From the bright lights of Broadway to the towering majesty of the Empire State Building, from the hipster hangouts of Williamsburg to the chic bars of the Meatpacking District, New York City is constantly evolving and always exciting.
A global centre for fashion, theatre, art, media, finance and food, NYC is comprised of five boroughs, which are like smaller cities in their own right: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. Having welcomed waves of immigrants from every corner of the planet, including Italians, Irish, European Jews, Russians, Chinese, Haitians and many more, New York is a true melting pot. Almost every ethnic group and nationality has a thriving community in this cultural kaleidoscope.
New York City boasts a seemingly endless list of iconic attractions and historically or culturally significant sites. The Statue of Liberty, officially named Liberty Enlightening the World, was built by Gustave Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame) as a gift from France to the USA. Today, Lady Liberty stands watch over New York Habor and is visited by over 3 million people annually.
New York City is famed for its many skyscrapers and architectural wonders. The Empire State Building was the tallest building in the world for over 40 years, which the Chrysler Building is an Art Deco icon. One World Trade Center, which stands on the site of the former Twin Towers, is the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere. Its height in feet – 1776 – is a tribute to the year the US Declaration of Independence was signed.
Glittering Times Square is quintessential New York, while Central Park offers a welcome respite to those seeking to swap the urban jungle with somewhere leafier. The Theatre District has a show for everyone, with dozens of Broadway and off-Broadway plays and musicals on offer every day.
Visitors can shop until they drop in the huge department stores and luxury boutiques along Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue, while art fans will enjoy the city’s many galleries, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Every type of cuisine imaginable is available to sample in NYC, with dining options ranging from hot dog vendors and food carts through to Michelin starred restaurants. Don’t forget to pick up one of the famous t-shirts proclaiming I ❤ NY – within a New York minute of arriving in the city, you’ll love it too.
