Northern Quarter named one of the coolest neighbourhoods on earth by Time Out magazine

It will be no surprise to the people who live in the city and know, but the Northern Quarter has been named as one of the coolest neighbourhoods on the planet by Time Out magazine.

The Northern Quarter landed at number 30 on the top 50 coolest neighbourhoods in the world.

Here’s what Time Out said about The Northern Quarter:

“Despite ongoing competition from Ancoats next door, as far as we’re concerned the Northern Quarter has reclaimed the title of Manchester’s coolest neighbourhood for 2022.

“Stevenson Square and some surrounding streets have been permanently pedestrianised, making for a fresher stroll around the centre of the city’s café and bar culture, with its stunning mix of Georgian houses, Victorian pubs and modern hangouts.

“No matter what the trend, the Northern Quarter always seems to be one step ahead – whether it’s vegan dining, pop-up bars or even the street art adorning its walls and shop shutters.

“In fact these murals, part of the Outhouse Project supported by local art shop Fred Aldous, exemplify the neighbourhood: always changing and moving forward whilst remaining respectful of the past.”

Cliftonville in Margate (number eight), Shawlands in Glasgow (11), Walthamstow in North East London (17) and Kelham Island in Sheffield (35) are on this year’s Time Out’s annual global list of the Coolest Neighbourhoods in the World, which is now in its fifth year.

The magazine went on to describe the perfect day in the NQ:

“Take breakfast with a strong coffee at Ezra and Gil, followed by a browse for quirky handmade knick-knacks in Oklahoma and a flick through the records at Vinyl Exchange.

“Spend the afternoon picking out something special in the Craft and Design Centre before heading to pioneering food hall Mackie Mayer for dinner.

“End the day with a gig at Band on the Wall before retiring to the best aparthotel in the city, Native.”

You can check out the full list by clicking here.

James Manning, Travel Editor at Time Out, explained why these neighbourhoods are being highlighted to global travellers.

He said: “By combining our survey of 20,000 city-dwellers with insights from local experts, we’ve ranked the coolest neighbourhoods around the world for fun, food, culture and community.

“That includes the UK hotspots that clued-up travellers should be adding to their itineraries right now.”

Some other neighbourhoods on the 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).

Colonia Americana scooped the top spot in Guadalajara, Mexico.