Overview
Statue of Liberty
The problem with visiting New York is knowing where to begin,
but even if you don't immediately rush off to view the world-famous
sights and icons of this most dynamic of cities, just being there
is enough: the wonder of New York is in the energy and the
diversity that emanates from its densely packed, multi-cultural
population. The city vibrates with colliding cultures, languages
and nuances; here high-life and low-life rub shoulders, and whoever
you are and whatever your taste, there will be something to amuse
and stimulate you 24-hours a day.
Whether lolling on a bench in leafy Central Park, watching the
world go by from a French bistro in Soho, or gazing up at 'Lady
Liberty' from the deck of the Staten Island Ferry, most visitors
will feel they've done it all before, simply because New York is so
familiar to anyone who has ever seen a movie or watched television.
There is something special however in actually seeing the familiar
landmarks and experiencing the pulse of the clichéd, but
true, 'city that never sleeps'.
New York City is made up of five boroughs: Staten Island, The
Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan, but many visitors never
leave Manhattan. There is a lot packed into this tiny area: the
24-hour pasta restaurants of Little Italy and the bustling
sidewalks of Chinatown, the jazz clubs of Greenwich Village and the
theatres of Broadway; and of course the iconic sights of the Statue
of Liberty, the Empire State Building and Times Square.
New York has been described as the best three-day city in the
world, and that's about right. After a frenzy of museums,
galleries, bars and clubs, many visitors are ready for a break.
Fortunately there's a lot of choice in excursions, from the
National Parks of Upstate New York, to the beaches of Long Island
or simply the leafy oasis of Central Park. Whatever you're after,
New York is ready and waiting to bewitch, bother and bewilder.
