https://www.timeout.com/travel/coolest-neighbourhoods-in-the-world

Wet-market experience, Kamianske (2026)

05/06/2023

Noord
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Just five minutes’ (free) ferry across the River IJ from the city’s tourist-packed centre, Noord feels like a different world. It’s that rare thing: a neighbourhood that has retained its gritty, post-industrial charm despite becoming an epicentre of all things cool. A former wasteland once known for squatters and petty crime, the area hasn’t so much been transformed as upcycled: the brick warehouses, metal prefabs, and old shipping containers are still here, but now they house vegan restaurants, pop-up breweries and cutting-edge art. Endeavours here – and the people behind them – have a deeply ingrained social justice and sustainability theme too. Wander around NSDM wharf, marvelling at the street art and the sense of creativity and ingenuity, and see how urban regeneration – which continues apace – should be done.

05/06/2023

Letná
Prague, Czech Republic
Although it’s just across the River Vltava from Prague’s densely packed Old Town, vibrant Letná offers great contrast – notably thanks to its abundance of open space. In 1989, hundreds of thousands of Praguers huddled together at Letná Park in sub-zero temperatures to finish off communism. Today, on summer evenings, they play sport, have picnics, or head to the Letná beer garden for a drink with fabulous views of the Old Town below. The wider neighbourhood (along with neighbouring Holešovice) is part of Art District 7, and the Trade Fair Palace showcases modern art and merits a visit for the functionalist architecture alone. Of all Prague’s districts, Letná has notably bounced back since 2020, and the numerous eateries and independent shops are evidence of its strong local spirit.

05/06/2023

Northern Quarter
Manchester, UK
Despite ongoing competition from Ancoats next door, as far as we’re concerned the Northern Quarter has reclaimed the title of Manchester’s coolest neighbourhood for 2022. Stevenson Square and some surrounding streets have been permanently pedestrianised, making for a fresher stroll around the centre of the city’s café and bar culture, with its stunning mix of Georgian houses, Victorian pubs and modern hangouts. No matter what the trend, the Northern Quarter always seems to be one step ahead – whether it’s vegan dining, pop-up bars or even the street art adorning its walls and shop shutters. In fact these murals, part of the Outhouse Project supported by local art shop Fred Aldous, exemplify the neighbourhood: always changing and moving forward whilst remaining respectful of the past.

05/06/2023

Coconut Grove
Miami, USA
Not for the first time, Miami’s oldest continuously-inhabited neighbourhood is in the midst of a renaissance. First settled by Bahamians in the 1800s, in more recent decades Coconut Grove has been a hippy enclave, a playground for co***ne lords and a college hangout. Now, after more than a decade in flux, it’s once again Miami’s most exciting neighbourhood – thanks, in part, to a spate of recently opened bars and restaurants, including new waterfront options and a Michelin star recipient. CocoWalk, its central open-air shopping mall, has been entirely overhauled, complete with a new movie theatre and popular shops. But the thing we love most about Coconut Grove is its homegrown charm. You’ll find local art, an excellent farmers’ market, Miami-bred chefs, historic members’ clubs, a decades-old lemonade truck and a magnificent waterfront villa-turned-museum among the many reasons to visit.

05/06/2023

Kilimani
Nairobi, Kenya
Kilimani is the place to find the heart and soul of Nairobian life. Compact enough to walk around and yet bursting with a vibrant arts and entertainment vibe, it’s here that you can walk past the president’s formal residence at State House and, five minutes later, watch monkeys gambol in an indigenous forest at Nairobi Arboretum. Like much of Nairobi, Kilimani’s gems are hidden beneath frenetic traffic and half-built high-rises, but scratch the surface and you’ll find a thriving social scene: art galleries, nightclubs, coffee shops and bars, together with some of Nairobi’s best restaurants, and new venues opening up all the time. Ditch the tourist trail and hang out where Nairobi goes to party.

05/06/2023

Fitzroy
Melbourne, Australia
Characterised by terrace houses, narrow streets covered in street art and modern wine bars retrofitted into heritage buildings and Victorian-era architecture, Fitzroy is Melbourne’s artsy and eclectic beating heart. On Brunswick Street you’ll find secondhand shops, dive bars, bumping nightclubs and some of our city’s best eateries – and with vegan and veggie options on practically every block, it’s a must for plant-based eaters. Meanwhile, leafy Gertrude Street has gone from a well-trodden thoroughfare to earning the distinction of the second coolest street in the world: no surprise, with some of the city’s coolest retail stores, galleries, bars, pubs, restaurants and cafés.

05/06/2023

Levinsky
Tel Aviv, Israel
Edgy, eclectic and never mainstream, Levinsky prides itself on its distinctive energy. Sat between too-cool-for-school Florentine and Tel Aviv’s shabby central bus station, Levinsky is known as a hub for Persian, Turkish, and Ethiopian immigrant communities, but in recent years has started to attract young chefs, musicians and artists too. Boutique hotels and artisan cafés have popped up next to established institutions like Burekas Pinso, which has been serving traditional pastries for over 70 years, or the tiny deli shops of Levinsky Market, a foodie favourite. And it’s not just the food that’s good here: secondhand clothing, jewellery and book stalls spring up on weekends, as well as spontaneous street parties that give this no-frills neighbourhood a real sense of community.

05/06/2023

West End
Vancouver, Canada
Don’t confuse Vancouver’s West End with the West Side (across False Creek) or West Vancouver (a different city altogether); you’ll find this trendy neighbourhood on the city’s downtown peninsula, just south of Coal Harbour. Once a quiet enclave for the elite, the West End is now boisterous. Davie Village serves as home base for the city’s LGBTQ+ community (be sure to pop into the historic Little Sister’s Book & Art Emporium for some q***r lit) and you’ll find bars serving all types of folks along Davie Street. For restaurants and retail, you can’t beat Denman and Robson Streets. Robson skews high-end, while Denman is the place for hole-in-the-wall eats. But the real colour here is provided by mother nature in the form of 405-acre Stanley Park and the aptly named Sunset Beach.

05/06/2023

Vesterbro
Copenhagen, Denmark
Bustling and lively, Vesterbro in Copenhagen is littered with famous historical streets, picture-perfect canal swimming spots, boutique shopping and attractions like the Glyptoteket museum and the famed Tivoli fairground. Despite vast gentrification, it still has a neighbourly feel with its mix of students, young professionals, families and long-time locals. In the sunshine, grab a bottle of to-go wine from KIHOSK on Sonderboulevard and lay on the grass enjoying the spacious leafy street. (If you fancy a book to go with your bevvy, why not dip into the work of revered local novelist and memoirist Tove Ditlevsen?) And if it’s not so sunny, Vesterbro is home to two historic and adorable picture houses – Vester Vov Vov and Dagmar – which both show mainstream blockbusters, indies and old classics daily.

05/06/2023

Barrio de las Letras
Madrid, Spain
Once known as the crucible of Spanish Golden Age literature, in recent years Madrid’s Barrio de las Letras has developed a reputation for late-night partying. But now a new daytime vibe is emerging: creative gastronomy, designers, artisans and boutique businesses are taking over its pedestrianised streets. You can shop for up-and-coming fashion labels at Colmado Shop, vintage garms at La Veintinueve, designer jewellery at Andrés Gallardo and handmade bags at Oficio Studio. Or you can chow down at Michelin-starred Gofio and Yúgó the Bunker, or local gourmet pioneer TriCiclo. And when you’re done, the sightseeing essentials of the Paseo del Prado and Puerta del Sol are only a few steps away.

05/06/2023

Wan Chai
Hong Kong
Once Hong Kong’s notorious red-light district, Wan Chai has evolved into a bustling neighbourhood whose quaint streets showcase a diverse food and drink scene, art hubs, quirky cafés and trendy boutiques – all scattered between contemporary buildings, historical landmarks and revitalised urban gems. Even during trying times, the area has continued to flourish, welcoming new restaurants and bars plus a cross-harbour railway section linking parts of the city, and expanding the vibrant promenade overlooking Hong Kong’s famous harbour. This year, Wan Chai hosted two of the biggest art events in the region – Art Basel and Art Central – and lit up some of the city’s most colourful lanterns during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

05/06/2023

Silver Lake
Los Angeles, USA
While you can single out a specific block or two elsewhere that’s sparked more excitement of late, no neighbourhood as a whole continues to be as cool as stalwart Silver Lake. It’s no wonder our LA readers voted so overwhelmingly for this eclectic neighbourhood for the second year in a row. Sure, the once-boho stretch of Sunset Boulevard continues to borrow more from its yuppie Westside neighbours (see: the arrival of Venice spots De Buena Planta and the Win~Dow, plus an upcoming Pizzana outpost). But Silver Lake, whose namesake reservoir moved one step closer to a recreation-forward makeover this year, keeps us coming back thanks to its cluster of culinary surprises, like vegan strip-mall pizza at Hot Tongue, the revival of Spanish-inflected party spot Bar Moruno and the arrival of Peruvian-Japanese patio Causita.

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