The British newspaper "The Times" designates Lausanne as one of the most sought-after destinations for people under 40 to settle in.

Looking for a fresh start? Explore the top 10 young hotspots in Europe according to "The Times". 

Source: THE TIMES

Ref: Best places to live in Europe if you’re under 40

1. Istanbul, Turkey

Funded by the ancient Greeks, made the capital of the Roman Empire and then of the Ottoman Empire, Istanbul is as diverse as its long history. More than five million people aged under 35 are living in the city — roughly a third of the population — enjoying its sophisticated cuisine, high-spirited nightlife and excellent public transport. Istanbul is home to the youngest population in Europe, according to a survey by the estate agency Savills (partner of Luxury Places).

KEY FACTS

• Average apartment price: £58,200
• Average rent per month: £250 (one bedroom-flat)
• Most happening neighbourhood: Cihangir (European side); Moda (Asian side)

2. Aarhus, Denmark

Denmark’s second city — 116 miles northwest of the capital, Copenhagen — claims to be the home of hygge. Well known for its music scene, it was a European Capital of Culture in 2017. The old central Latinerkvarteret (Latin Quarter), with its cobbled streets and traditional houses, is popular with tourists, but the young hip crowd can be found in the Trojborg neighbourhood close to the university in the north of the city. There has been a lot of redevelopment in the past ten years, such as the continuing regeneration of the docklands area, including the distinctive Iceberg apartment complex. Quality of life here is high, with low pollution and crime as well as easy access to the countryside and beaches. However, property prices have been rising and so has the cost of living.

KEY FACTS

• Average apartment price: £4,788 per sq m
• Average rent per month: £867 (for a one-bedroom flat in the city centre)
• Most happening neighbourhood: Trojborg

3. Nicosia, Cyprus

The capital of Cyprus is the last divided capital in the world — split by the so-called green line, with the Turkish quarter to the north and the Greek side to the south. It is home to five universities, making it popular with students and digital nomads. The property prices, which have fallen 21 per cent in the past ten years according to the Central Bank of Cyprus, also add to its appeal. Historical areas of Nicosia are enjoying revivals, including Chrysaliniotissa, with its art galleries, boutiques and bars and restaurants (check out the Ermou Rock Bar once the pandemic allows) as well as Kaimakli, which is a little further out. Moving here is not as easy as it once was because the country’s golden visa scheme, which offered residency and citizenship in return for buying property, ended in November.

KEY FACTS

• Average apartment price: £120,000
• Average rent per month: £513
• Most happening neighbourhood: Chrysaliniotissa

4. Groningen, the Netherlands

Groningen is known for having the youngest population in the Netherlands. The small city, criss-crossed with canals, has only just over 200,000 inhabitants, a quarter of whom are students at the two local universities. About 15 per cent of those students are international, including many from Britain and Ireland. That’s not surprising because the University of Groningen offers more than 100 courses in English. From the leafy Schilderswijk and Zeeheldenbuurt districts, with their 19th-century architecture and gardens, to the wild nightlife around Grote Markt, where bars never close, Groningen is a younger, more liveable (and far cheaper) alternative to Amsterdam.

KEY FACTS

• Average apartment price: £229,000
• Average rent per month: £458
• Most happening neighbourhood: Grote Markt

5. Münster, Germany

The pretty city of Münster in northwest Germany has been voted the world’s most liveable city and Germany’s most bike-friendly city. Not far from the country’s border with the Netherlands, it is sometimes referred to as mini Amsterdam because of its proliferation of bicycles, museums and galleries — it is home to Germany’s first Picasso museum. Visit Hansaviertel and Hafen, the harbour area on the Dortmund-Ems canal, for the bustling bar and restaurant scene. Nearby Hawerkamp, a former concrete factory, is home to several nightclubs and hosts the annual Vainstream Rockfest. Across the other side of town is the university, one of the largest in Germany.

KEY FACTS

• Average apartment price: £3,730 per sq m
• Average rent per month: £9.35 per sq m
• Most happening neighbourhood: Hansaviertel

6. Bergen, Norway

Norway’s second city, Bergen is the self-proclaimed capital of the fjords. It sits in an idyllic spot surrounded by seven mountains. The pretty wharf area of Bryggen, with its multicoloured clapboard houses, is a Unesco world heritage site. Bergen is also a Unesco city of gastronomy, particularly famed for its fish dishes. Skostredet, with its art galleries, independent shops and restaurants, is worth a look, as are the student neighbourhoods of Sogndal and Volda — about 10 per cent of the city’s residents are students. There is also a thriving music scene. Haakon Odegaard of Malling & Co estate agency (a Savills associate) says: “Skostredet is original, real and lively — a pulsating part of the city centre with many hidden treasures.”

KEY FACTS

• Average apartment price: £4,946 per sq m
• Average rent per month: £860 (one-bedroom flat, city centre)
• Most happening neighbourhood: Skostredet

7. Aachen, Germany

Germany’s most westerly city is famed for its spa waters, spiced biscuits (printen) and Unesco-listed cathedral, where Charlemagne is buried. It is a small compact city, with Germany’s largest technical university to the northwest. Pontstrasse is the place for lively nightlife, although Frankenberger Viertel is a well thought of neighbourhood with a range of activities at the Moltke Park, with skateboarding, festivals, workshops and art installations.

KEY FACTS

• Average apartment price: £2,625 per sq m
• Average rent per month: £8.19 per sq m
• Most happening neighbourhood: Frankenberger Viertel

8. Oslo, Norway

The capital of Norway hosts several large music festivals each year, and Grunerlokka is the city’s equivalent of Shoreditch in east London, with microbreweries and vintage shops galore. When Brewdog opened its first bar in Norway it came here. The city has styled itself as the world’s winter capital, with several ski areas in close proximity, the largest being Skimore with 18 slopes. There is also a 2km toboggan run from Frognerseteren to the Midtstuen metro station, after which you could go for a sauna and an icy dip in the city harbour at one of the “sauna rafts”. However, nothing is cheap in Norway and property prices have been increasing steadily.

KEY FACTS

• Average property price: £5,148 per sq m
• Average rent per month: £1,008
• Most happening neighbourhood: Grunerlokka

9. Utrecht, the Netherlands

Utrecht is right in the middle of the Netherlands and offers everything you would expect of a Dutch city — canals, bikes, culture and flower markets. It is home to one of the Netherlands’ largest universities and attracts plenty of digital nomads too with its reputation for good wifi and co-working spaces. Wittevrouwen, close to the city centre, has a large number of bars, restaurants and speciality stores — “and a very young and urban vibe”, according to Raymond Frederiks from Savills Netherlands. A little further out Oost and Universiteitskwartier are lively districts popular with students and cheaper than Wittevrouwen.

KEY FACTS

• Average property price: £376,585
• Average rent per month: £1,045
• Most happening neighbourhood: Wittevrouwen

10. Lausanne, Switzerland

Lausanne, on the shores of Lake Geneva in French-speaking Switzerland, has been undergoing a quiet renovation. The old town is uphill, while the newer port is in Ouchy on the waterfront. Here at Le Flon you can find bars, boutiques and galleries in former warehouse buildings. David Colle, founder of Luxury Places estate agency says: “Le Flon has gone from an old industrial wasteland to a new dynamic area with shops and restaurants, concentrating a good part of the nightlife of Lausanne.” Near by, Plateforme 10 is a new arts district being created in the city’s former train sheds. Three of the city’s largest museums are set to move here and there will also be restaurants and a library. The university and polytechnic are to the west of the city on the lakeside. However, property is not cheap, although price growth has started to slow in recent years.

KEY FACTS

• Average house price: £1.54 million
• Average rent per month: £1,877 (for a two-bedroom flat)
• Most happening neighbourhood: Le Flon