New York New York

New York will always be known as one of the most exciting cities in the world. It is one of those rare spaces that encompass everything about life, a microcosm of the world at large, if you will. Rich with history, it continues to house many of the worlds and people that made it famous in the first place. From the Lower East Side Tenements, to the luxurious buildings of Fifth Avenue, New York offers something to capture everyone’s imagination.

If you have never been, the best way to get to know New York City is by foot, so put on your comfiest sneakers and start walking!

One of the most enjoyable ways of getting a broad sense of the city’s history and attractions is by walking Broadway. Famous as the theater and musical district, Broadway is actually a street that crosses the entire island of Manhattan. If you start your tour at the very bottom, you can visit the Statue of Liberty, either by taking a short ferry ride or simply by admiring it from afar. Going up a few blocks on Broadway, you will encounter the infamous Wall Street, the first permanent home of the New York Stock Exchange and the heart of the financial district.

Keep going up and you will run into Canal Street, the bustling center of Chinatown, a great place to sit down and have a dim sun meal. This is also a great place for exotic grocery shopping, for the so inclined. A pound of live frogs goes for $6 only! For the less adventurous, plenty of Chinese-assembled toys, handbags, cameras and other touristy tchotckes. Soon after Canal Street one enters the well-paved streets of Soho. Once home to more bars and brothels than any section of the city, today it is one of the most coveted residential spots of the city. Iron-cast buildings line its streets and it is hard to take a step without seeing a celebrity.

A little further up is the West Village, the birthplace of the Beat movement. Honoring its roots, it continues to be a colorful and distinctive neighbourhood, displaying many of the original and oldest buildings in the city. For an especially charming spot, head down to Minetta Lane, a lovely and quiet spot in the middle of the bustling traffic that will bring you back in time. Feel free to cool off with a beverage in one of the many Italian cafes lining the streets of the West Village.

For a beautiful way to wrap up your day, let Broadway guide you the theatrical entrance to Central Park, a National Historic Landmark and home to an ice-skating rink, a pool, several theaters, a gorgeous central lawn and a zoo! Whether you want to cool off your feet in the Bethesda Fountain while overlooking the lake, or simply walk around the many paths, Central park will offer you a chance to catch your breath, until you are ready to see the rest of the city.

Try DialAFlight for cheap flights to New York that start from £259 (including taxes).

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 20th, 2009 at 5:05 pm and is filed under Information. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.