after the marketing push.

What’s in a Name?

For a few years, Júzcar hosted Smurf festivals, sold Smurf souvenirs, and fully leaned into its identity as the Smurf Village. They even established new businesses and built additional guesthouses and other amenities for tourists.

However, the town was required to pay 12% royalties for the Smurf trademark use, which residents viewed as a sort of additional tax. By 2017, agreements about what exactly constituted Smurf-related income broke down, and the village stopped using the franchise in its tourism marketing. They rebranded as La Aldea Azul, or the Blue Village—and kept the blue paint.

Even without the official Smurf label, Júzcar is still a one-of-a-kind travel destination. You can visit for the blue buildings, which were most recently repainted by residents and establishment owners in 2019. The local council and business owners have expanded their tourism offerings as well, highlighting the gorgeous natural scenery and trails surrounding the village, as well as photo spots, a local mascot, and much more.

Why We Love These Bizarre Travel Destinations

What makes places like Júzcar so irresistible? They’re unexpected, weird, and completely unique. In a world where cities fight for attention with flashy skyscrapers and theme parks, sometimes all it takes is a bold paint job and a little imagination. Júzcar is proof that even the tiniest villages can become must-visit destinations—if they’re willing to think outside the (paint) bucket.

Over to you! Would you visit Spain’s Blue Village? Or are you more of a Gargamel? Share your thoughts and stories with the Frayed Passport community!

About the Author

As the editor-in-chief of Frayed Passport, my goal is to help you build a lifestyle that lets you travel the world whenever you want and however long you want, and not worry about where your next paycheck will come from. I've been to 20+ countries and five continents, lived for years as a full-time digital nomad, and have worked completely remotely since 2015. If you would like to share your story with our community, or partner with Frayed Passport, get in touch with me at sarah@frayedpassport.com!

Featured image by Makalu from Pixabay