New York in One Week

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A quick taste of various New York neighbourhoods:

MANHATTAN

1Financial District/Battery Park: New York's financial district occupies

the southern tip of Manhattan. It boasts splendid buildings, as well as places full of history such as the New York Stock Exchange, on Wall Street, Trinity Church, the Federal Reserve building, the Old Custom's House and many others.

Not to be missed: Nearby, from Battery Park, you can head towards the Staten Island Ferry, i.e. the commuter shuttles that travel between Staten Island and Lower Manhattan, offering splendid views of the Manhattan bay skyline, and of Miss Liberty at zero cost.

2. Chinatown and Little Italy: New York's Chinatown is probably the most eclectic area of Manhattan; with its thriving fruit and fish shops and its colourful souvenir stores, this place, like a big lively and exotic market, amazes those who visit it. In recent years, the borders of Chinatown have widened until they incorporated the nearby Little Italy, which has by now lost its authenticity, turning into a street full of Italian restaurants for tourists.

3Tribeca/Soho/Nolita

These three neighbourhoods have been transformed from production and distribution centres into residential areas with a unique atmosphere and architectural look.

TriBeCa: (acronym for Triangle Below Canal Street) currently its look is that of a residential neighbourhood, full of former warehouses turned into luxurious condominiums and modern offices. The area boasts some of the most "in" restaurants and nightclubs in the city.

Soho: a historic neighbourhood of New York, it has gradually turned into a residential area. Today its cobbled streets, its atmospheric bars and its elegant shops attract many tourists and shopping lovers.

Nolita (i.e. "North of Little Italy"): the neighbourhood is inhabited partly by its old residents and partly by artists and young professionals who choose to live in a trendy area. It's worth taking a walk.

Lower East Side and East Village: characterised by a dynamic social life and a trendy lifestyle. The area is divided into two parts by Houston Street: to the north is the East Village, while the Lower East Side extends to the south.

5Greenwich Village: characterised by an air of creative and

intellectual freedom, it's known for being home to New York University and Washington Square Park; the neighbourhood hosts many places famous for being frequented by well-known people and for its literary and cinematic echoes.

Not to be missed: An aperitif/evening in the meatpacking district, the old slaughterhouse area, which today hosts a large number of fashionable venues.

6Midtown Manhattan: this is what we all imagine when we think

of the Big Apple. Midtown is the most commercial and busiest neighbourhood in the United States. The area hosts Times Square, the Rockefeller Center, Madison Square Garden, many museums on 53rd Street (including the Museum of Modern Art, or MoMA), as well as architectural masterpieces such as the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building and Grand Central Terminal. Not to be missed A Broadway musical near Times Square (splendid in the evening). Tickets can be bought at a lower cost at the box office at Pier 17.

7. Upper East Side: here you'll find the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum and the Whitney Museum of American Art. Moreover, if you're lovers of cooking and haute couture, the Upper East Side will also satisfy people with the most demanding tastes

7.1 Upper West Side: its closeness to Central Park and Riverside Park make the Upper West Side an ideal choice for families with children. The area is also home to the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the American Museum of Natural History, the Children's Museum and the Symphony Space.

BROOKLYN

- Williamsburg: located in the northern part of Brooklyn, between Flushing Avenue, Bushwick and Kent Avenue, it's a neighbourhood in constant movement. A series of artists and musicians began to populate this neighbourhood, attracted by the low rents and its warehouses turned into lofts, until they made Williamsburg the most alternative place in New York. This area was the cradle of many independent bands such as Interpol or Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and here you'll find the best live music venues, where emerging music groups perform.

-Dumbo: the acronym for the more prosaic "Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass" boasts a spectacular view over Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge. The best panorama is enjoyed from Fulton Ferry and from the Empire-Fulton State Park. It also offers a series of eclectic and tempting restaurants, such as Pete's Downtown Restaurant and the Grimaldi's pizzeria.

Not to be missed: The sunset with the Brooklyn Bridge in the background against the Manhattan skyline

HARLEM: an African-American neighbourhood by now become the preserve of tour operators who offer a quick view of the area.

Not to be missed: The gospel mass on Sunday morning and, even more so, a jazz concert on Friday evening while sipping a "delicious" Harlem Beer.

BRONX: Historically the Bronx has a bad reputation, for which it is described as one of the most violent and dangerous neighbourhoods in the world, but in reality this view turns out to be the fruit of a pure stereotype, since to this day most of the crime is concentrated solely in the area of the South Bronx.

Not to be missed: a baseball game accompanied by hamburgers and fries at Yankee Stadium, to immerse yourself in the heart of American culture.