Welcome to New York

New York is not just a city — it is the city. The place you know from thousands of movies, series, songs, and books before you ever set foot on the ground. And then you stand for the first time on Times Square or the Brooklyn Bridge, and everything is even more grandiose, louder, and exciting than you imagined. New York is sensory overload in the best sense.

• The Skyline — No cityscape in the world is as iconic: the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, the One World Trade Center, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Statue of Liberty. Manhattan's skyline is a promise that the city fulfills with every visit.
• Central Park — 341 hectares of greenery in the middle of Manhattan's sea of buildings: lakes, bridges, meadows, a castle, a zoo, free Shakespeare performances in the summer, and the feeling of being in a movie — because almost every other film was shot here.
• Broadway — Broadway theater is the best in the world: “Hamilton," “The Lion King," “Wicked," “Chicago" — over 40 theaters in the Theater District offer world-class performances every evening. A musical on Broadway is an unforgettable experience.
• The Food Scene — New York is the culinary capital of the world: New York pizza (a dollar per slice!), bagels, pastrami sandwiches at Katz's Deli, dim sum in Chinatown, tacos in Jackson Heights, ramen in the East Village, and over 70 Michelin-starred restaurants. Here, you eat your way around the globe.
• World-Class Museums — The Metropolitan Museum of Art (one of the largest art museums in the world), the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art), the Guggenheim, the American Museum of Natural History, and dozens of other museums make New York a cultural superpower.
• The Energy — New York has an energy that is addictive. The city pulses 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. At 3 a.m., you can get pizza, a taxi, and a conversation. The rhythm of the city — the sirens, the honking, the chatter, the rumble of the subway — is like a constant soundtrack.
• Diversity — New York is the most diverse city in the world: over 800 languages are spoken, people from every country on earth live here. Each neighborhood has its own cultural identity — from Little Italy to Chinatown to Jackson Heights (Queens), the most multicultural square kilometer on earth.
• Iconic Neighborhoods — Every neighborhood in New York is its own world: chic SoHo, artistic Greenwich Village, hip Williamsburg (Brooklyn), bustling Midtown, historic Harlem — and in between, thousands of stories waiting to be discovered.

New York is the ultimate city trip: You can stay for a week and have only scratched the surface. The city is addictive — once you've been, you want to return.

New York City consists of five boroughs, each with its own personality:

Manhattan

For whom: All first-time visitors, sightseeing, Broadway
The island you mean when you say "New York." Times Square, Central Park, Empire State Building, Wall Street, SoHo, Greenwich Village — everything that makes New York, concentrated on a 21 km long, 3.7 km wide island.

Brooklyn

For whom: Hipsters, foodies, creatives
New York's coolest borough: Williamsburg (craft beer, vintage, street art), DUMBO (Brooklyn Bridge photo with Manhattan skyline), Prospect Park (Brooklyn's Central Park), Park Slope (brownstones), and Brighton Beach (Little Odessa — Russian culture by the sea).

Queens

For whom: Foodies, multicultural fans
The most diverse borough in the world: Astoria (Greek, Egyptian), Jackson Heights (Indian, Latin American), Flushing (Chinese, Korean). Here you eat the most authentic international food in New York — cheaper than in Manhattan.

Bronx

For whom: Music fans, sports fans
Birthplace of hip-hop, home of the New York Yankees (Yankee Stadium) and the Bronx Zoo (one of the largest zoos in the world). The Bronx has an undeserved bad reputation — Arthur Avenue is Little Italy for real (without the tourists).

Staten Island

For whom: The view of the Statue of Liberty
The Staten Island Ferry is New York's best free attraction: a 25-minute ride with spectacular views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the Manhattan skyline — and it costs nothing.

1. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge — Cross the world's most iconic bridge (1883) on foot, with views of the Manhattan skyline and the East River beneath your feet. Best at sunset, from Brooklyn to Manhattan. → Chap. Downtown
2. Visit the Statue of Liberty — Lady Liberty, the symbol of freedom and American immigration. By ferry from Battery Park, with views of the skyline. Climb the crown (book tickets months in advance!) for the ultimate view. → Chap. Downtown
3. Stroll through Central Park — 341 hectares of greenery in the middle of Manhattan: Bethesda Fountain, Bow Bridge, Belvedere Castle, Strawberry Fields (John Lennon Memorial), and the Great Lawn with skyline views. → Chap. Uptown
4. See a Broadway musical — The lights dim, the curtain rises, and you sit in one of the most famous theaters in the world. TKTS tickets at Times Square from $40. → Chap. Midtown
5. Ascend the Empire State Building — The world's most famous building (1931, 381 meters, 102 floors). The view from the 86th floor at night, when Manhattan sparkles below you, is indescribable. → Chap. Midtown
6. Visit the 9/11 Memorial — The two reflective pools at the site of the Twin Towers, surrounded by the names of the 2,977 victims. A place of silence in the loudest city in the world. → Chap. Downtown
7. Eat New York Pizza — A slice of New York pizza — thin, crispy, with oily cheese, folded in hand — is a culinary experience and costs only $1–3. Joe's Pizza, Di Fara, Prince Street Pizza. → Chap. Culture
8. Explore the High Line Park — A disused elevated railway track, converted into New York's most beautiful city park: wildflowers, art installations, and views of the street canyons and the Hudson River. → Chap. Downtown
9. Explore The Met — The Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the largest art museums in the world: Egyptian temples, medieval armor, Impressionists, American art. You could spend a week here. → Chap. Uptown
10. Experience Times Square at night — Millions of LED screens, crowds, neon signs, and the pulse of a city that never sleeps. Kitschy? Maybe. Unforgettable? Definitely. → Chap. Midtown
11. Eat a pastrami sandwich at Katz's Deli — Since 1888: hand-cut, days-aged pastrami on rye bread. $25 for the best sandwich of your life. → Chap. Culture
12. Take the Staten Island Ferry — Free! 25 minutes with views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the skyline. New York's best free experience. → Chap. Downtown
13. Stroll through SoHo and Greenwich Village — Cast-iron facades, boutiques, cafes, and the spirit of the Beat Generation and Bob Dylan. Washington Square Park is the living room of the Village. → Chap. Downtown
14. Hang out in Williamsburg (Brooklyn) — Vintage shops, craft breweries, street art, Smorgasburg (weekend street food market), and the East River State Park with views of the Manhattan skyline. → Chap. Downtown
15. Top of the Rock at sunset — The observation deck of the Rockefeller Center offers the best view of the Empire State Building AND Central Park simultaneously. At sunset: magical. → Chap. Midtown