[ THE DISPATCH ]
City Guides
Deep dives into neighbourhoods, food and culture. 181 dispatches and counting.
-
City GuidesKreuzberg or Prenzlauer Berg? Berlin Neighborhoods Decoded for Normal People
Kreuzberg will feed you döner at 2 a.m. and play techno until Tuesday. Prenzlauer Berg will sell you organic rye bread and a very nice pram. Both are Berlin. Neither is wrong. Here's your match.
-
City GuidesLe Marais vs. Saint-Germain: Which Paris Neighborhood Fits You?
Two of Paris's most beloved quarters, head to head. One's all falafel and vintage; the other's all literary cafés and people who own one very good coat. Here's how to pick.
-
City GuidesThe Honest Lisbon Neighborhood Guide: From Alfama to Alcântara
Lisbon is small enough to walk and just hilly enough to make you regret it. Here's which neighborhood to base yourself in, where to eat, and how to pick the correct hill to climb first.
-
City GuidesThe Real Guide to Medellín's Neighborhoods: Past the Narcos Tourism
El Poblado is safe and boring. Laureles is local and lovely. Envigado is cheap and real. La Candelaria is historic and gritty. Here's the honest breakdown.
-
City GuidesThe Montmartre Guide for People Who Know It's a Tourist Trap and Go Anyway
Yes, the queues for Sacré-Cœur are brutal. Yes, the crêpe stands outnumber locals three-to-one. Go anyway — because the real Montmartre is hiding in plain sight, one cobblestone alley behind the chaos.
-
City GuidesPalermo vs. Malasaña: The Two Souls of Madrid Explained
Malasaña is vintage shops and vermouth at noon without shame. Palermo is tree-lined boulevards and restaurants that open for dinner at 10 p.m. like adults. Madrid contains multitudes, and you have to pick one.
-
City GuidesSan Francisco by Neighborhood: A Survival Map for the Deeply Confused
Mission, Castro, Hayes Valley, North Beach — SF's neighborhoods feel like four different cities. Here's how to pick the one that won't drive you mad.
-
City GuidesShoreditch, Brixton, or Notting Hill: Where to Stay in London If You're Under 40
Notting Hill gave Hugh Grant a movie career. Shoreditch gave the world artisan toast. Brixton gave us Bowie and the best jerk chicken north of Kingston. Here's which one should get your credit card.
-
City GuidesGracia or the Gothic Quarter: Barcelona's Best Neighborhoods for Slow Travel
Barcelona rewards the unhurried traveller—but only if you pick the right base. Here's an honest comparison of Gracia, the Gothic Quarter, and Eixample for anyone staying longer than a long weekend.
-
City GuidesThe Only Guide to Tokyo's Neighborhoods You'll Ever Need
Tokyo is not one city. It's about forty cities welded together by the world's most efficient train network. Here's how to figure out which version of Tokyo you actually want, and where to sleep in the middle of it.
-
City GuidesShibuya, Shinjuku, or Shimokitazawa? Tokyo Neighborhood-Matching Quiz
Tokyo has 23 wards and infinite personalities. Answer three honest questions about yourself and I'll tell you exactly where to sleep—no hedging, no 'it depends.'
-
City GuidesTrastevere vs. Testaccio: Where Rome Actually Lives
Trastevere is the Rome of your imagination: cobblestones, ivy, cats, golden light. Testaccio is the Rome that feeds you properly and doesn't expect applause. Both are correct. Here's how to choose.
-
City GuidesCanggu, Seminyak, or Ubud: The Only Guide to Where to Stay in Bali
Three completely different Balis, each beloved by a completely different type of traveller. Here's the honest breakdown so you stop agonising over the map and actually book something.