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An ideal space for a flaneur in Berlin

When friends came to visit while I was studying in Berlin or I wanted to flaneur through the city, I would go to Maybachufer, a neighbourhood in the Neukölln district. Wander from U-Bahn station Kottbusser Tor in the direction of the Landwehrkanal and peruse the multicultural market taking place Tuesdays and Fridays. You can also attempt to haggle in your best German at the fortnightly Sunday flea market. Useful phrase: das ist zu teuer für mich (that’s too expensive for me). Stop for a bite to eat (or an Aperol spritz) alfresco at buzzing La Maison and spend the afternoon sat by the canal next to the Admiralbrücke historic wrought iron bridge, or at the nearby independent cinema Moviemento, which shows a wide variety of English-subtitled films. End the day with a döner kebap from one of the many takeaways or restaurants nearby and a trip to one (or more) of the local bars: Multilayerladen for its laid-back, homely aesthetic or Soulcat Music Bar for 50s and 60s music on vinyl.
Kitty

A Glaswegian neighbourhood ‘packed with hidden gems’

The Gorbals is an often overlooked neighbourhood in Glasgow but has a fascinating history and is packed with hidden gems. The Southern Necropolis is a must visit – it’s lovingly preserved by dedicated volunteers and celebrates the lives of ordinary local people alongside the likes of celebrated 19th-century architect Alexander “Greek” Thompson. No two streets are the same, with many buildings incorporating artwork such as The Gatekeeper, one of the UK’s few permanent suspended public sculptures, as well as murals of local legends and award-winning architecture. Keep your eyes peeled for seals (and even otters) by the river, before heading to the Pig and Whistle’s hidden beer garden. End the day at the iconic Citizens theatre, where a beautiful Victorian auditorium and the UK’s oldest surviving stage equipment have been restored, showcasing the biggest names in comedy and theatre alongside community productions. One of the best ways to see the neighbourhood is to take a Women of the Gorbals Heritage walk.
Esther

Head out of Porto to the seaside

To get to Foz do Douro from Porto it’s a quick journey on a tram from the riverside. The tram follows the beautiful River Douro, and you end up at the delightful seafront. There are sandy beaches, a 17th-century fort and a pleasant, shaded park. You can enjoy a stroll out to a picture-book lighthouse that sticks out into the Atlantic too. It is so close to the city, but allows you to melt into an entirely distinct, relaxed world.
Alexander

A peaceful corner of Rome

My favourite discovery in Rome lay just beyond the historical centre in the Coppedè district. Named after its architect, Gino Coppedè, who built it between about 1915 and 1927, the area is a curious fusion of styles, all blended in a way that feels almost Gaudí-esque. It’s easily reached by tram or bus, and it really lends itself well to slow exploration. Spend a morning wandering its quiet streets, admiring whimsical houses, ornate palazzos and fountains, before arriving at the beautiful Piazza Mincio. It’s a peaceful corner hiding right under our noses.
Michael

Slovenian counterculture in Ljubljana

Nestled just north of Ljubljana’s postcard-pretty centre, Metelkova, a former military barracks, has found a new lease of life as the heart of Slovenian street art and counterculture. By day, you can wander past graffiti-clad buildings, artists’ studios and small galleries; by night, explore quirky bars and a welcoming, laid-back crowd. The antithesis of the rest of Slovenia’s more polished, traditionally beautiful capital, it’s an ideal place to people watch and experience the raw, vibrant soul of the underground culture. It’s exactly the sort of place you stumble into by mistake and end up staying all afternoon.
Michael Kuipers

Grand villas and nostalgia in Zagreb

I lived close to the Tuškanac neighbourhood while studying in Zagreb. Slip off a street called Ilica – the artery running east to west – and you’re suddenly on quiet, leafy slopes between Britanski trg (British Square) and Gornji Grad (Upper Town), oddly calm for somewhere so close to the centre. Grand villas sit alongside crumbling houses, half-hidden in the trees. Sundays meant a wander round Britanski trg – antiques, trinkets, and a sense of Jugonostalgia (nostalgia for Yugoslavia) I have absolutely no real claim to. Or a mali macchiato before a long walk uphill, passing Kino Tuškanac and its outdoor cinema.
Louis Tomlinson

Haarlem shuttle

Although it may be a prosaic observation, the public transport in the Netherlands really is fantastic. That’s how we found ourselves taking a 15-minute train ride to Haarlem while on a short break in Amsterdam. The centuries-old cobblestone streets, picture perfect canals and cafe-ringed squares were as lovely as you’d expect but my highlight was a tour of De Adriaan windmill. Run by enthusiasts, and half the price of some of the big-hitting museums, the guide gave a condensed social history of the Netherlands through the lens of a cultural icon.
Jane Thomas

The best Brussels neighbourhood

Ixelles in Brussels has everything that makes a neighbourhood fun: characterful backstreets to wander through; friendly bars; multicultural restaurants; plentiful green space; and interesting architecture from many periods including the newly restored, art nouveau Maison Hannon. But better than all this, it is a genuine community where people look out for each other and are welcoming to visitors. I am looking forward to visiting next year for the long-awaited reopening of the Ixelles Museum (currently scheduled for 19 March 2027). It’s worth a detour.
Noelle

Culture and leafy walks in Cologne

Away from Cologne’s soaring Dom cathedral, the Belgisches Viertel (Belgian quarter) is an oasis of leafy streets and parks, just a short walk from the majestic Rhine. Stroll along avenues lined with art nouveau mansion blocks, pick up an art book at one of the many independent design boutiques, including Siebter Himmel, browse unique finds at vintage store Sevenues and eat vegetarian plates at the uber-cool Hallmackenreuther on Brüsseler Platz. In summer months, locals pack out bars along Aachener Straße for kölsch beer and cocktails, and in winter the Stadtgarten hosts an alternative arts Christmas fair, while park venue Jaki stages experimental theatre and club nights.
Sophie

Winning tip: like being in a Strindberg play, Stockholm

Away from the centre of Stockholm where cruise ships drop large groups of passengers, try a stroll around the lovely area of Birkastan. I got off at the Sankt Eriksplan metro and immediately felt as if I was in an early 20th-century August Strindberg play as I explored cobbled streets with wooden houses and churches everywhere I turned. It’s a peaceful place where fika breaks (coffee and cakes) last longer and locals threw welcoming smiles at me as I browsed vintage clothes and record shops. The Rörstrandsgatan is its culinary centre and full of cosy cafes and cool restaurants serving cheap, filling soups with homemade bread – a perfect place to spend a winter’s day in Stockholm. Don’t miss the nearby Karlberg Palace and the wonderful walks in the area. Hire a bicycle to really get into the vibe of the district.
Helen

Jordan Pickford: Japan’s opening goal was the first time Pickford had conceded for England in 922 minutes. He had to produce a smart save in the second half to keep the hosts in the game. 6

Ben White: Beaten once early on but showed the consistency he has done for Arsenal after that. A constant hard-working presence down the right-hand side. One particularly good overlapping run in the first half. 6

Ezri Konsa: In with a big chance of starting the first game at the World Cup. One crucial block to deny Ayase Ueda with the shot hitting the bar and going over. 6

Marc Guehi: Given the armband by Tuchel for the first time. A couple of shaky moments early on but after that as dependable as ever. 6

Nico O’Reilly: Another important game for O’Reilly as he makes the left-back position his own before the summer. He showed his ability on the ball and moved into midfield whenever he could. 7

Kobbie Mainoo: A bright start and some nice footwork when moving the ball around midfield. Beaten a couple of times on Japan attacks when trying to defend. 6

Elliot Anderson: A certain starter at the World Cup. Assured in midfield, provided a drive to England’s play and tried to make things happen. One of the better performers on the night and clipped the crossbar with a good effort. 7

Cole Palmer: The Chelsea attacker was given the nod as the number 10 over Phil Foden who played as a false nine. There was always a sense that something could happen when Palmer was on the ball. However, he was caught on the ball and punished for Japan’s opener. Came off just before the hour mark. 6

Morgan Rogers: Started on the right wing and asked to provide a threat through the middle with no natural striker in the starting line-up. Not his best position but did the job that was asked of him. 6

Anthony Gordon: Put in another energetic performance with lots of hard work but not many moments to threaten the Japan defence. 5

Phil Foden: The Man City forward started as a false nine as Tuchel looks for a position for him in England’s squad. It was not a good night for Foden who will be worried about his place on the plane for the World Cup. Replaced in the 59th minute. 5

The Brusseleir dialect that’s still spoken in much of the Marolles dates back to the middle ages, a symbol of the independence of this proudly working-class neighbourhood in central Brussels. Located between the Palace of Justice and Halle Gate, it’s always been an inclusive refuge for immigrants from Europe and north Africa. The must-see Brussels tourist attractions of the Grand-Place central square and Mannekin-Pis statue are within walking distance, but the Marolles offers a very different experience: fashion, antiques and bric-a-brac shopping; alternative creative centres and provocative graffiti; characteristic estaminets (hybrid pub, cafe, bistros) specialising in hearty local dishes; and artisan breweries.

Where to eat

The splendid art nouveau Les Brigittines is a Belgian culinary institution, where chef Dirk Myny has overseen the kitchen for 35 years. He daringly reinterprets classic Flemish recipes with dishes such as smoked eel mousse and succulent pork belly with a tart cherry ale vinaigrette, or pig’s trotter, coddled egg, capers and gherkins. The three-course €38 lunch menu is a steal.

Don’t miss the experience of a traditional estaminet, either for breakfast coffee with a speculoos (spiced biscuit), or lunchtime pistolet (crusty rolls) with cheese, a hearty plate of stoemp (vegetable mash) and meatloaf, or chicons (endives) braised with ham. Estaminets such as Volle Brol and Au Mouton Bleu are fun spit-and-sawdust locales, but nothing beats the historic La Clef d’Or, which looks out over the daily flea market on Place du Jeu de Balle. Its owner, Eddy Aslan, sums up the Marolles as “a friendly cosmopolitan village where everyone is made welcome, and unique in that it is outside Belgian politics, neither Flemish nor Walloon but genuinely Bruxellois”.

A more modern estaminet is Mazette!, a cooperative microbrewery of 900 members who make more than 20 beers, mill an organic flour and bake their own bread, pizza and focaccia. Cantillon, on nearby Rue Gheude, is the last Brussels lambic (traditional wild-yeast fermented) brewery and worth a visit for its gueuze beer.

The Marolles is proudly multi-ethnic. Try My Day, opened by Iraqi refugee Yousif Alsaleh, which serves home-cooked dishes such as maqluba, a pilaf-style spicy rice dish with chicken, lamb or roasted vegetables. Alternatively, there’s Flower Food for a Moroccan beldi breakfast of semolina crepes and flatbreads with eggs, smoked beef, honey and dates. For vegetarian menus, the plant-based diner Lucifer Lives serves tasty soups such as broccoli and garlic, while the community cooperative L’Eau Chaude offers simple organic dishes such as coconut curry for €9.50.

At night, the Marolles can be a wild place to party. Start off playing pinball and table football at the brilliant bar Le Petit Lion and you could still be there at 2am, dancing with a packed crowd to local DJs. Just up the road is Fuse, a legendary techno dance club since 1994, where weekend gigs carry on till sunrise, when the Jeu de Balle bars are just opening up.

What to see and do

While the headline Magritte and Fine Arts museums are in the centre of Brussels, the Marolles offers a vibrant and challenging counter-culture scene. Dotted around the backstreets, street art enthusiasts can track down 16 of the city’s iconic comic strip murals; sadly, no Tintin, but rather local heroes such as Spirou, Blake & Mortimer, and Le Chat, a beloved cat cartoon. Wander through the streets and tunnels around the old Chapelle train station and Ursulines skate park and you enter an unofficial graffiti gallery, constantly being repaired and updated.

More formal cultural centres are the Octopus Heart art centre, which exhibits and offers residencies to local artists, and the Centre d’Art Mont-de-Piété, a 17th-century charitable organisation whose gallery hosts everything from photography and textiles to fashion shows. Be sure to go right to the end of Rue Haute, to discover the remarkable Art et Marges museum, which for 40 years has been a cutting-edge centre presenting art brut, outsider art produced by self-taught artists outside the contemporary circuit.

Where to shop

The Marolles is vintage shopping heaven, attracting fashionistas hunting down rare outfits, interior design fans looking for art deco lamps and Murano mirrors, and bargain hunters searching for collectibles in the sprawling Jeu de Balle flea market. Bernard Gavilan is the neighbourhood’s undisputed fashion guru; he opened his first boutique here in 2011, an Aladdin’s cave of vintage clothes and accessories. “Retro fashion has become much more important in the Marolles over the years,” he says, “but there’s a difference between the by-the-kilo stores popping up everywhere, which sell basic, recent secondhand clothes, and shops like mine, whose quality items can go back to 1900.”

The two key streets to explore are the parallel Rue Blaes and Rue Haute. Don’t miss Passage 125, an ancient textile warehouse that has been transformed into a labyrinthine antiques emporium selling everything from jewellery and stained glass to crystal chandeliers and rare arms. Meanwhile, Haute Antiques is housed in the old art nouveau Rialto cinema, where 25 collectors tempt shoppers with high-quality pieces, from furniture to lighting.

Don’t miss

The vibrant heart of the neighbourhood is the Marolle’s monster Jeu de Balle flea market, open 365 days of the year but with the best bargains on Sundays. At midday, head to Centro Cabraliego, a social club for generations of immigrants from Spain’s Asturias, where local people cook up a copious lunch of chorizo, ribs and calamari with wine or cider for under €20. Walk over to the Place Brueghel, on Rue de l’Epée, where a free glass lift whisks you up to the entrance of the landmark Palace of Justice, with panoramic views over Brussels. Finish off with a walk down Rue des Tanneurs, past the Palais du Vin, now an organic food market, till you arrive at the stately romanesque Notre-Dame de la Chapelle church, where the 16th-century painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder is buried.

Where to stay

On bustling Rue Haute, La Maison Haute is a chic boutique place with room-only doubles from €120. A budget alternative at the edge of the Marolles is Ibis Brussels, with spacious doubles from around €90, right opposite the Eurostar station.

The meal at Les Brigittines was provided by Visit Brussels