The world's most fascinating streets

21.07.2023 - 08:03 / roughguides.com

Nicknamed ‘The Main’, this is one of the most central streets in Montreal as it links the old town to Chinatown, and Little Italy to the seaport. In summer, some of the stretch is closed to traffic while arts and jazz festivals take over and hundreds flock to the street to take part.

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This busy thoroughfare boasts an eclectic mix of brilliant bars, eccentric shops, and small indoor markets that overflow into the side streets. Known for its alternative character, Camden High Street is a fantastic place for people-watching, as punk hairstyles and heavily tattooed types ramble on past.

The main thoroughfare linking Holyrood Palace and Edinburgh Castle is a mile-long cobbled street, lined with old and impressive buildings. It’s easy to get lost along the mile though, as there are lots of narrow alleys to explore, often concealing quaint little pubs or galleries.

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By day this former rice market is just another busy street in Bangkok, full of tourists and tuk-tuk touts looking to make a buck. Come nightfall, however, and this short strip of road becomes the highlight of Bangkok nightlife, as bars compete to drown out each other’s music and food stalls pop up to feed the masses.

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If it isn’t a tuk-tuk or a bicycle laden with chickens, it’s the hordes of people that you’re battling against to get to the prize at the end: the Jama Masjid mosque. The mosque sits majestically at the eastern end providing a superb vista through the crowds and clusters of pop-up market stalls selling everything from street food to saris.

Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi, India © tscreationz/Shutterstock

While it might seem an odd choice for a stroll, as boarded up derelict buildings haunt the pavements, there is something pleasant about this street's defiant atmosphere. The buildings lining Spuistraat are covered in clever and anarchic graffiti and the whole place has the melancholy air of some failed attempt at social revolution. For a flavour of the radical left you can visit the Vankrijk café, run by volunteers, where you can partake in political workshops and film screenings.

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There is nothing better than a seafront stroll, and while one side is lined with colourful restaurants, bars and shops, the other is scattered with performers, fortune tellers and artists looking to catch your eye – all backed by the beautiful white sands and blue waters of Venice Beach.

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This tree-lined pedestrian thoroughfare stretches for just over a kilometre and is always buzzing with tourists, locals, street entertainers and market traders alike. There are plenty of restaurants and bars along this promenade, perfect for sitting