Time Out revealed the top 40 coolest neighbourhoods around the world: the places that balance great local culture, food, and fun with support and kindness for their communities during the turmoil of 2020.

Since 2018, the annual list has been collated from the opinions of locals via the annual Time Out Index survey of over 38,000 global city residents, answering where they most loved spending their time out around their city. To rank the list this year, Time Out’s global network of editors and experts factored in not just great vibes, food, drink, nightlife, and independent culture, but also community spirit, praising the neighbourhoods where people showed unconditional love and support for the communities and local businesses who represent the soul of the city.

The neighbourhood which reached the number one spot, being named the coolest neighbourhood in the world, is Esquerra de l’Eixample in Barcelona. Despite its image as a residential part of the Catalan capital, it has shown incredible community spirit in 2020 with neighbourhood initiatives like the Hidrogel Sessions, in which neighbours organised mass dance parties on their balconies during lockdown. It’s also home to a number of vital gathering spaces, like the community-run Espai Germanetes garden, and great independent businesses such as Odd Kiosk: the world’s first LGBTQ+ magazine kiosk.

James Manning, International Editor of Time Out, said: “With global travel in disarray, this year our annual list of the world’s coolest neighbourhoods is less about planning your next trip and more about celebrating the hotspots that are pointing the way forward for city life. In tough times, neighbourhoods are more important than ever – and these are places where the soul of the city is on full display, thanks to independent businesses, local culture, and community initiatives. Consider this list a worldwide shout-out to the strength, spirit, and resilience of city dwellers.”

Time Out is encouraging city-dwellers to share their favourite neighbourhood spots through #LoveLocal.

Check out the best neighbourhoods: coolest neighbourhoods

1. Esquerra De L’Eixample, Barcelona
2. Downtown, LA
3. Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong
4. Bedford–Stuyvesant, New York
5. Yarraville, Melbourne
6. Wedding, Berlin
7. Shaanxi Bei Lu/Kangding Lu, Shanghai
8. Dennistoun, Glasgow
9. Haut-Marais, Paris
10. Marrickville, Sydney
11. Verdun, Montreal
12. Kalamaja, Tallinn
13. Hannam-dong, Seoul
14. Bonfim, Porto
15. Ghosttown, Oakland
16. Chula-Samyan, Bangkok
17. Alvalade, Lisbon
18. Noord, Amsterdam
19. Centro, São Paulo
20. Holešovice, Prague
21. Lavapiés, Madrid
22. Opebi, Lagos
23. Narvarte, Mexico City
24. Uptown, Chicago
25. Little Five Points, Atlanta
26. Wynwood, Miami
27. Phibsboro, Dublin
28. Nørrebro, Copenhagen
29. Bugis, Singapore
30. Gongguan, Taipei
31. Soho, London
32. Binh Tanh, Ho Chi Minh City
33. Melville, Johannesburg
34. Kabutocho, Tokyo
35. Porta Venezia, Milan
36. Taman Paramount, Kuala Lumpur
37. Allston, Boston
38. Bandra West, Mumbai
39. Arnavutköy, Istanbul
40. Banjar Nagi, Ubud

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