Who decides what makes a neighborhood cool? Apparently, Time Out does – and this year, Neos Kosmos has made the podium.

The Athens neighborhood has been named the third-coolest in the world in Time Out’s annual ranking of 40 urban districts, coming in behind Jongno 3-ga in Seoul and L’Ocean District in Rabat. The list is compiled from nominations by Time Out’s network of local writers and editors, with neighborhoods assessed for everything from food and nightlife to independent businesses, livability, and community.

It is, admittedly, a fairly subjective way to measure a city. But Time Out’s description of Neos Kosmos, whose name means “New World,” makes a convincing case for spending some time there.

Wedged between the Acropolis and the Athenian Riviera, the neighborhood was for years overshadowed by nearby Koukaki and Pangrati. Today, however, it has developed a following of its own, attracting young creatives and independent businesses while retaining a remarkably mixed local population of families, students, artists, immigrants, and longtime Athenians. Time Out calls it one of Athens’ “most exciting neighborhoods without losing its local touch.”

Culture is part of the equation, with the Onassis Stegi playing a prominent role through exhibitions, performances, and public events. But the real appeal is perhaps closer to street level: traditional tavernas sit alongside newer restaurants, while cafés, bars, bakeries and small independent businesses have given the neighborhood plenty of reasons to linger.

Time Out suggests visiting in spring or fall, when outdoor events can be enjoyed without Athens’ summer heat. The annual Neos Kosmos Block Party, usually held in early October, is another opportunity to see the neighborhood at its most sociable.

And Neos Kosmos is certainly not alone in getting its moment in the international spotlight. The 40-strong list ranges from familiar urban names to neighborhoods that rarely feature on the postcard version of their cities: Glasgow’s Govanhill, Rome’s Esquilino, Valencia’s Russafa and Stockholm’s former slaughterhouse district of Slakthusområdet all make the European cut. Across the Atlantic are Los Angeles’ Chinatown, Chicago’s West Town and New York’s Financial District, while Asia, Africa, Latin America and Oceania are represented by districts from Bogotá and Cape Town to Bangkok, Brisbane and Chengdu.

So, is Neos Kosmos officially cool? Well, that depends on who you ask. But having a good taverna, a neighborhood bakery, an independent bar and the Onassis Stegi within walking distance certainly sounds like a pretty good start.

With information in Greek from moneyreview.gr