Lonely Planet has revealed the 10 coolest neighbourhoods of 2017 – and TOOTING is on the list
The south London neighbourhood joins parts of New York, Lisbon and Dubai on the list of the world's must-visit locations
ONE of the world's most respected travel guide companies has revealed their coolest neighbourhoods of 2017 - and Tooting in South London has made the list.
The South London area joins parts of New York, Lisbon and Dubai on the list of the world's must-visit locations by Lonely Planet.
Despite being best-known as the setting for Citizen Smith, it is listed alongside New York City's Sunset Park district and the picturesque Borgo San Frediano, in Florence.
Lonely Planet reckons Tooting, where the average price of a semi-detached house is more than £1million, "has developed into an uber-cool neighbourhood in recent years and lost none of its gritty charm in the process."
It is also well-known for being home to a wide range of decent Indian restaurants and the country's biggest lido
Lonely Planet adds: "Rubbing shoulders with perfectly pleasant yet slightly square Wimbledon, Earlsfield and Balham, Tooting is a more captivating affair, revelling in multiculturalism and originality.
"Its high street, which stretches between two Tube stations, is one of the best 'curry corridors' in the country, and contains some superb South Asian restaurants, like Dosa n Chutny and Apollo Banana Leaf.
"The best shopping can be found inside eclectic Tooting Market, and quirky bars and pubs include The Castle, The Antelope and The Little Bar."
It adds: "The Tooting Commons create over 200 acres of green space between them, and are home to Tooting Bec Lido - the largest swimming pool in the United Kingdom."
Tooting is also known as the hometown of London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who was also MP for the area, and birthplace of snooker champion Jimmy White.
Lonely Planet's full list of the world's neighbourhoods:
Borgo San Frediano, Florence
Seongsu-dong, Seoul
The Triangle, Lisbon
Vesterbro, Copenhagen
Business Bay, Dubai
Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur
Sunset Park, New York City
Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro
Frelard, Seattle
Tooting, London
The website asked "on-the-ground city experts" from across the globe to feed back information before it compiled the list of areas.
It said: "Some have been steadily developing their street cred for years, others are in the midst of rapid transformation - all are ripe for exploration right now."
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Top of the Lonely Planet's List is Borgo San Frediano in Florence, where traditionally vast quantities of fish tripe was cleaned, boiled and sold.
Nowadays it is full of quaint restaurants, artisan workshops and antique shops.
Business Bay in Dubai also made the list - a central business currently under construction that is home to the highest hotel in the world and several trendy new bars and restaurants.
