Time Out No. #78 | Thursday 7 October 2021

Throughout 2020 and 2021, our cities have thrived. Against impossible odds, communities banded together, hung out, made stuff. They displayed all the same energy and resilience and grassroots ingenuity that allowed them to spring up in the first place. They survived. And now we come to our annual ranking of the world’s coolest neighbourhoods. Just like we’ve done for the past three years, we took the results of our annual Time Out Index survey (which this year polled 27,000 city-dwellers) to our local editors and contributors. They then vetted the public vote against various criteria – food, fun, culture, community – and made their final picks. The result is a love letter to the city at its most joyful and surprising.

Discover the top picks

Nice nosh, noise gigs and natural wine.


 Inside Jongno 3-ga, the world’s third coolest neighbourhood.

London for less

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Big Jeff, everyone’s favourite fuzzy-haired live-music aficionado, is always in the crowd at a show. If you’ve ever been to a gig in Bristol, you’ll know what we’re on about. And you may well have spotted him at major festivals worldwide too. But this autumn, Jeff – full name Jeffrey Johns – is turning the attention on himself – although if you’re expecting a gig, think again. Lockdown revealed a new passion for Big Jeff: painting. Not content with messing around with watercolours in his front room, the local headbanging legend is putting on an art show.

It’s that time again. The greatest magazine in London (and perhaps the world) has returned to the streets of the capital. This week we’ve got AJ Tracey! We chat to London’s best rapper about how he’s come so far. Also, in this issue, brilliant ways to celebrate Black History Month, up close and personal with Edmonton’s most uncompromising chef and the skinny on the capital’s best (and very imminent) dance festival. Have a read right here.

Travel news you can use


Australia’s international borders will finally reopen in November


These gorgeous Thai islands are now open to tourists


These dreamy destinations want to give you a visa to work remotely


This beautiful island in Vietnam is opening up to tourists soon

Quick bites

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