What makes a neighbourhood cool?

That’s what Time Out wanted to know when they surveyed more than 27 000 people around the world to find the areas with the best vibe, where the cost of living was still affordable, and where you can soak up the best that the city had to offer when it comes to culture, food and drink.

These spots are also a little separate from the usual hotspots that tourists flock to, although that might change now that the list of the ’50 Coolest Neighbourhoods in the World’ is out there.

Before we take a look at the top 10, let’s give a shoutout to Jozi. More specifically, the boho suburb of Melville, which came in at number 41 on the list.

It’s my favourite place in South Africa, and anyone who has started their afternoon with a beer in the sun at Hell’s Kitchen, then petted the cats at Ratz, and topped it all off with a jukebox-fuelled party at Jo’anna’s, knows what I’m talking about.

Right, let’s see the top 10:

1. Arroios, Lisbon

This multicultural hub in Lisbon took the top spot.

Along Avenida Almirante Reis and its arteries, you can be dazzled by open-air galleries, such as urban artist Akacorleone’s recent reinvention of the Campo Mártires da Pátria basketball court. You can taste flavours from the four corners of the world, from the best dim sum in the city at Grande Palácio Hong-Kong to top-drawer Mexican at El Taco Chingón.

They’ve temporarily closed the Arroios metro station, but that just means that you hop off at a close-by stop and rent a scooter which just adds to the experience.

2. Shimokitazawa, Tokyo

Shimokitazawa is to Tokyo what Brooklyn is to New York.

Less commercially developed than the nearby city-centre neighbourhoods of Shibuya and Shinjuku, Shimokitazawa (often known simply as Shimokita) packs a hip vibe, a countercultural legacy of underground cool and a whole lot of street cred. Nestled among the vintage and consignment shops that the neighbourhood is famous for, you’ll also find a host of quaint, independent restaurants, cafés and bars. It’s a favourite haunt for Tokyo’s creative set, especially fashion folks who love digging for grungy styles that are the antithesis to cutesy, kitschy Harajuku.

The neighbourhood is easily accessible from Shibuya station.

3. Onikan, Lagos

This place is an architectural wonder.

Past, present and future collide effortlessly in Lagos’s historic district of Onikan. A cool wind blows through the private green spaces of its military barracks and its narrow streets, which represent an architectural catalogue of the city’s history: the colonial houses of the pre-independence era, the boom of the ’70s and today’s Western-style steel and mortar structures. The landscape is still changing: larger buildings are sprouting upwards, including a football stadium and multi-storey car park, even as creatives flock to the area in search of authentic surroundings.

Great community and excellent art galleries.

4. Wedding, Berlin

Rent is on the rise in Berlin, but Wedding has somehow managed to stay honest.

Dirt cheap and still sexy, the city’s most underrated district champions the off-the-radar charm that Berlin was once known for, and which is becoming increasingly hard to find in places like Neuköllnand Kreuzberg. Home to sprawling working-class communities of generations-back Germans and immigrants alike, the area (including neighbouring Gesundbrunnen, though it hasn’t been officially part of Wedding since 2001) is known for its bustling markets, classic German pubs and vast public spaces that haven’t yet been scooped up by property developers hoping to make a quick buck from the city’s housing shortage.

All the benefits of that cosmopolitan Berlin vibe without the pretentiousness.

5. Historic Filipinotown, Los Angeles

This place has managed to avoid the gentrification plaguing other old favourites in LA.

As L.A.’s other gentrifying areas ditch any sense of character and culture in favour of the latest generic-chic hotness, Historic Filipinotown is propping up its own. Pop into its places to eat, which include some of the city’s most exciting new openings, and you might spot a map that highlights other Asian-American-owned restaurants in the area. HiFi – as it’s known for short – reflects L.A. as its best: a convergence of cultures where the savoury Asian porridge at Porridge & Puffs feels right at home with the ’90s hip-hop vibes at HiFi Kitchen, the mother-and-son chewy noodle recipes at Woon and the floral-filled celebration of black art at Bloom & Plume Coffee.

Sounds like a good time.

6. The Waterfront, Hobart

Lucky gambler David Walsh put his winnings into opening a world-class art museum in his home city, Hobart.

Almost as soon as it opened, the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) suddenly transformed Hobart from a ‘why would I ever visit’ to an ‘I must go right now’ for art lovers, culture junkies, foodies, wine connoisseurs, adrenaline freaks, nature lovers and travellers of all stripes and persuasions. Rocketing numbers of visitors are discovering Hobart’s jaw-dropping eucalypt forests, world-leading whiskey, gin and wine and incredible, seafood-driven dining scene, while the annual journey from the mainland for the Dark Mofo winter solstice festival is becoming a mandatory pilgrimage for Melbourne and Sydney cognoscenti.

Stop in at the city’s waterfront to take it all in.

7. Strasbourg-Saint-Denis, Paris

Of course, Paris made the list.

Far be it from us to neglect the stylish addresses of the Haut-Marais or the bistronomic renaissance of the 11th arrondissement, but SSD remains the centre of Parisian cool. That’s thanks in large part to two men, Arnaud Lacombe and Guillaume Le Donche, who have turned Rue des Petites-Écuries into the home of some of the city’s hippest venues – from restaurant and wine bar Déviant to the Hôtel Bourbon nightclub. Nearby, multicultural Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis is changing without stumbling into the gentrified clichés of areas like SoPi.

It’s a little dodgy in parts, but worth it if you keep your wits about you.

8. Astoria, New York

Ah, I was wondering when New York would crop up.

Over the past few years, NYC’s creatives have been flocking to Queens – many opting for the borough’s boho-cool DIY mecca Ridgewood, the artist lofts of Long Island Cityand the sleepy environs of Woodside. But for our money, Astoria is where it’s at. Climb down the stairs from the elevated subway station at 30th Avenue and you’ll find yourself caught up in a bustle of people running errands at decades-old shops, lingering over meals at buzzy new restaurants and rubbing elbows with neighbours from around the globe. You could think of Astoria as a more sensible, melting-potty alternative to overdeveloped North Brooklyn – and not just because the rents are way more affordable.

You can see the now-famous Welling Court Mural Project above.

9. Embajadores, Madrid

No other neighbourhood in Madrid is as multicultural as Embajadores.

Florists arrange their bouquets in Plaza Tirso de Molina next to the bold murals of street artist Okuda. Next to the Indian restaurants that have been popping up around Calle de Lavapiés, you’ll find traditional eateries like the legendary Melo’s, where punters gather to order their famous zapatillas (two slices of bread, as large as a skateboard, stuffed with heaps of Lacón pork and tetilla cheese). Each May brings CALLE Lavapiés, an event in which dozens of urban artists decorate the facades of landmark bars and shops, and in October you can eat your way through the neighbourhood during the Spanish capital’s most delicious gastronomic happening: the Tapapiés tapas festival.

Sounds worth it just for the tapas.

10. Pilsen, Chicago

Another neighbourhood known for its graffiti. We need to get on that, Cape Town.

With its distinctive murals and strong public art scene, Pilsen could well be Chicago’s most recognisable neighbourhood. First established as a welcoming home for Czech, Polish, German and Italian immigrant communities, by the ’70s Pilsen had a flourishing Latino population, bringing with it world-class institutions like the National Museum of Mexican Art as well as some of the most authentic Mexican cuisine you’ll find anywhere in Chicago. The neighbourhood’s main artery is 18th Street, a lively stretch of pavement that’s dotted with fantastic taquerias, bars, thrift shops and cafés.

Take time to wander off the beaten path to explore the alleyways and side streets.

That rounds off the top 10. You can see the full list with all 50 neighbourhoods here.

Next time you’re travelling abroad, add a neighbourhood or two to the itinerary. While you’re home, make sure to experience Melville nightlife, followed by a breakfast and a health shot at Pablo Eggs-Go-Bar to sort out the inevitable hangover.

[source:timeout]