With the last three months remaining in 2025, TimeOut’s final verdict for the coolest cities from around the world is in. Measured across a span of different criteria, these offbeat spots could be the spot of your next vacation. Something for all age groups and hobby-enthusiasts, the cities are so much more than their history and community.
Be it local cafes or exploring the walls of mural art, this list captures the essence of urban life. The major criteria for the global editor to narrow down on the cities include culture, creativity, community spirit, livability, food, nightlife, and “nowness”, which focuses solely on vibrancy and originality of the city. Financial success no longer remained the only factor to determine a city’s robust growth; simply being on the tourist map wasn’t enough either. Measuring the things that really matter, TimeOut compiled a list of the 39 coolest neighbourhoods in the world.
World’s coolest neighbourhood: Bibliophile’s paradise
The report named Tokyo’s Jimbocho has the coolest neighbourhood in the world. The paradise for book-lovers, Jimbocho is Tokyo’s book district and is the home of nearly 150 vintage book stores. The TimeOut survey marked Isseido Booksellers and Kitazawa Bookstore as a must-visit highlight of your time in Jimbocho. It is among the “spots that locals truly love and that deserve just as much attention as a city’s main tourist hubs.” Jimbocho not only features a literature-loaded leisure for visitors but also attracts young audiences and food enthusiasts with its culture of curry houses.
Jimbocho is among the top 5 coolest neighbourhoods, which include Borgerhout, Barra Funda, Camberwell, and Avondale. Covering nearly all the continents, Australia’s Burwood and North Melbourne also fall under the TimeOut hitlist.
Borgerhout, Antwerp
Often overlooked, this Belgian neighbourhood has a wide multi-cultural mix of culture and history. The Turkish and Moroccan shops feature artist-run galleries and community labs rooted in DIY culture. Antwerp’s Borgerhout has several parks and a deep-seated sense of togetherness in the community.
Barra Funda, Sao Paulo
Barra Funda has reinvented itself as one of São Paulo’s most dynamic cultural hubs. What were once warehouses and industrial shells now thrive as art studios, galleries, cafes, and buzzing nightlife spots. It’s the beating heart of the city’s underground creative scene, where gritty urban charm seamlessly blends with a new wave of refined culture.
Camberwell, London
With Chester being named as the ‘prettiest’ city in the world, Camberwell in Southeast London has vast areas of greenery. Featuring multi-cultural cuisines, the eateries offer Kurdish, Lebanese, and Xinjiang offerings.
Avondale, Chicago
As Logan Square underwent gentrification, many of Chicago’s artists and longtime residents found a new home in Avondale. The neighbourhood still carries its red-brick industrial character and working-class grit, but now it’s layered with wine bars, specialty markets, retro bowling alleys, and lively music venues. Caught between past and present, Avondale thrives as a neighbourhood in transition, where tradition and reinvention meet.
