Is it true that a solution is often clear and transparent?

This depends on the solute and solvent that is used. A solution is a liquid mixture in which the solute is uniformly distributed within the solvent. A solvent does the dissolving. An example is water, which is referred to as the universal solvent. A solute is what gets dissolved. An example of a solution is sugar water. The sugar gets dissolved, yet the solution is still a liquid, even when a solid was added.  Solutions are homogeneous in nature, meaning you cannot distinguish the solute and the solvent and they cannot be separated by physical means. In solutions that involve metal compounds, the solution will be transparent, but will not be clear. The metals between titanium and copper on the periodic table have very brightly colored compounds. For example, a copper solution will turn bright blue. To sum this up, a solution will be transparent, meaning you can see through it, but it is not always going to be colorless.