This Rabat neighborhood becomes the second coolest in the world, ahead of Los Angeles and Tokyo

Océan ranks just behind Jongno 3-ga in Seoul in the ranking of the 40 coolest neighborhoods in the world published on Wednesday, September 16, by Time Out.

The Rabat neighborhood comes ahead of Neos Kosmos in Athens, Chinatown in Los Angeles, Govanhill in Glasgow and Kitakagaya in Osaka. Koenji, in Tokyo, ranks eighth, while the Aligre neighborhood in Paris comes only 30th and New York’s Financial District 28th.

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To establish its ranking, Time Out asked its international network of editors and local experts to select the most appealing neighborhoods in their cities. A panel of journalists then ranked them according to their cultural offerings, restaurants, nightlife, independent businesses, quality of life and community spirit.

It is therefore an editorial ranking based on the atmosphere and development of neighborhoods, distinct from the international indices measuring the economic attractiveness of countries.

Océan appeals through its still-local character

Time Out describes Océan as a neighborhood capable of bringing the city and the Atlantic together. Its palm-lined promenade, beaches and sports grounds serve as meeting places, while its low-rise buildings are home mainly to families and young professionals.

The British magazine also highlights the street art visible on several facades, as well as the development of cafés, independent businesses and cultural spaces in the residential streets between the coast and Bab El Had.

Rue de Bruxelles, recently returned to pedestrians, particularly draws its attention. Its cafés and cultural venues are said to strengthen neighborhood life without making it lose its identity. The National Photography Museum, housed in Fort Rottembourg, the Rabat lighthouse and the small dining establishments round out the route recommended to visitors.

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Océan is also the highest-ranked African neighborhood. The only other representative of the continent in the ranking is Kalk Bay, in Cape Town, which occupies 31st place.

This second-place finish thus gives an unusual level of international exposure to a Rabat neighborhood less familiar to visitors than the medina, the Kasbah of the Udayas or Hassan Tower. For Time Out, its main strength lies precisely in this balance between urban transformation, openness to the ocean and daily life that remains largely local.