These Are The Surprising New Places Everyone Is Moving To, From Accra to Marseille

When I moved to London from Merseyside and lost my virginity in a flat on Blackstock Road, I remember how excited I was by the red buses rumbling past the window. They made it all feel much more cosmopolitan. I couldn’t believe my luck: I was in London… and having sex!

I loved the city, even bits you’re not meant to (queuing for a sample sale or waiting for a night bus on Tottenham Court Road). London made me feel part of something bigger. Cut to a decade later, and my relationship with the capital had become stale. I’d grown resentful; my job was repetitive.

So, when I was invited on a work trip to Lisbon and felt that rush of newness again, I took notice. I was walking the cobbled streets of its Lapa neighbourhood and looking up at the pastel buildings. Lisbon opened my eyes to joy again.

'Oh no,' I said to my partner, who was with me on the trip, 'we’re going to have to move here.' Three months later, we’re hauling boxes into a truck. I could point to the beaches (Guincho, Caparica) or the weather. But really, we love Lisbon because of who we are there. The ordinary was exciting again. I’m receptive to opportunities and recently even opened a bookshop in the elegant neighbourhood of Santos, a dream that I could never have realised in London.

I’m not the only one searching for new horizons: 23% of Brits are planning to move abroad. Plus, data from the United Nations' annual world happiness index 2025, statistics show that the UK is statistically less happy than we were a year ago, and have dropped down a plce to the 23rd spot, this is in part due to an increase of social disconnection.

Now that we can take our work with us, we’re seeking cities for lifestyle reasons rather than jobs. Anecdotally, I hear of people leaving commercial centres like New York more than moving there.

But even those who are certain they want to leave the UK might not know where they want to go. What destination promises that elusive 'different pace of life'? Here are the cities people can’t keep quiet about in 2025.

Accra, Ghana

Though it’s home to legends Stevie Wonder and Rita Marley, Accra’s population is 56% people under the age of 24, which is why it is often called the city of the future. 'Unexpected places pop up all the time,' Bilal Qureshi, a broadcaster who moved to the capital of Ghana from LA in 2024, tells me. 'And it hasn’t been Instagrammed to death. It doesn’t feel overly familiar.' For curator Nana Oforiatta-Ayim, who grew up in Germany and studied in London before moving there, 'Accra is a place where you feel the past strongly in the present.' Ghana has made headlines in recent years as a utopia for British and American people of African descent – an idea once championed by independence leader Kwame Nkrumah, who envisioned a home for African unity. 'For those looking for regenerative living and a life grounded in modern sustainability practices, Ghana is leading the way.' Oforiatta-Ayim says. 'And, in Accra, indigenous culture is built into the very fabric of the place.' There’s a plethora of restaurants focused on indigenous-food principles, such as the Mix, and projects championing craft and sustainability, including the Kokrobitey and ANO institutes. 'Ghana has fluid connections to the rest of Africa and Europe. It has a wonderful diasporic energy,' says Qureshi. And someone’s always dancing. 'It’s the opposite of the ennui I felt in the States.'

Marseille, France

The weather, affordable rent prices and sunlight have persuaded many Parisians to leave their beloved capital and head south to Marseille – one of the few cities in Europe where you can go for a sea swim. The influx of artists means young galleries and concept stores abound, and while there is not yet a tech hub or huge start-up scene, there are concentrated mini-industries that have found their home in Marseille. Independent art-house publishers Ensemble, Le Bal Books and Cé Editions all have exhibition spaces built into their business models, which means communities and collaborative events emerge around these spaces, broadening the art scene. Adélie, a resident DJ at Día Radio, who moved to Marseille from Paris in 2019, explains how the move allowed her to expand her career: 'I do many different jobs, which is how I love to work. I work for an NGO, a social initiative that helps refugees return to work, I have a fashion brand and I’m also a DJ. I couldn’t have this life if I didn’t live in Marseille… the rental prices mean I can follow passion, not just climb an industry ladder.'

Athens, Greece

The city may be known for its natural beauty, rich history and buzzy restaurant culture, but it’s the Athenian attitude to life that seems to appeal to expats the most. 'Life here is more spontaneous,' says Natassa Pappa, founder of Desired Landscapes, a cult publishing house that also runs local walking tours. After moving to Athens from the Netherlands, Pappa was struck by the lack of relative regulations. 'You can park your car anywhere and drink on the street. Life just flows here.' It remains one of the last capital cities in Europe where it feels affordable to live and work as an artist. Because of this, and the palpable sense of freedom, the art scene is growing. Athens is home to the Platforms Project art fair, an array of artist-run spaces and a new festival, Collective of Collectives, launched to celebrate and bring together indie-art initiatives in Athens. 'There is always a gallery opening to go to,' Pappa says.

Marrakesh, Morocco

'It’s a city with a blend of influences from Europe and the Arab world, so there's a lot of cultural crossover,' says Amy Thomson, founder of Moody, the hormone-tracking app, of Marrakesh. She moved there from Lisbon, where she lived after a long stint in London.

Morocco is a country of makers, and ancestral craft skills permeate life in Marrakesh. The city is full of studios and culturally resonant brands, with young Moroccans distributing their wares across Africa and Europe. Thomson mentions the ceramics line Bouchra Boudoua and textiles-based Beni Rugs as local companies that illustrate the possibility of setting up a life and business in Marrakesh. 'We’re seeing people achieve hugely acclaimed careers from their craft,' Thomson tells me. 'It’s exciting. My partner [the Moroccan artist Amine el Gotaibi] and I ask each other, 'What does it mean to be part of the continent at this moment in time? What might we do next?''

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Read the original article in ELLE UK.