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The 38 coolest neighbourhoods in the world right now, according to Time Out

Community hubs of culture, cuisine and art made the shortlist for 2024

Natalie Wilson
Wednesday 25 September 2024 07:31 EDT
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Marseille’s Notre Dame du Mont took top spot for its colourful cul-de-sacs
Marseille’s Notre Dame du Mont took top spot for its colourful cul-de-sacs (Massimo Municchi)

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Time Out has announced the all the rage areas to visit right now with a Marseille neighbourhood named the coolest in the world for 2024.

The 38 hip and happening slices of cities were chosen by on-the-ground experts and local city editors against criteria such as food, drink, arts and culture.

Other factors assessed included walkability, street life, community and “one-of-a-kind local flavour” to curate the shortlist of trending towns.

With a “rebellious spirit”, “colourful cul-de-sacs” and “graffiti-covered alleyways” Marseille’s Notre Dame du Mont took the top spot in Time Out’s seventh annual rankings.

Casablanca’s concrete jungle of Mers Sultan followed in second – lauded for its delicious food and futuristic architecture – with Pererenan in Bali stylish in third for pristine beaches and cool cafe culture.

Buzzing nightlife and dynamic street life in Seoul, South Korea, and Portland, USA, rounded off the top five.

Three UK neighbourhoods made the list of cultural hotspots; the parks and jazz bars of Strathbungo in Glasgow, the friendly faces and football club of Leyton in London and the vibrant eateries of Stokes Croft and St Paul in Bristol.

Stokes Croft and St Paul ranked sixth in the list for its history as “the centre of African-Caribbean culture” and string of colourful family-owned boutiques.

Grace Beard, travel editor at Time Out, said: “Time Out’s annual ranking of the World’s Coolest Neighbourhoods celebrates the most unique and exciting pockets of our cities. The neighbourhoods on this year’s list have a lot in common: great places to eat and drink, cutting-edge culture, street life and a thriving community.

“But they’re also a distinct reflection of their cities, with each of them offering something special you wouldn’t find anywhere else. Some have only just reached their moment; others have been ‘cool’ for some time and are finding a new groove – all of them should be on your radar to visit in these cities.”

Time Out’s 38 coolest neighbourhoods 2024

  1. Notre Dame du Mont, Marseille, France
  2. Mers Sultan, Casablanca, Morocco
  3. Pererenan, Bali, Indonesia
  4. Seongsu-dong, Seoul, South Korea
  5. Kerns, Portland, USA
  6. Stokes Croft & St Paul’s, Bristol, UK
  7. Chippendale, Sydney, Australia
  8. Principe Real, Lisbon, Portugal
  9. Glória, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  10. Windsor, Melbourne, Australia
  11. Zabłocie, Krakow, Poland
  12. Little River, Miami, USA
  13. Saint-Henri, Montreal, Canada
  14. Punavuori, Helsinki, Finland
  15. Gakugeidaigaku, Tokyo, Japan
  16. Thao Dienm, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
  17. Flatbush, New York, USA
  18. Friedrichshain, Berlin, Germany
  19. East City, Cape Town, South Africa
  20. Belleville, Paris, France
  21. Northbridge, Perth, Australia
  22. Strathbungo, Glasgow, UK
  23. Chacarita, Buenos Aires, Argentina
  24. Leyton, London, UK
  25. Inchicore, Dublin, Ireland
  26. East Hollywood, Los Angeles, USA
  27. Ekkamai, Bangkok, Thailand
  28. San Rafael, Mexico City, Mexico
  29. Mount Pleasant, Washington DC, USA
  30. Bonfim, Porto, Portugal
  31. Palace Quarter, Budapest, Hungary
  32. Brewerytown, Philadelphia, USA
  33. Kowloon City, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
  34. Logan Square, Chicago, USA
  35. Norwood, Adelaide, Australia
  36. Osu, Accra, Ghana
  37. Orchard, Singapore, Singapore
  38. Union Square, Boston, USA

For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast

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