A surprising neighbourhood in Canada has been named one of the coolest in the world.
People really seem to enjoy downtown St. Catharines in Ontario, which has earned a spot on Time Out’s list of the top 10 coolest neighbourhoods worldwide for 2026.
Located about 100 kilometres from Toronto’s busy atmosphere, St. Catharines is the largest city in the Niagara Region and is often called the “Garden City” because of its numerous gardens, parks, and trails.
According to Time Out, what makes downtown St. Catharines unique includes its local art scene, vintage shops and record stores, fantastic restaurants, and rich community history.
The city was also significant in the Underground Railroad movement, with its downtown area reflecting the contributions of Black communities that influenced its past.
This year’s Emancipation Day celebrations mark an important milestone: it’s the 175th anniversary of American abolitionist Harriet Tubman’s arrival in St. Catharines, where she lived for almost a decade starting in 1851.
Another reason why downtown St. Catharines is so appealing is that over 100 heritage buildings are found throughout the neighbourhood, some dating back to the early 19th century.
Additionally, there’s Montebello Park, one of the few Canadian landscapes designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also created New York City’s famous Central Park.
Montebello Park in St. Catharines. (Bill Badzo/Flickr)
With around 144,829 residents, St. Catharines is quite a sizable city and according to Time Out it is “emerging as one of Canada’s coolest city escapes” and “challenging Niagara-on-the-Lake for the region’s cultural spotlight.”
It seems like ‘90s supermodel Linda Evangelista, musician Dallas Green, and Hunting Wives actress Malin Akerman might agree too since they’re just a few celebs who were either born or raised in this city.
This year while Garden City did well on the ranking list, Vancouver’s historic Mount Pleasant neighbourhood was also recognized as number 34 on this list-the only other Canadian spot mentioned.
Here’s Time Out’s list of their top 10 coolest neighbourhoods around the globe:
Jongno 3-ga in Seoul, South Korea L’Ocean District in Rabat, Morocco Neos Kosmos in Athens, Greece Chinatown in Los Angeles, U. S. Govanhill in Glasgow, Scotland Kitakagaya in Osaka, Japan Chapinero Alto in Bogotá, Colombia Koenji in Tokyo, Japan Downtown in St. Catharines, Canada Esquilino in Rome, Italy
You can visit Time Out’s website for more details on their complete rankings.
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