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Dorćol, Belgrade - One of this Serbian city’s oldest neighborhoods is constantly reinventing itself, with a strong dedication to creativity and artistic integrity.

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Nové Město, Prague - This neighborhood connects three distinctive squares, curving around the cobbled Old Town, offering an escape from the crowds as well as century-old coffee houses and a picturesque riverbank.

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Melville, Johannesburg - The eclectic 7th Street boasts endless places to sip a coffee, relax at a hookah lounge, grab a bite in a bistro, and shop in niche galleries and thrift stores.

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Old Xuhui, Shanghai -

Visit charming cafés, hidden watering holes, and boutiques, before dancing the night away in Shanghai’s hottest neighborhood.

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Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong - On the west side of the island, this neighborhood mixes old school charm of roadside seafood stalls with new and innovative bars, restaurants, and coffee shops.

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Bandra West, Mumbai - For a taste of Bollywood glamour mixed with historic Indo-Portugese colonial-style homes, Bandra West is the place to be.

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Tanjong Pagar, Singapore - Once a fishing village, then a major trading port, and now a modern metropolis, Tanjong Pagar has both glossy skyscrapers and 19th-century shops.

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Downtown, Miami - Usually downtown cores are not the place to go for a local feel, but hip Miamians hopping from cocktail lounge to jazz bar, trendy restaurant to innovative bistro, are changing that.

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Kadıköy-Moda, Istanbul - In recent years, hundreds of new bars, cafés, boutiques, and eateries have opened, so this neighborhood will give you a real feel of how modern Istanbul relaxes.

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Bartók, Budapest - While tourists are busy in Pest, locals are in Buda, sitting on patios along the avenue of Bartók Béla út, chatting away against the sound of the historic trams.

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Stoneybatter, Dublin - The red-brick terraced homes give the neighborhood a village feeling, while the string of new vegan eateries and hip bars give it a more modern edge.

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Old Havana, Havana - Havana’s historic quarter has come alive in recent years, becoming an unmissable part of the city with its plazas, colorful buildings, alfresco cafés, and roadside music bars.

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Oltrarno, Florence - Across the Ponte Vecchio awaits a less crowded, more relaxing experience of the famed city, boasting artisan shops, family-owned restaurants, and incredible views.

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Kelvinbridge, Glasgow - New additions to the neighborhood’s already rich culture and social environment, from theaters to bars, make it the perfect place to relax Scotland-style.

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The Junction, Toronto -

In west Toronto you’ll find this former industrial area which has boomed in recent years, with loads of hip microbreweries and eateries popping up.

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Easton, Bristol - You’ll find a neighborly feeling that's perfect for hip families, young professionals, and foodies alike.

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Yppenplatz and Brunnenmarkt, Vienna - The city known for its imperial grandeur has its local haunts, like the streets surrounding Yppenplatz, just off the busy ring road, where the bustling Brunnenmarkt also lies.

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Naeja-dong, Seoul - Escape the South Korean capital’s tourist trail and indulge in rich coffees and fascinating hole-in-the-wall restaurants.

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Vesterbro, Copenhagen - Once Copenhagen’s red-light district, Vesterbro is now home to more artists, welcoming with its new demography a roster of organic eateries, vintage shops, and craft breweries.

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Dogpatch, San Francisco - The dockyard buildings have been repurposed into spaces for creatives and residential lofts, plus Third Street has all the trendy food your heart desires.

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Barranco, Lima - Once known for dive bars, Barranco has since burst with color and style, while still maintaining that 1920s Art Deco architecture.

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Gemmayzeh and Mar Mikhaël, Beirut - Low pastel buildings mixed with modern high-rises abound in these sister neighborhoods, which are home to a good amount of classic Lebanese and international joints.

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Corktown, Detroit -

The city’s oldest neighborhood has gotten a very modern makeover, where you can find both historic pubs and Victorian homes, along with quirky thrift ships and craft cocktails.

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Ancoats, Manchester - This canal-side neighborhood has recently emerged as a cool and affordable neighborhood for creatives, plus it boasts a generous array of Vietnamese food.

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Katendrecht, Rotterdam - Formerly the place for sailors and scoundrels, the peninsula is now the trendiest part of town.

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Bom Retiro, São Paulo - Bom Retiro, or "Bomra" if you’re a local, is not just one of the best places to eat, but it’s also one of the best places to see some great art.

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Holly, Austin - Many of the coolest bars and BBQ joints in the state of Texas can be found in the laid-back neighborhood of Holly.

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Overseas Chinese Town, Shenzhen - This leafy residential district is beloved for its jazz bars, bookshops, and contemporary galleries, as well as its proximity to a string of quirky theme parks, including one with miniature world landmark replicas.

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Verdun, Montreal - From bustling Wellington Street to the relaxing parks by the Saint-Lawrence River, Verdun is rife with great food and hip crowds.

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Jamestown, Accra - One of the oldest districts in Accra, this neighborhood in Ghana has become quite attractive to creatives, what with its multi-sensory experience of smoking fish, ocean air, and friendly people.

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Poblenou, Barcelona - You’ll find digital marketing agencies and specialty coffee shops in huge industrial buildings, but the neighborhood also has a beach-side village vibe on Carrer de Marià Aguiló.

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Juárez, Mexico City - Along one of Mexico City’s most important avenues, Reforma, this neighborhood combines an aristocratic past with the city’s most trendy new venues. 

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District 3, Ho Chi Minh City - Away from the hectic downtown and expat suburbs, District 3 buzzes with lively dining, inventive coffee houses, modern Vietnamese restaurants, and local hangout spots like Turtle Lake.

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Jalatlaco, Oaxaca - Though deeply rooted in tradition, Jalatlaco’s cobbled streets have recently attracted a contemporary crowd with street art, galleries, design shops, and new dining options.

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Kypseli, Athens - Kypseli has been home to many migrant communities, giving it a multicultural and global edge with bookshops and various cuisines, though you’ll still see old Greek men playing dominoes.

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Kerem Hateimanim and Shuk HaCarmel, Tel Aviv - With the Mediterranean Sea in view, you can browse the city’s best-known market and hang out like a Tel Aviv local.

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Zhongshan, Taipei - The Taiwanese capital’s tree-lined avenues, ultra-modern concept malls, and mixture of historic and modern elegance make it one of the hottest neighborhoods right now.

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Footscray, Melbourne -

This inner-city neighborhood in west Melbourne shines brightly because of its migrant community, offering everything from Ethiopian to Vietnamese cuisine.

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Soi Pridi Banomyong/Phra Khanong, Bangkok - Not too far from the city center, you can find peace among the elegant, old homes as well as cool places to get a drink and a few open-air markets.

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Peckham, London - With video arcade bars, cult nightclubs, and pop-up street food vendors, Peckham has become London’s cultural and creative hot spot without any of the pretentiousness.

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Pilsen, Chicago - Known for its strong public art scene, the neighborhood’s 18th Street will keep you nourished with taquerias and bars while you browse the murals.

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Embajadores, Madrid - Madrid feels most authentic in the multicultural barriada of Lavapiés and the site of El Rastro, the city’s historic flea market.

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Astoria, New York - Located in Queens, Astoria is likened to a more affordable and culturally diverse Brooklyn, with the revered New York City energy that many long for.

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Strasbourg-Saint-Denis, Paris - Rue des Petites-Écuries has become the place to be for cool Parisians, with some of the city’s most fashionable venues populated with interesting characters.

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The Waterfront, Hobart - The state capital of Tasmania boasts a waterfront that’s a must-visit for art lovers, seafoodies, wine and gin connoisseurs, and nature lovers.

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Historic Filipinotown, Los Angeles -

In a landscape that grows more monotonous and over-priced with each day, “HiFi” is a refreshing neighborhood with a particularly delicious convergence of cultures.

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Wedding, Berlin - The German capital has seen rising rents and tourism in the past few years, but the Wedding neighborhood preserves Berlin’s old traditions and charms, keeping it one of the most underrated areas.

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Onikan, Lagos - This particular Nigerian historic district is a marvelous combination of colonial houses, remnants of the '70s boom, and modern steel and mortar structures.

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Shimokitazawa, Tokyo - Tokyo boasts incredible neighborhoods like Shibuya and Shinjuku, but not too far away you can find the countercultural breeding ground of cool, nestled among vintage shops and independent restaurants. 

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Arroios, Lisbon -

Finally, Lisbon’s Arroios neighborhood tops the list, with its dynamic and multicultural mix of old and new, sprouting open-air galleries, historical treasures, seafood delicacies, eclectic bars, and cultural centers.

See also: The most expensive neighborhood in every state

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