[1] https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ELaN6w_UUAAQbOC?format=jpg&name=...
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
More seriously, my guess is that you enjoy those streets because there's so much more character to them. They are generally part of an older, more storied urban core, so the streets are more imbued with a "there"ness of the community.
Contrast this with the experience of walking down a recently-gentrified street.
That said: I'd really like to see a list of places which afford such environments.
This results in a large number of blind turns where you can't tell if anyone's coming around the corner unless there are mirrors available, which aren't always a guarantee.