An area of Glasgow has been named one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world to visit right now by Time Out.
The global media brand has released its annual list of the best areas of global cities to explore and discover on people’s travels.
Shawlands, in Glasgow's southside, features at number 11 on Time Out’s annual global list, alongside four other areas in the UK - Cliftonville in Margate (number eight), Walthamstow in North East London (17), The Northern Quarter in Manchester (30) and Kelham Island in Sheffield (25).
Kelvinbridge featured on Time Out’s 2019 Coolest Neighbourhood list at number 38, meanwhile, Dennistoun featured at number 8 in 2020. Glasgow did not feature in 2018 or last year. The city’s re-entry follows its inclusion at number four on Time Out’s Best Cities list this year and also Glasgow’s Great Western Road ranking third on Time Out’s Coolest Street in the World 2022 list.
James Manning, Travel Editor, Time Out, explains why it’s great to see the area south of the River Clyde on the list: “Glasgow is one of the UK’s coolest cities right now and the action is not just in the centre. Shawlands is really worth heading south of the river to explore. It has a fantastic multicultural community with new food spots and nightlife opening all the time as well as the big draw of the refurbished Burrell Collection.”
Time Out has named Colonia Americana in Guadalajara in Mexico as the Coolest Neighbourhood in the World to visit right now. Cais do Sodré in Lisbon has been selected as Time Out’s second coolest neighbourhood and Wat Bo Village in Siem Reap in Cambodia is at number three. Time Out’s top five Coolest Neighbourhoods in the World list is completed by Ridgewood in New York (4) and Mile End in Montreal (5).
Some other neighbourhoods on Time Out’s list in cities which UK travellers like to visit for city breaks include Neukölln in Berlin (number 15), Sants in Barcelona (18), Barrio de Las Letras in Madrid (23), Vesterbro in Copenhagen (24), Letná, Prague (31), Noord in Amsterdam (32), Pragati in Athens (39), Haut-Marais in Paris (44), Moda in Istanbul (48) and Stoneybatter in Dublin (49).
The philosophy behind Time Out’s list is to help travellers and residents get under the skin of the world’s most distinctive city neighbourhoods right now as Dave Calhoun, Chief Content Officer North America & UK at Time Out, explains; “Each year we ask our international Time Out audience and our global team of local Time Out experts to nominate the areas of cities right now which have the best mix of cutting-edge culture, affordable food and drink, street life, nightlife and community. They are not homogenised, corporate destinations but areas which have an independent and welcoming vibe”. He adds; “You may be able to walk across them in half an hour or less but they are packed with experiences which you can spend time exploring”.
It is the first time that a neighbourhood in Guadalajara, Siem Reap, Santiago, Doha, Brisbane, Sheffield, Nairobi, Kent, Marseille, Naples, Auckland, Puerto Vallarta, San Juan and San Diego has made it on to the list.
For the full list of Time Out’s Coolest Neighbourhoods in the World, along with details from Time Out’s local experts on why they have made the grade, visit here.
11. Shawlands
With its great parks, art, coffee and dining, Shawlands keeps Glasgow braw. The neighbouring areas of Langside, Strathbungo and Govanhill have all played their part in the Southside’s rise to eclipse the West End as the city’s best area to socialise and live in recent years – but Shawlands is the bustling nexus point of Glasgow below the Clyde. The internationally renowned Burrell Collection has recently had a multimillion-pound refurb, and it’s surrounded by buzzy independent local businesses – from horticultural haven Aperçu to French-Japanese patisserie and design shop Godshot Studio – on the main artery of Pollokshaws Road, before it bisects with Kilmarnock Road in front of a beautiful Flatiron Building-esque sandstone tenement block. But explore the side streets too for delightful plant-based lattes and flat whites at Frankie, or superior sourdough from Deanston Bakery.
The perfect day: Fuel yourself with brunch pancakes at Café Strange Brew, ready to scour the 9,000-plus objects (including paintings by Manet, Cézanne and Degas) at the Burrell Collection. Then snap a selfie with a Highland cow in Pollok Park before heading to Julie’s Kopitiam for no-fuss contemporary Malaysian cuisine. Catch a gig at boho vegan eatery and arts space The Glad Café, before finishing up with late-night drinks at Phillies.
Plan your trip : Taking place each May, Southside Fringe is a week-long platform for up-and-coming performers and artists. The Fringe also hosts a monthly Maker’s Fair at Shawlands Arcade.
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