Europe’s coolest neighbourhood revealed in new ranking

A Marseille neighbourhood has been crowned the “coolest in the world” in Time Out magazine’s annual ranking.

Licked in graffiti, lined with vintage stores and soundtracked by live music, Notre-Dame-du-Mont was selected for its “rebellious spirit”.

It’s among 38 neighbourhoods identified by Time Out’s global team of on-the-ground writers and editors as the best places to visit right now.

Two other European ‘hoods also made the top 10: Stokes Croft and St Paul’s in Bristol UK (6th place) and Príncipe Real in Lisbon, Portugal (8th place).

What makes Notre-Dame-du-Mont Europe’s coolest neighbourhood?

With its diverse population, rich culture and Mediterranean climate, the port city of Marseille in southern France is cool and chaotic in equal measure.

Once known as the artists’ district, Notre-Dame-du-Mont encapsulates this with its lively restaurants, art galleries and independent shops.

Time Out recommends heading to iconic neighbourhood bakery Pain Pan for brioche before checking out the paintings and sculptures at Galerie Charivari. 

Grab a new read at L’Histoire de l’œil bookshop and youth space, paired with coffee from Razzia or a drink on the terrace at Café la Muse.

Cap off your day with dinner at Livingston, which hosts a rotation of chefs in residence, before bedding down at the design-led Mama Shelter hotel.

Marseille is easily reachable from across Europe, with TGV InOui trains linking it with Paris in just three hours. The arrival station, Marseille Saint-Charles, is just over 20 minutes’ walk from Notre-Dame-du-Mont.

Where are Europe’s other coolest neighbourhoods?

Time Out’s list recognises 38 neighbourhoods around the world, ranging from overlooked suburbs to historically cool spots experiencing a renaissance.

It doesn’t all come down to hipster hallmarks like street art and craft breweries: the locales were selected for reflecting the best of the cities’ culture, community spirit, nightlife, food and drink.

Zabłocie in Kraków, Poland came in 11th place, trumping original hipster hub Kazimierz thanks to its rejuvenated riverside parks and creative eateries paired with landmark sites like Oskar Schindler’s Factory and the brutalist Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCAK).

Punavuori in Helsinki, Finland, takes 14th place, with Time Out comparing it to the likes of New York’s Brooklyn or Berlin’s Kreuzberg.

In Berlin itself, though, Friedrichshain (18th place) outshines Kreuzberg, having matured after years of being trampled by tourists seeking out fabled nightclub Berghain and the East Side Gallery.

Back in France, bustling Belleville in Paris comes in 20th place for its vibrant atmosphere and line-up of festivities and carnivals.

In the UK, Strathbungo in Glasgow (22nd place) and Leyton in London (24th place) are where it’s at, while in Dublin, Ireland, Inchicore takes 25th place.

Portugal gains another entry with Bonfim, Porto, in 30th place, followed by Hungary’s Palace District in Budapest (31st place).