5 Best New York City Neighborhoods

New York is a cosmopolitan city with a unique atmosphere. It is divided into five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. If this is your first time visiting the city, I will explain its geography and some places of interest so that you can get to know it better before your trip.

New York City is made up of five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island, which are in turn divided into neighbourhoods.

The most convenient and easiest way to see the highlights of these boroughs is to book the Contrasts Tour and the Upper and Lower Manhattan Tour.

Both are guided tours in which a specialist guide will tell you the most interesting details and anecdotes about each place. Another easy way to get around the city is by tourist bus.

Manhattan is the most visited district in New York and a true icon. It is so popular that many foreigners associate this borough with the city itself and believe it to be the same thing, as most of the city's tourist attractions are concentrated here. A tip: it may be interesting to book an electric bike tour of Manhattan to explore it.

Paradoxically, it is the smallest and most populous district and is home to the world's largest commercial, cultural and financial centres. With an area of 59.1 square kilometres, the island of Manhattan is huge and is divided into different neighbourhoods. Let's explore them from south to north, from Downtown to Uptown, passing through Midtown.

Financial District and Civic Centre

I recommend visiting this area during the week, and to do so, you can rent a bicycle in the Financial District.

You may wonder why not on the weekend, and that's because the financial district is almost deserted, but from Monday to Friday there is a lot of activity and the streets of this neighbourhood are constantly bustling with people, as it is home to Wall Street, the Federal Reserve, the New York Stock Exchange and some of the most powerful financial institutions in the world.

In the west is the renovated World Trade Centre with the 9/11 Memorial, a space for remembering the attacks of 11 September, which you can learn all about if you book the tour of Lower Manhattan, Wall Street and the 9/11 Memorial. You can also take advantage of being there to go up to the One World Observatory viewing platform.

Chinatown

Chinatown is one of Manhattan's most popular neighbourhoods and a shopping paradise for tourists and New Yorkers alike, as its shops sell all kinds of products at very affordable prices. Here you will also have the opportunity to visit the Chinese Museum in America, the Mahayana Buddhist temple or Columbus Park. Here I explain everything you can do in Chinatown.

Little Italy

Next to Chinatown is Little Italy, with several Italian-inspired restaurants and cafés (at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, this neighbourhood was the largest settlement of Italian immigrants, but it has now been absorbed by Chinatown). If you want to learn more about its cuisine, you can take a food tour of Little Italy with a local guide who will take you to sample the delicacies of Italian cuisine. And if you want to explore both neighbourhoods, book a tour of Chinatown, Little Italy and Soho.

NoLIta

Very close to Chinatown and Little Italy, there is a new neighbourhood called NoLIta (North of Little Italy) where you can find many cafés, restaurants and fashion shops.

SoHo and Tribeca

If you book the Chinatown and Little Italy tour, you will also get to know Soho. Another acronym, SoHo (South of Houston Street), gives its name to one of New York's bohemian neighbourhoods. Take the opportunity to visit its designer shops, art galleries and antique bookshops. This area was created in the 1960s and 1970s, when various artists and designers moved into the neighbourhood, attracted by the affordable prices of studios and lofts created in old factories.

Tribeca's architecture is also very unique. This former industrial neighbourhood is now full of fashion boutiques, art galleries and exclusive restaurants.

In addition, this neighbourhood has strong ties to cinema. Robert de Niro created the famous Tribeca Film Festival, which focuses on independent cinema. You can also take a tour to see the locations of Friends, CSI, Breakfast at Tiffany's or, if you're looking for something more specific, you can take a tour of the locations of Gossip Girl, among others.

West Village

The West Village is a quiet place to go for a walk away from the hustle and bustle of downtown. I recommend taking a stroll through Washington Square Park, one of the best gardens in the city, and then staying for dinner at one of its many charming restaurants, where you can end your day like a true New Yorker.

Times Square and Hell's Kitchen

In Midtown, you'll find the largest concentration of skyscrapers and New York landmarks. I recommend booking tickets in advance if you don't want to miss out on visiting them. I'm referring to:

• Empire State Building.
• Top of the Rock (at Rockefeller Centre).
• MoMA.

Times Square, which is the heart of New York. With its lights and billboards, it has become the most recognisable image of the city. However, this was not always the case, as until the late 1990s, the area was synonymous with drugs and crime. My advice is to visit during the day, but also at night to see it lit up, or even book a horse-drawn carriage tour of Central Park, Rockefeller and Times Square.

For food or drinks, you'll only find fast food or very expensive options around Times Square, so I recommend heading into the Hell's Kitchen neighbourhood, west of Eighth Avenue, which is well known for its bars, restaurants and cafés.

Broadway

Broadway, the avenue that is the epicentre of theatre and musicals in New York. Every night, the curtain rises to make its audience dream with such memorable shows as The Phantom of the Opera, The Lion King, Aladdin and Frozen.

Flatiron District

This is a business district in Manhattan that is very lively during the day, as it is full of offices, restaurants and shops. It is named after the famous Flatiron Building, a century-old triangular-shaped building in the Chicago School of Architecture's Beaux Arts style.

I recommend taking a stroll around the area and popping into Madison Square Park, an oasis of tranquillity where it is common to see office workers taking a break, eating and chatting. Buy a sandwich at Pret À Manger opposite and eat it on the grass. Events and activities are also organised in this park, which you can find out about on its official website.

Chelsea

With its saffron-coloured stone houses and tree-lined streets, Chelsea is a residential area full of shops, nightclubs and art galleries. In fact, it is the neighbourhood in New York with the highest concentration of art galleries, so if that is your passion, you cannot miss visiting this neighbourhood. You have the opportunity to book a tour of Chelsea.

I also recommend visiting Chelsea Market, a former biscuit factory converted into a food market where the high ceilings and original exposed brick walls have been preserved to give it an industrial feel and lots of character. Here you can buy delicacies from all over the world, but did you know that Oreo cookies were invented here?

Chelsea Market is next to the High Line, an urban park built on old elevated railway tracks that crosses western Manhattan. If you feel like getting away from the concrete for a while and immersing yourself in a green area, don't hesitate to take a stroll.

Hudson Yards

This is the new trendy neighbourhood in Midtown, built on what was once a dreary train depot next to the Hudson River.

The neighbourhood is still under construction, but it already has some attractions that will make this area one of the must-see places to visit in New York, such as:

• The Edge.
• The Vessel.
• The Shops shopping centre.
• The High Line elevated park.

Upper East Side

Uptown Manhattan is the least visited area by tourists as it is predominantly residential. However, here you will find some iconic New York landmarks such as Central Park, which forms the border between the Upper East Side and the Upper West Side, and where you have endless things to do:

• Tour of Central Park.
• Bicycle taxi tour of Central Park.
• Rent a bicycle and explore Central Park on your own.
• Yoga class in Central Park.
• Electric scooter tour of Central Park.
• Visit the Central Park Zoo.
• Rent an electric bicycle in Central Park.
• Horse-drawn carriage tour of Central Park, Rockefeller Centre, and Times Square.
• Tour of Central Park featuring film locations.
• Horse-drawn carriage tour of Central Park.
• Visit the Central Park Zoo.
• Photography tour of Central Park.
• Bicycle taxi ride through Central Park.
• 2-hour bike tour of Central Park.
• Private bicycle tour of Central Park.

The Upper East Side is New York's affluent neighbourhood known for its imposing stately buildings and wide avenues. Although it is not the area with the most tourist attractions, it does have some very interesting places such as the Metropolitan Museum, the Neue Gallery, Gracie Mansion and Central Park. If you liked the series, take a tour of the locations featured in Sex and the City, which probably needs no introduction.

Upper West Side

This is another residential neighbourhood with unique and striking architecture. Here you can find the zero kilometre point of New York, Columbus Circle, a square dedicated to Christopher Columbus and the discovery of America. There is also Columbia University, St. John the Divine Cathedral and the Natural History Museum, which I highly recommend.

However, it is one of the most visited attractions in New York, so book your tickets for the Natural History Museum as soon as possible.

Harlem

Since the African American community settled in this area of Manhattan in the early 20th century, Harlem has been the neighbourhood automatically associated with black culture. Today, the neighbourhood is safe to enjoy a Sunday tour with a gospel mass.

You'll also find great music at the Apollo Theatre, where artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin and James Brown, among others, began their careers, or you can stroll among the brownstones, beautiful little houses made of red sandstone.

Behind Manhattan, the second best-known district in New York is probably Brooklyn. Before becoming a borough, it was the fourth largest city in the United States after New York, Chicago and Philadelphia.

DUMBO

What was once an industrial area full of factories and warehouses is now one of the coolest places in New York. The name of this neighbourhood comes from the acronym Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass and refers to its location, just below the Manhattan Bridge.

Bohemians and artists settled in DUMBO and changed the neighbourhood. Today, it is a combination of artistic movements and design with the old industrial architecture typical of the area.

During your visit to this neighbourhood, don't miss Washington Street, the Dumbo Flea market, Plymouth Street or Main Street Park. And don't forget to take the iconic photo with the Brooklyn Bridge in the background (although more than one tourist will sneak in behind you while you're taking yours). You can also sign up for a bike tour of the Brooklyn Bridge.

Williamsburg

Williamsburg is a neighbourhood of contrasts where New York hipsters and Orthodox Jews mix. One of its attractions is the street art in the form of murals and graffiti throughout the neighbourhood, including the Mona Lisa of Williamsburg and Andy Warhol and Basquiat.

Also East River State Park, where the Smorgasburg Market is held on Saturdays in April and October. To get to know it in depth, I recommend booking the Williamsburg tour in Brooklyn.

Also, be sure to buy tickets for Water Country USA if you go in summer and for Busch Gardens, a water park and amusement park that will blow your mind. Oh, and of course, don't miss the series Unorthodox, based precisely on this neighbourhood.

Coney Island

This is the neighbourhood where New Yorkers go when the weather is nice to relax outdoors and enjoy the beach, especially in summer. During your visit to Coney Island, you can walk along the boardwalk and get close to the sea to feel the breeze.

A fantastic plan that can be complemented with an extra dose of excitement at Luna Park, a mixture of an old-fashioned fair and an amusement park which, with its merry-go-rounds, roller coasters and the smell of candyfloss and caramel, promises to give you an unforgettable time.

Nearby is a freak show so typical of the 1920s and 1930s that you'll feel like you're reliving the past. Another fun attraction to see in Coney Island is the New York Aquarium, located on the boardwalk. If you want to get to know the neighbourhood in depth, sign up for a tour of the boroughs and Coney Island.

Queens is the largest borough in New York, home to more than 150 different cultures. It is also the fastest changing borough, with an increasing number of tourist attractions in its different neighbourhoods.

Long Island City

Very close to Manhattan is Long Island City, the most avant-garde neighbourhood in Queens, home to a large number of museums, galleries and contemporary art studios such as MoMA PS1, the Isamu Noguchi Museum and Socrates Sculpture Park.

Astoria and Flushing

The Astoria neighbourhood is the heart of the Greek community in New York and home to the largest Greek community outside Europe. There is plenty to do in this part of Queens, such as visiting Orthodox churches, listening to European techno music, sampling Greek cuisine with an American twist, or watching the sunset over Manhattan from Astoria Park.

On the other hand, if you're a sports fan, you probably already know that the Flushing neighbourhood is home to the new New York Mets stadium and the US Open Tennis Championships. Make the most of your trip to New York and buy tickets for baseball or tennis.

Another tourist attraction in this Queens neighbourhood is the house-museum of Louis Armstrong, the great jazz musician.

Jackson Heights, Rockaway Beach and Jamaica

During your visit to Queens, if you like Indian cuisine, you have to go to Jackson Heights, as this neighbourhood has an abundance of buffets and restaurants specialising in this type of food at very reasonable prices.

After a hearty meal, you may want to stretch your legs and take a stroll along Rockaway Beach, the longest urban beach in the United States. You can finish your tour in the Jamaica neighbourhood, the birthplace of hip-hop, where you can learn more about this musical genre as you wander through its streets.

During the 20th century, the Bronx was synonymous with crime and poverty, but don't be put off by its bad reputation because today this New York neighbourhood has changed a lot and tourist attractions such as the New York Zoo, Edgar Allan Poe's house and Fordham University Church are in safe areas.

If you're a baseball fan, you have to take advantage of a visit to the Bronx to see a New York Yankees game. The atmosphere is spectacular! And if you love nature, a stroll through the enormous New York Botanical Garden will fill your senses with colours, scents and peace.

Staten Island is the least known borough to tourists, but there are several places of interest related to the origins of the United States, as there are more colonial-era buildings here than anywhere else in the city.

For example, two of the most amazing places to see on Staten Island are, on the one hand, a restored village called Historic Richmond Town, where you can see houses dating back to the 17th century. On the other hand, there is Fort Wadsworth, a 17th-century defensive fort built by the Dutch.

But for many travellers, the visit to Staten Island is best enjoyed with a ferry ride, a cheap way to see the Manhattan skyline from a distance.