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5 of the coolest under-the-radar neighbourhoods in Europe

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It’s easy when you’re travelling to just hit the neighbourhoods recommended in the latest glossy but miss the hidden treasures and you’ll likely miss the true spirit of a city. 

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Neighbourhoods are the key to different pockets of communities and can transform a trip if you stumble upon one that ticks the charming streets, cafe subcultures, one-off restaurants and boutique boxes that are so vital to a successful holiday itinerary.

Below are five of the coolest, unspoiled neighbourhoods in Europe that you should totally hang out in if you find yourself on a weekend break in one of the cities. 

Vesterbro, Copenhagen

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Vesterbro is what Shoreditch used to be five years ago before brands popped up and the commuter train from Liverpool Street bought hoards of Green Belt tourist looking for a Mai Tai at Barrio East. 

Full of antique shops, advertising studios and cafes - it’s by no means big but you can spend a sizeable amount of time stopping in at each one of the eateries and browsing the Danish designed interior stores before stopping for the evening at a wine bar.

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Old-school Dyrehaven make excellent smørrebrød (the traditional open face sandwiches) and dinner at the intimate restaurant Oesteria 16 is a must. It has a set menu of six or seven freestyle Italian dishes and I can guarantee each will be delicious. 

Belleville, Paris

Swap Le Haut Marais or the typical Saint Germain for Belleville. Instead of wide, tree-lined streets you’ll find walls of graffiti and cobbled lanes. Famed as a place Parisians used to go on weekend breaks before the city expanded out, it’s now just a five minute Uber ride from Gare du Nord.

It will offer you unparalleled views of the Paris skyline (Sacré Coeur who?), boulangeries as well as cosmopolitan cafes that offer a range of different cuisines but most importantly unpolished soul. It’s here, artists choose to live and it’s here they keep a different but authentic side to Paris alive.

Södermalm, Stockholm

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Sodermalm is just a hub of good taste. You’ll find great bistros like Urban Deli, great restaurants like La Vecchia Signora (always order the shaved truffle pasta), flawlessly curated shops like Grandpa and even underground playgrounds where the cities creatives go to play Boules and Shuffleboard instead of downing five tequilas and dancing to early Noughties on a night out.

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Small in size (as is the whole city), it’s an excellent place to base yourself for a long weekend with no shortage of achingly cool apartments to snap up on Airbnb and an easy walk to the city centre should you want to tick off the tourist sites.

Erzsébetváros, Budapest

Budapest has a bad reputation of just attracting party animals on their gap year Interrailing trips and stag dos but explore past the clubs and crowds and you can find some really eclectic neighbourhoods that feel totally different to the centre of the city. 

Erzsébetváros used to be the city’s Jewish ghetto but today is a centre for young creative professionals.

It still has nightlife but much cooler nightlife. It’s this district that the city’s ruin pubs were first launched. Ruin pubs are bars that have been built in the ruins of abandoned (almost always impressive) buildings and they’re exactly the places you’ll actually party with locals. 

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During the day you can wander around old churches (a great insight into Eastern European architecture), visit cafes at the forefront of the city’s burgeoning coffee scene (Goamama Cafe being particularly good) and, if you’re in town on a Sunday, brunch at the Szimpla Kert farmers market.  

Bairro Alto, Lisbon

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Fringed with tattoo-parlours, hostels and edgy wine bars, Bairro Alto may be central but it's not spoilt. The fact that it’s located in the historic centre means it’s the perfect blend of contemporary and historic culture. During the day, it’s certainly more traditional but come evening, it really comes into its own. 

You’ll find locals dining al fresco (this district has a higher number of restaurants than any other in the city), music playing out of tiny holes in the old stone buildings and art galleries hosting openings.

One evening here and you'll know you will have experienced the "right" side of Lisbon.

Read the original article on Evening Standard. Copyright 2018. Follow Evening Standard on Twitter.
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