Famous San Francisco's Chinatown, the oldest Chinatown in North America and the largest Chinese enclave outside Asia, in beautiful morning light at sunrise, California

Neighborhoods Worth Traveling For

One of the best ways to experience a place is to explore its neighborhoods.

It’s one of the magic moments of travel — discovering a new neighborhood, whether by happenstance or careful planning, that shows you a special side of the destination you’re visiting, and the residents in it.

Maybe it’s a little-known area that’s undergoing something of a renaissance, with a fresh crop of hotels emerging on the scene. Or, perhaps it’s a tourist hot spot that still hangs on to a few hidden gems, be it a secret garden or a clandestine bar — the type of places not covered in guidebooks, but revealed by word of mouth. It could even be an overlooked backstreet with a tucked-away restaurant dishing local delicacies.

No matter where you are in the world, neighborhoods offer a window into way the locals live — and each one comes with its own personality, from hip to historic. But finding (and navigating) a new area can be intimidating. Read on to discover some of the best neighborhoods around the world — and the places to eat, shop, and stay in them.

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