The latest “Coolest Streets in the World” list from Time Out is out, and this year’s top spot goes to Rua do Senado in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Strolling through a city’s streets is one of the best ways to feel its true pulse. All the while wandering past small shops, stopping for a coffee, or grabbing a seat in a lively bar.
According to the global guide Time Out, streets are the places where you’ll find local life in its most authentic form. That idea sits at the heart of their annual “coolest streets” list. It’s a worldwide roundup of promenades, passages, and other urban pockets of energy.
The 2025 edition has now been published, celebrating, as Grace Beard told CNN Travel, the way streets “represent everything that makes urban life brilliant.”
To create the list, Time Out turned to its global network of editors and journalists, each tasked with highlighting the parts of their city they believe deserve attention.
This year’s winner: Rua do Senado in Rio de Janeiro
Time Out notes that this downtown street is buzzing with newly opened spots bringing “fresh energy” to the area. Alongside beloved institutions like Armazém Senado, home to a weekly open-air samba session that spills into the street.
Luiz Felipe Bernardo, who runs the Instagram guide RIO DESTAQUE, told CNN Travel that having a Rio street included on the list is “a huge source of pride” for the locals.
Bernardo says Rua do Senado captures the city’s “history, diversity, and a cultural movement that never stops.”
It’s a place where “music, food, art, and an energy you can’t find anywhere else all collide.”
What Makes a Street “Cool”?
The idea of “coolness” is, of course, subjective. But editor Grace Beard explains that the streets on the list are “packed with independent businesses, great places to eat, and fun things to do.”
Architecturally, there’s no common thread. Beard notes that it doesn’t matter whether it’s “a pedestrian walkway along a canal or a major urban artery.”
One example: Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, which landed at No. 25. Most people wouldn’t call it a “street” — it’s a classic West Coast driving route. But as Time Out points out, if you actually park the car, you can discover plenty worth exploring.
“It’s full of cool things to do, eat, and drink,” Beard says. He highlights the “strong sense of community” that took hold after the January wildfires in the Palisades. Time Out emphasizes that a street’s creativity and community spirit can matter just as much as its bars and cafés.
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Who Else Made the List?
In second place is Orange Street in Osaka, Japan, once a hotspot for antiques. Today it’s a blend of streetwear, retro shops, open-air dining, and striking cocktails.
Third place goes to Rua do Bonjardim in Porto, Portugal, a street filled with traditional food shops, hotels. Including the former soap factory Torel Saboaria — and restaurants like the artsy Otto. Its owner, Bruno Amaral, told CNN Travel that it’s “really exciting” to see the street recognized and hopes the honor “encourages more people to discover its charm.”
Fanghua Street in Chengdu takes fourth place as the city’s “main stage for people-watching.”
Sherbrooke Street West in Montreal, the highest-ranked street in North America, rounds out the top five. Its historic buildings, museums, and the academic atmosphere of McGill University. Along with the Blue Metropolis literary festival — all boost its appeal.
Former McGill student Catherine Davidson told CNN that the street is “right next to everything that makes Montreal great,” from terrace cafés to the Museum of Fine Arts.
Meanwhile, Orchard Street on New York’s Lower East Side appears at No. 8, praised for its eclectic mix of shops and businesses, including the newly opened bookstore-studio P&T Knitwear. Owner Bradley Tusk, who named the shop in honor of his grandfather’s 1950s business, told CNN Travel he is “honored” to see the street make the list of the world’s coolest.