In Europe, the continent of dazzling diversity, some cities are perennially synonymous with what they do best: Berlin its nightlife, Paris its haute couture, Madrid its Movida. But ‘cool’? That’s the nebulous ‘it’ factor, with a constantly shifting centre of gravity that tugs at the Zeitgeist of any given year. In turbulent 2025, we see cool as a certain insouciance, a defiant taste for the good life, artistic bravery, a social and environmental conscience. By that measure, the following European cities stand as bonafide capitals of cool - leading lights of their own unique paths, offering alternative forms of exploration, and worthy of visiting right now.
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands New north star
In Amsterdam, life, it seems, is increasingly best lived on the edge. Not at society’s dingy fringes, but in…
