An artsy district in Madrid, an eclectic and eco-friendly part of Melbourne, and an up-and-coming area in Medellin are among the coolest neighborhoods in the world, according to this year’s Time Out list.

Every year, Time Out polls its editors and contributors from around the world to come up with a list of the 40 most fun, interesting and trendy neighborhoods.

Topping the 2023 list is Laureles, in the bustling city of Medellin, Colombia.

According to Time Out, the up-and-coming Laureles has a reputation as a laid-back place, despite being home to the Estadio Atanasio Girardot football stadium and the famous La 70 street, with its rich nightlife.

However, it has so far resisted the gentrification seen in other Medellín neighborhoods, with Time Out noting that traditional fruit vendors in Laureles still push their carts through the streets.

Time Out’s Top 10 for 2023

• Laureles: Medellin, Colombia

• Smithfield: Dublin, Ireland

• Carabanchel: Madrid, Spain

• Havnen: Copenhagen, Denmark

• Sheung Wan: Hong Kong

• Brunswick East: Melbourne, Australia

• Mid-City, New Orleans

• Isola: Milan, Italy

• West: Amsterdam, Netherlands

• Tomigaya: Tokyo, Japan

Exarchia, Athens

In 31st place on the list is Exarchia in Athens, with Time Out noting that it is a “historically radical neighborhood” that is increasingly becoming a tourist hotspot – “but its character of resistance is not yet lost,” writes Quentin Goerres, Time Out’s contributor in Greece.

“It’s still a place where activists and anarchists gather, whether that’s at hangout spots like Strefi Hill or at any of the bars and cafes that line its streets,” he adds.

The area is home to one of Greece’s oldest universities, the Athens Polytechnic, as well as cultural venues from museums to record stores and excellent places to eat and drink, notes the article, recommending the vegan options at Cookoomela.

The publication refers to the start of construction of the new Metro station in the central square of Exarchia, speaking of a turning point for the area, as many fear that the spirit of the neighborhood will be lost. “Exarchia’s central square has a long history of being a place to gather and stage demonstrations. So if you want a taste of Greece’s anarchic underground culture, visit Exarchia now,” he concludes.

This article was previously published in Greek at moneyreview.gr.