A little confusing isn’t it; “beautiful neighbourhoods” and “some caution” in one sentence. While some people like the shiny and the new, some other travelers enjoy the comfortable and the predictable, and that’s fine.
However, if you are one of those travelers that travel in need of something “more”, more adventure, more grit, more edge, more character, then you’d love this. These places aren’t necessarily dangerous, but they’re different. They’re part of a city and yet they’re slightly removed – a little rougher, a little harder to get to know. You need be cautious high and on high alert.
Enjoy these exciting neighbourhoods;
El Raval, Barcelona
On one side of La Rambla, Barcelona’s tacky, touristy main artery, you have the Gothic Quarter, a charming warren of alleys and centuries-old buildings filled with restaurants, bars, museums and galleries. Over the other side you have El Raval, where ladies of the night call out for your business, where pickpockets lurk and cabarets peddle their shows. This notoriously dodgy neighbourhood is gradually being gentrified, but still retains its rugged charm.
The Bronx, New York City
BX doesn’t have a great reputation – it’s not glitzy like Manhattan, or hipster-friendly like Brooklyn, not up-and-coming like Queens. This is a rough neighbourhood, the birthplace of hip-hop, the original home of the Yankees, and a borough that still has a high crime rate, particularly in the South Bronx. This, however, is New York at its raw and gritty best, where you’ll find great record stores, plenty of high-quality cheap eats, and a surprising amount of green space.
Kabukicho, Tokyo
There are very few parts of the Tokyo metropolis you could describe as dodgy, but Kabukicho, a small area in Shinjuku, is one of them. This is a notorious red light district, home to hundreds of clubs and bars with varying levels of seediness, and a known hangout for gangsters and other nefarious types. It’s still quite safe to wander Kabukicho at night and take it all in – but this is not the Japan you think you know.
Freetown Christiana, Copenhagen.
Christiania is an island of anarchy in a sea of predictability, a bizarre hippie town right in the middle of Copenhagen, the Danish capital. This is a partially autonomous community with its own rules, where cannabis trade happens before your eyes, where locals can sometimes seem friendly, sometimes suspicious, and sometimes hostile. Christiania isn’t exactly dangerous; it’s just different, especially when you’re used to sanitized Copenhagen.
St. Denis, Paris
St Denis is an area with a high immigrant population that has seen its share of political violence and unrest in the recent past. It’s not a part of the world many tourists are likely to end up in, though it is something of a cultural melting pot, and nothing like the Paris you’re probably expecting.
Morro da Babilonia, Rio de Janeiro
Rio’s favelas are notorious crime hot spots, but they’ve also become tourist attractions in the recent past, with locals taking foreign visitors on tours of the likes of the Rocinha and Cantagalo favelas. It’s also possible to visit some of the “pacified” favelas independently: Moro de Babilonia, a hilltop favela between the Leme and Botafogo neighbourhoods, is a particular favourite, with a few bars and restaurants that are changing perceptions of what favelas can be.
Long Street, Cape Town
Cape Town is a beautiful city, with loads of lively, interesting suburbs in the “city bowl”. Most are pretty safe, too. At night though, the main bar and restaurant hub of Long Street starts to feel a little sketchy. You’ll find beggars on street corners; experience the buzz of big, boozy crowds. There’s probably very little real danger here – it’s just an intimidating atmosphere for a first-time visitor.
La Boca, Buenos Aires
The Argentine capital’s most colourful neighbourhood is also one of its most gritty, a historically working-class suburb where you can be out at night having the time of your life – and then things will just flip. If Boca Juniors, the beloved local football team, has a game on and they lose, this is not a part of town you want to be hanging out in. Still, La Boca is a must-see by day, and worth staying around in at night if you know what you are doing and aren’t carrying a lot of cash.
Reitschule, Bern
This is a little like Christiania, although on a much smaller scale. The Kulturzentrum Reithalle, otherwise known as the Reitshule, is a former horse-riding school turned hippie squat turned music venue, a rambling, graffiti-covered building that has been the scene of a few well publicized clashes between students and local police. It’s also set right in the middle of pretty, safe and slightly staid Bern, the Swiss capital. Well worth a visit.