Anthocyanins belong to a group of flavonoid compounds which comprises over 5000 different compounds. Synthesis of all flavonoids begins with general phenylpropanoid metabolism for which the precursors are obtained from shikimate and malonyl-CoA pathway. The biosynthetic pathway continues through several steps to anthocyanins, i.e. antohcyanidins which are the last link in the chain although they can be modified, too. In this paper was described the course of metabolic reactions that lead to the synthesis of anthocyanins. Some of the known degradation pathways and regulatory pathways that are consisted of genes related to biosynthetic and degradation pathways of anthocyanins are described. Regulatory genes and some of transcription factors related to anthocyanins are mentioned too. The primary task of this review was to present which environmental factors affect the biosynthesis of anthocyanins in plants, the mechanisms of action and which signal pathways are involved in this process. It is shown that the main environmental factor that can stimulate the biosynthesis of anthocyanins is electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet and visible part of spectra, and that the vast majority of other environmental factors such as heat stress, osmotic stress, pathogen attack and wounding cannot stimulate the biosynthesis of anthocyanins independently, but in combination with UV or visible light they can give a statistically significant increase in anthocyanins content. And finally, current research in this field have been commented, and presented some assumptions about further research on the topic.