10 of the best neighbourhoods in Europe | Europe holidays

Järntorget/Långgatorna, Gothenburg

Gothenburg is a metropolis that’s simple to like. Whereas Stockholm tries laborious to impress, with polished, hyper-stylised spots, the second metropolis is extra naturally cool, and nowhere extra so than Järntorget and Långgatorna, the place locals go to let off steam. This spot on the south financial institution of the Gota was as soon as the place sailors and dockworkers with cash of their pockets went in search of a great time, and a vigorous pub tradition marks the neighbourhood to today. It additionally had a seedier facet that has lengthy been changed with eating places, tradition and even an annual road celebration, Hela Dagen Lång, that’s the closest factor Sweden has to Notting Hill Carnival.

See and do
Whether or not it’s wafting from a bar or carried out stay at one of many many venues, music is a continuing theme on Långgatorna, and vinyl junkies will discover two of Gothenburg’s finest document shops inside a two-minute stroll of one another. Dirty Records (Andra Långgatan 4) boasts a fastidiously collated choice of LPs starting from funk to Sixties psychedelia – take time to mull over your buy of their inhouse cafe. A couple of minutes west is Gothenburg’s greatest secondhand music store, Andra Långgatans Skivhandel (no 33), the place it’s price setting apart a while to dig via infinite cabinets of data. There are rarities to be discovered, and persistence will likely be rewarded.

Relating to leisure, this a part of Gothenburg brims with selection, boasting two of town’s most-esteemed cultural venues. Housed inside an outdated cinema, Pustervik (Järntorgsgatan 12-14) has been entertaining locals for the reason that early 1900s and is the place to go for stay music plus a variety of membership nights. Folkteatern, on close by Olof Palmes Plats, hosts high-quality theatre, movie screenings, and different spoken-word and music performances.

For one thing much less intellectual however nonetheless extremely satisfying, wander up Järntorgsgatan to Zamenhof (Esperantoplatsen 5), an enormous area open from breakfast till late the place the jewel within the crown is a classic video games room. Relive your childhood on its arcade and pinball machines, deal with big Jenga, or tackle some locals at desk tennis.

Eat and drink

For a fairly priced meal in a hanging venue, go to Kafé Magasinet (Tredje Långgatan 9) within the neighbourhood’s former public sale home. Sourdough pizzas are the speciality and a comfortable, plant-filled terrace with a glass roof means you may really feel as if you’re open air with out being on the mercy of Gothenburg’s changeable climate.

Subsequent door, Tacos & Tequila (Tredje Långgatan 9) is a vastly widespread lunch and dinner spot, recognized notably for its blackened salmon ceviche. Queuing for a desk could also be obligatory however the no-reservations coverage is a blessing: Swedes e book tables weeks prematurely in the event that they’re given the prospect.

The Gothenburg beer scene has exploded prior to now decade, so discover out what all of the fuss is about by rounding off the day at Soho Beer House (Andra Långgatan 5). This cosy however vigorous bar has an enormous choice from town’s micro-breweries and educated workers will likely be pleased that can assist you decide. Dugges, a brewery on the vanguard of Gothenburg’s craft beer surge, is a should for beer followers.

The place to remain
You gained’t discover a lodge in Långgatorna and that’s good: it retains the genuine, native feeling alive, however a 20-minute stroll or 10-minute tram journey hyperlinks the neighbourhood with Gothenburg metropolis centre. There, Avalon Hotel (doubles from £86 B&B) vaunts its feng shui certification, and has fashionable rooms plus a rooftop pool with a fantastic view.
Lee Roden

College Quarter, Brussels

This a part of Brussels, on the general public transport community however just about off the vacationer path, has as many aged residents as younger professionals in search of bars and boutiques. You’re as more likely to end up speaking to a brand new arrival from Africa, opening his dream restaurant, as to a septuagenarian Belgian bar proprietor. In recent times, the coed inhabitants – town’s important French and Flemish universities are right here – has attracted rising expertise and new funding. Till the tip of 2020, the red-brick former military barracks instantly north of the Etterbeek practice, tram and bus stops is residence to the See U project filled with sustainable small companies, together with Brussels’ first pushchair-friendly cafe, a cinema, a velodrome and a weekly natural market.

See and do
The realm is a paradise for entrepreneurs. Wine, spirits and cigar store Boire et Fumer (Drink and Smoke) has been at 38 Avenue de l’Université for 57 years. Since 2005, it has been run by native Philippe Degand. At 62 rue des Hellènes, surveyor Jean-Baptiste Jonné retrained as a chocolate maker to open his first store, L’Alchimie du Chocolat, in 2001. Ariane Noël, the supervisor of unbiased clothes boutique Cheep (110 Avenue des Saisons), says her shoppers vary from younger college students to ladies of their 90s. One other feminine entrepreneur, Rachida Bouganzir, oversees the Haricot Magique cafe at See U, with a big indoor and outside web site for folks and babies. After buying and low, head to the Cimitière d’Ixelles to admire artwork nouveau tombstones at a web site calling itself the Père Lachaise of Ixelles.

Eat and drink
Place de la Petite Suisse is the place to go for high quality Asian meals, with Chinese language, Vietnamese and Thai eating places jostling for area. Bar Le Montmartre on the identical sq. has been an establishment for college kids, teachers and {couples} in search of a quiet pastis or night of stay music for the reason that Sixties, although beer followers additionally like Tavernier (445 Chaussée de Boondael). The dear Caves d’Alex restaurant (14 rue Eugène Cattoir) moved final 12 months from close to the European Parliament to a spectacular former wine cellar. La Verveine (375 Avenue de la Couronne) serves French-Moroccan fusion meals in a relaxed setting. Throughout the highway at no 570 is Café Ricardo’s, serving glorious Portuguese meals to a principally Portuguese clientele.

For sinfully good pastries, gluten-free bakery Chambelland opened its first department outdoors Paris at 42 Avenue de l’Universite in 2018, whereas artisanal boulangerie La Fleur du Pain has simply opened a brand new department at 449 Chaussée de Boondael this 12 months.

The place to remain
The shortage of vacationers means there aren’t any accommodations within the quarter, however a brief trip away on the quantity 8 tram is Avenue Louise and the Pantone Hotel (doubles from €59 room-only) the place rooms are allotted primarily based on the visitor’s “temper and most popular color”.
Emily Waterfield

El Cabanyal, Valencia

Whereas the remainder of Valencia was being handled to a Bilbaoesque makeover within the early 2000s, the rightwing metropolis council of the time had it in for the fishing quarter of El Cabanyal, 5km east of the centre. It needed to drive a swanky new avenue via the quaint streets, demolishing 1,600 homes, a lot of them embellished with unique artwork nouveau tiles. It was categorised a “listed space of cultural significance”, however the district was nonetheless threatened with obligatory buy orders and destruction, till protests by native campaigners lastly noticed the scheme blocked by the courts.

Over the previous few years, El Cabanyal has been on the up, however this genuine slice of town stays undiscovered by most vacationers. Whereas there’s a newly cosmopolitan vibe, the quarter’s conventional character is being cherished by incomers, and the brand new retailers and bars bobbing up in every single place are inclined to respect and adapt the vernacular structure, somewhat than exchange it. It’s a doddle to get right here on the metro and, as a result of it’s pancake-flat, it’s pleasant to discover by bike. Rent one at Santamarcelita (Calle de la Reina 11) for €10 a day, or be part of a guided cycle tour with Poblados de la Mar (€25pp, in English on Mondays and Fridays at 10am), beginning at bike store Todobici on Calle Serrería.

See and do
From Las Arenas seaside flip up Calle Mediterraneo, following the tram tracks – however preserve an ear open as they transfer silently. Due to El Cabanyal’s grid format, it’s troublesome to get misplaced. The realm is residence to 2 glorious and under-visited museums: Museo Semana Santa Marinera (Calle del Rosari 1, closed Mon, free Solar), explains the rituals of Easter week; and Museo del Arroz (Rosari 3, €2, closed Mon, free Solar), housed in an outdated rice mill, has the lowdown on the primary ingredient of basic paella.

Not all of the tiled homes are in good restore – and all are non-public, so admire from the surface solely. Examples to hunt out are Calle Lluch 219 (the higher storey), Calle Progreso 262 and Calle Mediterraneo 37, which has a tiled mosaic exhibiting oxen hauling a fishing boat out of the water on the prime of its facade.

El Drac del Cabanyal (Calle de la Reina 191B) sells conventional tiles and different handicrafts and, on the subsequent road, Hilos, Cuerdas y Redes (Calle Lluch 159) is a standard store promoting nautical rope and different boating equipment. Bookshop-cum-bar La Batisfera (Calle de la Reina 167) is a ravishing place to browse Spanish and English books, and the bar has good vegetarian choices.

Mercado del Cabanyal (day-after-day besides Sunday) is a mini-version of Valencia’s central market, promoting native specialities comparable to horchata (a milk drink produced from tiger nuts), whereas the Thursday Mercadillo road market on Calle Vilar sells primarily garments and homewares.

Eat and drink

There are many conventional spots in El Cabanyal: Casa Montaña (C/Jose Benillure 69) is a basic bar that has been going since 1836, the place specialities embody anchovies and mussels in varied methods, however do attempt the child broad beans sautéed with Iberian ham. The wine choice covers just about all of Spain. For genuine fishy delicacies (comparable to savoury cake made with squid ink and domestically cultivated oysters) head to Taska Lareina (C/Reina 173) in a basement behind one of many Cabanyal’s finest facades.

For a simple, low cost meal attempt Bodega Bar Flor (C/Marti Grajales 21) subsequent to the market, which has been serving the locals since 1893 (rice dishes predominate: you may’t go unsuitable with paella however, for one thing completely different, attempt arròs amb fesol i naps – rice with white beans and turnip). Ca Tere (C/Reina 61), in one other modernist constructing, additionally specialises in rice, however with out a lot selection.

The perfect place for breakfast is Horno San Vicente (Progreso 148) which sells contemporary ensaïmadas, comfortable coiled buns made with lard and dusted with sugar. The perfect horchata is from ice-cream specialist La Jijonenca (C/Padre Luis Navarro 307, and Paseo Neptuno 26). For snacks, La Pascuala (C/Lluch 299) serves prodigiously giant bocadillos.

The hippest place for a drink is La Fabrica de Hielo, an enormous bar in a former ice manufacturing facility, one highway again from the seaside (C/Jose Ballaster Gonzalvo 37). It has a busy programme of stay music and humanities occasions and tapas equipped by a meals caravan.

The place to remain
On a palm-lined road in the midst of the district, Apartamentos Barracart (from €100 an evening) has seven vibrant, large-windowed flats. Hotel Neptuno (doubles from €75 B&B) is a spacious possibility proper on the seaside. Additional south, close to the port, Balcon al Mar (doubles from €55 room-only) is a pleasing, cheap place, with bikes for company to make use of.
Nick Inman

Bonfim, Porto

With city-centre rents skyrocketing, this once-bourgeois enclave is quick discovering favour with a younger, inventive crowd. It is just a 20-minute stroll from downtown and helpful for main exit routes: Porto’s important bus terminal and practice station are on the doorstep and there’s a metro line to the airport.

See and do
There aren’t any malls in Bonfim, however loads of cool unbiased shops, totally on Rua de Santo Ildefonso. Preserve an eye fixed out for bookshop Inc. (no 25), a latest outpost of way of life outlet Patch (no 95), and the intimate emporium of cheeses and preserves that’s Queijaria Amaral (no 190).

Being residence to Porto college’s positive arts college means Bonfim has at all times had an energetic arts scene. For up to date artwork, the Senhora Presidenta (Joaquim António de Aguiar 65) and Lehmann + Silva (Duque da Terceira 179) galleries by no means disappoint. For followers of documentary pictures, the lately launched Salut au Monde! (Santos Pousada, 620) is a should.

For excellent views over the Douro, stroll across the Parque de Nova Sintra (R. do Barão de Nova Sintra). As soon as non-public, this small leafy park is now owned by the water authority and has a beautiful assortment of outdated fountains.

Eat and drink
One of many joys of Bonfim’s relative seclusion from Porto’s vacationer increase is the plethora of old-school locations to eat. For a basic neighbourhood dinner, attempt Madureira’s (Rodrigues de Freitas 1) for grilled tiger prawns or a francesinha (doorstep meaty sandwich). Native favorite Casa Aleixo (Estação 216) does a imply octopus with rice. Pulled-pork sandwiches at Casa Guedes (Praça dos Poveiros 130) are one other native staple.

Alongside these is a string of remarkable new eateries. Prime of the record is Pedro Limão, on Bonfim’s western facet, run by an architect-turned-chef serving positive eating at truthful costs (10 programs €49); it lately added studio rooms upstairs. If meat-free is your bag, again in direction of the centre Árvore do Mundo (Duque de Loulé 228) and Manna (R. da Conceição 60) serve splendid vegan/veggie fare (Manna additionally does yoga courses).

As for cafés and bars, there’s one on almost each nook. Hip hangouts embody speciality coffeehouse Combi (Morgado de Mateus 29) and brunch-lunch-coffee bar Bird of Passage (Duque de Loulé 185). For excellent cocktails (and pizza), head to TerraPlana (Av. Rodrigues de Freitas 287).

The place to remain
Bonfim’s appeal owes a lot to its elegant, early-Twentieth-century townhouses. None is classier than myhomeinporto (from €200 for two nights), a boutique guesthouse run by former inside designer Juan de Mayoralgo. Equally fashionable is the 10-room, French-inspired Cocorico guesthouse (doubles from €90 room-only).
Oliver Balch

Neukölln, Berlin

Even a decade or so in the past, Neukölln, in south-east Berlin, was one thing of a backwater – a no-man’s-land past the stylish centre. Then the district’s low cost rents and gritty vibe have been found by the worldwide creatives and college students, who moved in among the many Turks, Kurds and Arabs to create at present’s multikulti ambiance. Shack-like kebab retailers and good eating places, shisha cafes and shabby-chic dive bars, underground artwork galleries and industrial casinos sit facet by facet, and there may be at all times one thing new to find.

Head to the primary drag, Sonnennallee, for tasty, low cost Palestinian and Lebanese meals; stroll south-west to villagey Rixdorf, passing stone church buildings, cobbled streets and wonderful Comenius botanical backyard; for late-night drinks, attempt hip Weserstrasse; and for indulgent brunches and classic looking it’s laborious to beat the world that overlaps with Kreuzberg (Kreuzkölln). The good space might be dynamic, fast-changing Schillerkiez, subsequent to Tempelhof park, web site of the previous metropolis airport and Berlin airlift, which is now an enormous recreation space the place it’s attainable to land-surf, cycle and rollerblade down the previous runway.

See and do

Given the inventive inflow and reasonably priced rents, it’s no shock to discover a wealth of galleries and cultural areas within the neighbourhood. These are usually small and experimental like Loophole (Boddinstrasse 60), a membership and music venue in a former brothel that additionally does site-specific works. The bigger Kindl Centre for Contemporary Art (€5, under-18s free, Am Sudhaus 3) is in a former brewery and has installations and stay performances.

The district is well-known for its classic buying and for shops that double as cafes. Sing Blackbird (Sanderstrasse 11) has footwear, jewelry and secondhand garments, in addition to juices, vegan pancakes and bagels. Rag and Bone Man (Briesestrasse 9) focuses on residence decor and flowers, tipping into therapeutic companies comparable to counselling. Shio (Weichselstrasse 59) works with native designers and shares fairly and ethically minded papercraft, jewelry, garments and residential design objects. For meals, the Turkish market by the Landwehr canal on Maybachufer has a fantastic vary of contemporary produce and textiles each Tuesday and Friday.

Eat and drink
For one thing low cost, cheerful and filling, hole-in-the-wall Berlin Burger International (Pannierstrasse 5) has specialities such because the Godmother, with mozzarella and serrano ham, plus killer candy potato wedges. Vietnamese joint Hamy (Hasenheide 10) additionally gives scrumptious each day lunch specials for simply €5, whereas vegans will take pleasure in Two Planets (Hermannstrasse 230), whose choices embody a well-known sourdough bread with avocado, scrumptious desserts and nice salads. Swisher choices embody Lavanderia Vecchia (Flughafenstrasse 46), which serves rustic trattoria meals in a former launderette, and stylish new dessert restaurant Coda (Friedelstrasse 47), which has gained a Michelin star for its progressive menu of savoury, in addition to candy, concoctions. The complete set menu prices €138 a head however come after dinner and sit on the bar for a cocktail and à la carte possibility.

For post-dinner drinks, there are a dozen nice bars on Weserstrasse alone, from the grungy, arty Ä (no 40), with its flea market furnishings and foamy draft beers, to swankier cocktail bar TiER (no 42) simply up the road. In summer time, head to Klunkerkranich (Karl-Marx-Strasse 66), hidden away on the rooftop of a shopping center, with a laid-back DIY aesthetic, respectable DJs and views over town. If you wish to take issues up a notch, Sameheads will take you thru to the subsequent day, typically even longer.

The place to remain
There aren’t many accommodations right here, however the Hüttenpalast (from €70 an evening) is quintessential Berlin with its self-built/embellished caravans and huts inside a former manufacturing facility.
Paul Sullivan

Powiśle, Warsaw

The Powiśle district’s main boulevard on the left financial institution of the Vistula was as soon as the protect of dodgy bikers and lonely fishermen. Due to Poland’s financial increase it now resembles a carnival each summer time, when the temperature often tops 30C. Time to desert preconceptions that Warsaw is gray and chilly as a result of in one of the best a part of the 12 months it truly is inexperienced and scorching. Pubs and riverboats supply craft beers and cocktails, with road meals starting from pierogi dumplings to pho soup (Warsaw has a giant Vietnamese neighborhood). Powiśle was on the frontline within the Warsaw rebellion in opposition to Nazi Germany and wears its shrapnel scars with delight. It’s becoming that the district is now all about individuals having biking, roller-blading, volleyball, trampolining, picnics, individuals deckchairs, ice-cream, stay music, dancing and taking part in within the sand.

See and do
In the summertime, one of the best ways to method Powiśle is by the free, seasonal tramwaje wodne (water trams) that ferry individuals to and from the wild seashores on the alternative financial institution of the river, or with a Veturilo metropolis bike (March-November solely) – your first 20 minutes is free. The most important Powiśle landmark is Warsaw University Library (open to the general public in addition to college students), which has a powerful facade of copper panels with texts in Hebrew, Arabic, Greek, Previous Russian and Previous Polish. Its roof backyard has a spectacular view. The adjoining Copernicus Science Centre is right for kids, who can spend hours on the interactive shows. For buying, Femi Tales (Browarna 4) has ladies’s and women’ clothes from unbiased makers. Poland is among the greatest producers of furnishings on this planet, and whereas shopping for chairs is never an possibility for holidaymakers, Moma Studio (Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 45) additionally has uncommon home- and kitchenwares. Down in direction of the Świętokrzyski bridge, Elektrownia (Zajęcza 2b), a former energy station, is regularly filling with high-end retailers and eating places – price a go to for the early Twentieth-century industrial structure.

Eat and drink
Elektrownia’s fine-dining restaurant is Niewinni Czarodzieje 2.0, the place choices embody beef carpaccio with truffles. Warsaw is among the world’s top vegan-friendly cities, and Powiśle’s established contribution is Veg Deli (Radna 14), with pumpkin burgers and spinach and “feta” ravioli. Additionally price exploring are the seasonal barges and road meals stalls by the river, which change yearly.

The place to remain
At Powiśle’s southern edge, Inbed Hostel (dorm mattress from £9, en suite double £26 B&B) has vibrant, trendy rooms near the underground. By the riverside park is the mid-range Logos (doubles £45 room-only). A luxurious possibility is Robert De Niro’s Nobu at the Rialto (costs tba), opening within the metropolis centre this spring.
Keith Lockram

Holešovice, Prague

North of central Prague, on the Vltava’s left financial institution past Letná park, Holešovice was for a very long time seen as a bleak district with little to supply locals, not to mention guests. Its spectacular resurgence over the previous decade or so has been largely because of inventive and industrial entrepreneurs making the most of low rents and empty areas – house blocks, factories – to create a vibrant infrastructure of galleries, retailers, cafes, golf equipment and bars. Though not as postcard-pretty as Stare Mesto (the outdated city) or Mala Strana over the river, Holešovice’s mix of commercial buildings, Nineteenth- and early Twentieth-century tenements (with some pretty artwork nouveau blocks) and occasional communist behemoths makes for fascinating meanders, and there are cultural treats aplenty too.

See and do
Holešovice is residence to large hitters such because the sprawling, plane-train-and-automobile-filled National Technical Museum (Kostelní 42), and the Veletrzni Palace (Dukelských hrdinů 47), a part of town’s Nationwide Gallery, however there’s loads of up to date artwork on supply too. The Dox Centre for Contemporary Art (Poupětova 1) helped put the district on the map when it opened in 2008, and runs constantly nice exhibitions inside a former manufacturing facility advanced. On the revitalised Prague Market (on Bubenské embankment), a former slaughterhouse now homes worldwide theatre and circus area Jatka 78 and the Trafo Gallery. Different hotspots embody the Chemistry Gallery close to the Hlávkův bridge, cultural centre La Fabrika (32 Komunardů) for theatre and live shows, and the extremely widespread Bio Oko unbiased cinema on Františka Křížka road, which hosts occasions and festivals. For a splash of inexperienced, Letná park’s hilltop location gives positive views throughout town in addition to beer gardens and, a couple of minutes’ stroll north, Stromovka, the previous royal recreation reserve, is town’s largest inexperienced area.

Small however vibrant Veverkova road has turn into a mini-hub for customers, because of a number of retail hotspots in shut proximity. Proper by Bistro 8 (see beneath) is Garage Store (no 6), for sneakers and vinyl, and style retailer Jakoby (no 8), for unisex coats, clothes and jumpers, plus classic outlet Recycle With Love. Proper throughout the highway (no 7) is the store of designer Helena Darbujanova, who sells her personal chairs, tables and lamps alongside work of different Czech designers, and Web page 5 (no 5) which shares a global array of books, magazines, and posters, and likewise hosts launches and occasions. One other nice occasion to look out for is the pop-up Mint Market, which brings collectively Czech inside, style and jewelry designers in Prague Market and different venues.

Eat and drink

The vary of eating and consuming choices right here is wholesome and rising on a regular basis. There’s a selection of hip breakfast and brunch hangouts, from Cafe Letka (Letohradská 44) with its tough partitions and handsomely giant home windows, to the spacious industrial stylish of Vnitroblock (Tusarova 31), which doubles as a gallery and idea retailer. For tasty Czech pastries and desserts, head to the easy Erhart patisserie (Milady Horáková 56). The fashionable Bistro Jankovcova (Jankovcova 14a) has candy or savoury breakfasts, soups and salads, and Bistro 8 (Veverkova 1410/8) serves Sunday brunches, brisket burgers and pulled pork tacos. For dinner, take a look at swanky SaSaZu in Prague Market, which matches Asian fusion delicacies to common DJ units, or Bar Cobra (M Horáková 8), whose menu spans mezze plates, wild boar with noodles, and a fantastic choice of wines and cocktails. If you happen to nonetheless have vitality to hit the dancefloor, grungy Cross Membership (Plynární 23) has stay exhibits, DJ nights and themed events just about each night time, whereas the slicker Mecca (U Průhonu 3) is the spot for home music all night time lengthy.

The place to remain
There are a number of choices for overnighting in Holešovice. Finances travellers can mattress down on the pleasant and vibrant Sir Toby’s hostel (non-public doubles from £30 room-only). Barely extra upscale is Mama Shelter (doubles from £50 room-only), in a former listed communist lodge.
Paul Sullivan

Ostiense, Rome

The Ostiense neighbourhood, proper on the Tiber river, was as soon as the location of an influence station, a stressed river port and a gasometer, whose skeleton nonetheless looms. It’s named after By way of Ostiensis, an arterial highway that ran in historic occasions from town’s cattle market to the port city of Ostia. As we speak, Ostiense has shaken off its industrial previous to turn into a bastion of recent eating places, road artwork and bars. A scattering of campuses imply there’s a giant pupil inhabitants, however there’s additionally a global crowd, drawn by cheap rents and a metro hyperlink to town centre. Come right here to eat sumptuously and admire historic websites removed from the plenty.

See and do
One of many metropolis’s 4 main basilicas, St Paul’s Outside the Walls on Piazzale San Paolo 1 enjoys a quiet stream of tourists, a far cry from its extra well-known counterpart, St Peter’s. Whereas it suffered a hearth within the Nineteenth century and underwent prolonged repairs, its historic mosaics and Thirteenth-century cloister have been spared. The latter serves as a stunning spot to unwind after a day’s sightseeing. Additional down By way of Ostiense lies Centrale Montemartini, arguably Rome’s most underrated museum. Initially an electrical energy plant, the area was deserted till 2005 when it was chosen to accommodate art work from the overcrowded Capitoline Museums. Search out its delightfully jarring juxtaposition of delicate classical statues and defunct diesel engines and generators. Head north in direction of Trastevere and town centre (holding an eye fixed out for vibrant road artwork) and take a look around the Non-Catholic Cemetery, the ultimate resting place of Romantic poets and former Rome residents John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley (By way of Caio Cestio 12). The traditional pyramid of Caius Cestius, constructed in about 12BC, retains a staid watch over the cemetery. Guests are allowed contained in the pyramid on a guided tour the third and fourth Saturday and Sunday of each month (entrance on By way of Raffaele Persichetti).

Outlets aren’t Ostiense’s forte, however cheese, olive oil, pasta, wine and different edible souvenirs may be bought from gastronomic megastore Eataly, on the south facet of Ostiense practice station. Past the basilica, zero-waste store Negozio Leggero sells something from magnificence merchandise to chocolate to spices, all packaging-free (By way of Chiabrera 80).

Food and drinks
Locals and expats flock to restaurant and micro-bakery Marigold (By way of Giovanni da Empoli 37), run by Sophie, who’s from Denmark, and her Calabrese accomplice Domenico, for its cosy environment and homely dishes. As an alternative of the standard Italian breakfast of caffè and cornetto (croissant), they serve dishes like eggs benedict, pancakes or fluffy cheese omelettes. At lunch and dinner there will likely be handmade pasta and loads of vegetable-lush dishes too.

Doted on by critics – it even made the Michelin Information’s coveted Bib Gourmand record this 12 months – Trattoria Pennestri (By way of Giovanni da Empoli 5) flirts with each conventional Roman and gourmand delicacies. Tuck right into a shiny plate of carbonara, or mains comparable to roasted octopus with peppers, mint and yogurt; and suckling pig with porcini mushrooms and myrtle. There’s no probability you’ll wangle a desk with out reserving.

Staunch titans of cucina romana comparable to tripe, cacio e pepe, and salt cod anchor the kitchen of Osteria Fratelli Mori close to the cemetery (By way of dei Conciatori 10). It’s additionally one of many uncommon Rome eating places that may simply accommodate a big group. As soon as the solar goes down, head to Caffè Letterario (By way of Ostiense 95), a restaurant, bookshop and cultural area that moonlights as a cocktail bar. In scorching climate, sip a glass of crimson on the terrace at T-Bar (By way of Ostiense 182) or within the Instagrammable courtyard of Porto Fluviale (By way of del Porto Fluviale 22). For late-night munchies, chocolate-chip-studded candy buns from Il Pangocciolaio (By way of dei Magazzini Generali 15) hit the spot.

The place to remain
Gasometer Urban Suites (studio with kitchenette from €86) is a former wool processing plant turned lodge with a gymnasium and roof terrace.
Alexandra Bruzzese

Dorćol, Belgrade

In between the touristy Skadarlija quarter, the massive Kalemegdan fortress and banks of the Danube, Dorćol has a snug air about it that doesn’t instantly scream cool. However it has at all times been the pace-setter for town’s bars and eating places. The tree-lined streets of its southern half – Gornji (Higher) Dorćol – have the standard Belgrade hotchpotch of early Twentieth-century villas and Tito-era flats, with the occasional artwork nouveau magnificence. That is basic bar territory, with new openings and outdated favourites alike squeezed into streets comparable to Strahinjića Bana, Kneginje Ljubice and Kralja Petra.

However head into Dornji (Decrease) Dorćol in direction of the Danube and issues get grittier, with funky little cafes, craft breweries, arts centres and road artwork taking up rundown industrial buildings. It’s not fairly, nevertheless it’s the place issues are transferring alongside briskly.

See and do

Dorćol Platz (Dobračina 59) in Dornji Dorćol is a group of outdated industrial buildings which were remodeled right into a properly scruffy cultural centre with a restaurant and backyard. It hosts all the things from gigs and vinyl markets to festivals, together with the Mikser Festival of Design, held every Could. From right here it’s a couple of minutes’ stroll to the Museum of Science and Technology (Skenderbegova 51), whose displays hint the story of expertise in Serbia in an entertaining method. Followers of classic gear ought to take a look at Jane Doe Vintage Shop (Kapetan Mišina 17) and its bigger idea retailer and bar (Gospodar Jevremova 25). Dorćol isn’t notably awash with inexperienced areas, nevertheless it does have a stunning, large cycle and footpath alongside the Danube, and previous Novak Djokovic’s Novak Tennis Centre.

Eat and drink
The selection of bars and eating places in Dorćol is kind of dizzying. There are conventional and long-established favourites on leafy Strahinjića Bana however a brief stroll to the south, Blaznavac (Kneginje Ljubice 18) serves £4 cocktails and £1.50 pints of beer in a fantastically bonkers backyard and equally eccentric inside. It’s only a few toes from Iris New Balkan Cuisine (Kneginje Ljubice 11), which does extra elegant variations of hefty Serbian dishes, together with pork neck (£7).

The craze for craft beer hasn’t handed Belgrade by: there are a number of brewpubs round Dorćol. Gvint Brewery in Dorćol Platz is a genial place to attempt lagers and ales for about £1.50 a pint. At Beogradski Market (Žorža Klemansoa 19), craft breweries comparable to Dogma and Tron share the huge hangar-like area with meals stalls promoting something from tapas to sushi.

Within the midst of Dornji Dorćol’s road artwork and ramshackle former workshops, fine-dining restaurant Homa (Senjanina Ive) stands out with its gleaming white minimalism. Plates of poached trout with trout roe (£14) and steak tartare with bone marrow (£12) are dear by native requirements, however price it.

The place to remain
Fifties decor meets industrial stylish in Smokvica B&B (doubles from €65), with six ethereal rooms in a 1929 villa in Higher Dorćol. Its vigorous bar and restaurant spills right into a courtyard backyard.
Mary Novakovich

Quartier de la Réunion, Paris

The Twentieth arrondissement, in japanese Paris, is well-known for the place the place Oscar Wilde and Edith Piaf are buried, however a brief stroll away, hidden from the crowds, is a real village, Charonne, little recognized to vacationers. Round Place de la Réunion, specified by 1850, is the center of this pleasant, bohemian quartier populaire, a multicultural space of working households, artists and musicians. The sq. comes alive on Thursday and Sunday mornings, when it teems with individuals looking market stalls arrange by butchers, cheese- and fishmongers, and fruit and vegetable sellers.

However there may be one other hub right here that’s open day-after-day, from 7am to 2am. Café Sans Nom, on the nook of rue de la Réunion, doesn’t want a reputation (or an internet site) as it’s extra a neighborhood centre for everybody dwelling in or passing by the sq., from school-run mums or pensioners sipping a espresso whereas studying newspapers and books from the cafe’s free library, to the gang who arrive for drinks after midnight.

See and do
You gained’t discover stylish boutiques on this neighbourhood, however somewhat quirky, moral retailers comparable to L’Escargot d’Or (53 rue de Bagnolet) the place Gilles Coolen roasts fairtrade espresso beans and makes scrumptious artisan chocolate. On the opposite facet of the road (no 52), Agnès Baracco shares Au Bon Vingt, her pioneering pure wine cellar, with over 400 varieties, which she loves explaining to guests. At no 69, La Botica (no 69) is a brand new store and gallery showcasing younger artists, designers and stylists, with altering themes that cowl pictures and illustration, jewelry and classic garments, prints and ceramics.

Eat and drink

Everybody’s favorite Sunday begins at 6pm within the funky Quartier Rouge bistro (52 rue de Bagnolet), which hosts a weekly three-hour jazz jam session. Entry is free and a glass of wine is €3.50, however you’ll want to contribute when the musicians’ hat is handed spherical. It additionally serves tasty no-frills French delicacies, however for a bit extra selection, take a five-minute stroll to romantic rue des Vignoles, which is lined with laid-back bars and eating places. La Petite Fabrique (no 15) is a spacious bio-canteen providing an ideal mixture of natural delicacies (perhaps vegetarian paella, juicy beef tournedos or a vegan candy potato gratin with seitan sausages) and pure wines, served at lengthy communal tables.

Virtually subsequent door, Les Mondes Bohèmes (no 31) is a well-liked hangout whose verdant lined terrace resembles a greenhouse; it’s nice for salads, burgers and ice-cream.

Wander down a number of the slender plant-lined alleyways (impasses) off rue des Vignoles – maybe the evocative Deadlock Devil or bucolic Deadlock Poule – and picture the time when this was all vineyards, la campagne à Paris. For a final drink, end up on the arty Moki Bar (no 61), having fun with its kitsch Nineteen Seventies decor and pinball machines, exhibitions, funky music and nice mojitos.

The place to remain
Not too long ago renovated Hôtel Terre Neuve (doubles from €99 room-only) is 5 minutes’ stroll from Place de la Réunion, however the fashion-minded might desire the Philip Starck-designed Mama Shelter (doubles from €139 room solely), the primary of this now-global hip lodge chain.
John Brunton

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