Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
INTRODUCTION TO NEW YORK CITY
No superlative, no cliché does New York City justice. It may not serve as the official
capital of the US or even of New York State, but it's the undisputed capital of the world
in many regards. High finance, media, art, architecture, food, fashion, popular culture,
urban style, street life… it's all here, in plenitude and peak form. Best of all for visitors
(and residents), you don't have to look too hard for any of it. Often the sights, both big
and small, are just staring you right in the face: the money fortresses of Wall Street; the
raised torch of the Statue of Liberty; the iconic Empire State Building; the hype and
hustle of Times Square; Fifth Avenue's foot traffic; the proud lions of the Public
Library. For energy and dynamism, cultural impact and sheer diversity, New York can-
not be beaten.
You could spend weeks here and still barely scratch the surface, but there are some key at-
tractions and pleasures you won't want to miss. The city is packed with vibrant ethnic neigh-
bourhoods, like Chinatown and Harlem, and boasts the artsy enclaves of Chelsea, Tribeca
and Greenwich Village. Of course, you will find the celebrated modern architecture of cor-
porate Manhattan in Midtown and the Financial District, complemented by row upon row of
elegant brownstones in landmarked areas like Brooklyn Heights. Then there are the city's
renowned museums, not just the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Museum of Modern Art,
but countless smaller collections - the Old Masters at the Frick, the prints and manuscripts of
the Morgan Library - that afford days of happy wandering.
