Key Points
- Melbourne's Brunswick East was named by Time Out as the world's sixth-coolest neighbourhood.
- Sydney's Enmore took out 17th place.
- Laureles in Medellin, Colombia, was the winner.
The "cool" levels of a neighbourhood can be hard to put your finger on and tricky to rank globally, but art and entertainment publication Time Out has come up with a list of the and placed and suburbs near the top.
They were behind winner Laureles in Medellin and second-placed Smithfield in Dublin.
Madrid's Carabanchel, Copenhagen's Havnen and Sheung Wan in Hong Kong rounded out the top five.
Source: SBS News
In 2022, Melbourne's Fitzroy was 27th, while Sydney's Marrickville placed 33rd and Brisbane's Fortitude Valley was ranked 47th.
The rankings were based on the Time Out Index survey, which polled over 12,000 people about the coolest neighbourhoods in their city.
In compiling the final list, Time Out editors looked at factors like community and social ventures, thriving street life, and access to open and green space.
Laureles took out the number one spot thanks to its nightlife strip, which is packed during the night, and "laidback vibes" during the day, where the streets are filled with yoga studios, cafes, digital nomad-designated spaces and parks.
Time Out's Melbourne editor Leah Glynn praised formerly factory-heavy Brunswick East's transformation and use of green space.
"Sandwiched between Lygon Street and the lush trails of Merri Creek, Brunswick East is fast emerging as a vibrant go-to hub for multicultural eateries, live music venues and cosy bars that you’ll find yourself returning to again and again," she wrote.
The artwork of Australian artist Fintan Magee features prominently on Enmore's streets. Source: Getty / Peter Parks
Time Out's Sydney editor Alice Ellis said Enmore's main drag hosts a "global buffet."
"This March, the local council designated its buzzing thoroughfare Enmore Road a ‘special entertainment precinct’, which ensures the revelry remains undisturbed by noise complaints.
"Relaxed rules help the area's venues skip bureaucratic hoop-jumping: they can host entertainment without council approval, extend trading hours, and offer late-night footpath dining," Ellis said.
