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, Queens, Bronx and Staten Island. If this is your first time in the city, I'll 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 (or districts): Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx and Staten Island, which are in turn divided into neighbourhoods.

The easiest and most convenient 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 specialised guide will tell you the most important details and anecdotes of each corner. Another easy way to get around the city is the sightseeing bus tour.

Manhattan is New York's most visited borough and an icon. It's so popular that many foreigners associate the borough with the city itself and think it's the same thing, as this is where most of the city's tourist attractions are concentrated. A tip: it might be worth booking an electric bike tour of Manhattan to get around the borough.

Paradoxically, it is the smallest and most populated borough 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 immense and is divided into different neighbourhoods. Let's walk through them from south to north, from Downtown through Midtown to Uptown.

Financial District and Civic Center

I recommend visiting this area during the week and you can rent a bike in the Financial District.

You may wonder why not on weekends, because the Financial District is almost deserted, but from Monday to Friday there is a lot of movement and the streets of this neighbourhood are constantly bustling with people, as this is where Wall Street, the Federal Reserve, the New York Stock Exchange and some of the most powerful financial institutions in the world are located.

On the west side is the renovated World Trade Center with the 9/11 Memorial, a memorial to the 9/11 attacks, which you can see in detail if you book a tour of Lower Manhattan, Wall Street and the 9/11 Memorial You can also take advantage of your time there to go up to the observation deck of the One World Observatory.

Chinatown

Chinatown is one of Manhattan's most popular neighbourhoods and a shopping paradise for tourists and New Yorkers alike, with shops selling all kinds of goods 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's what you can do in Chinatown.

Little Italy

Next to Chinatown is Little Italy, with some Italian-inspired restaurants and cafés (this neighbourhood was the largest settlement of Italian immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries but 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 experience 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 lots of cafes, restaurants and trendy shops.

SoHo and Tribeca

If you book the Chinatown and Little Italy tour, you'll also get to see Soho. Another acronym, SoHo (South of Houston Street), is the name of one of New York's bohemian neighbourhoods. Take the opportunity to pop into its designer shops, art galleries and vintage bookstores. This area was created in the 1960s and 1970s, when artists and designers moved into the neighbourhood, attracted by the affordability of studios and lofts created in former factories.

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

The neighbourhood is also closely linked to cinema. Robert de Niro created the famous Tribeca Film Festival, which focuses on independent films. You can also tour the locations of Friends, CSI, Breakfast at Tiffany's or even, if you're looking for something more specific, you can tour the locations of Gossip Girl, among others.

West Village

The West Village is a quiet place to take a stroll away from the hustle and bustle of downtown. Take a stroll through Washington Square Park, one of the city's best gardens, and then stay for dinner at one of the many charming restaurants where you can end your day like a local.

Times Squarey Hell's Kitchen

Midtown is home to the largest number of skyscrapers and landmarks in New York, and I recommend you book your tickets in advance if you don't want to miss them. I am referring to:

• Empire State Building.
• Top of the Rock (in Rockefeller Center).
• MoMA.

Times Square, which is the heart of New York. With lights and billboards, it has become the best known image. However, it wasn't always like this, as until the late 1990s, the area was synonymous with drugs and crime. My advice is to go there during the day, but also at night to see it illuminated or even book a horse-drawn carriage tour of Central Park, Rockefeller and Times Square.

For food and drink, around Times Square you will only find fast food or very expensive food, so I advise you to go into the Hell's Kitchen neighbourhood, west of 8th Avenue, well known for its bars, restaurants and cafes.

Broadway

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

Flatiron District

The Flatiron District is a business district in Manhattan that is bustling during the day with offices, restaurants and shops. It's named after the famous Flatiron Building, a century-old triangular-shaped, Beaux Arts-style building from the Chicago school.

I recommend taking a stroll through the area and entering Madison Square Park, an oasis of calm where it's common to see office workers taking a break, eating and chatting. Grab a sandwich at the Pret À Manger across the street and eat it on the grass. The park also hosts events and activities, which you can find out about on its official website.

Chelsea

With its saffron-coloured brownstones and tree-lined streets, Chelsea is a walkable residential area full of shops, nightclubs and art galleries. In fact, it's the neighbourhood with the highest concentration of art galleries in New York, so if this is your passion, a visit to this neighbourhood is a must. You have the opportunity to book a tour of Chelsea.

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

Chelsea Market is next to the High Line, an urban park built on old elevated railway tracks that crosses the west side of Manhattan. If you fancy losing sight of the concrete for a while and immersing yourself in greenery, don't hesitate to wander around.

Hudson Yards

This is Midtown 's trendy new neighbourhood, built on what was once a dreary train depot along the Hudson River.

It's a neighbourhood still under construction, but it already has some interesting sites that will make it one of the must-see areas of New York:

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

Upper East Side

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

• Central Park Tour.
• Central Park bike taxi tour.
• Rent a bike and ride around Central Park on your own.
• Yoga class in Central Park.
• Electric scooter tour of Central Park.
• Visit the Central Park Zoo.
• Rent an electric bike in Central Park.
• Horse-drawn carriage tour of Central Park, Rockefeller and Times Square.
• Tour Central Park with film locations.
• Horse-drawn carriage tour of Central Park.
• Visit the Central Park Zoo.
• Photo tour of Central Park.
• Central Park bike taxi ride.
• 2 hour bike tour of Central Park.
• Private bike 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 Galerie, Gracie Mansion or Central Park. If you liked the series, take a tour of the locations of Sex and the City, probably no further introduction is needed.

Upper West Side

This is another residential neighbourhood with unique and striking architecture. Here you can find New York's 0 km, Columbus Circle, a square dedicated to Christopher Columbus and the discovery of America. Columbia University, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and the Museum of Natural History, which I recommend 100%.

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

Harlem

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

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, New York's second best-known borough is probably Brooklyn. Before it was a borough, it was once the fourth largest city in the United States after New York, Chicago and Philadelphia.

DUMBO

Once an industrial area full of factories and warehouses, today it is one of New York's coolest areas. The name comes from the acronym Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass and refers to the neighbourhood's location, just under the Manhattan Bridge.

DUMBO was home to bohemians and artists who changed the neighbourhood. Today, it is a combination of art and design movements 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 you can't miss taking the legendary photo with the Brooklyn Bridge behind you (even if more than one tourist sneaks in from behind while taking theirs). You can also sign up for a bike tour of the Brooklyn Bridge.

Williamsburg

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

Also East River State Park, where the Smorgasburg Market is held on Saturdays from April to October. I recommend you book a tour of Williamsburg in Brooklyn to get to know it in depth.

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 in this very neighbourhood.

Coney Island

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

A fantastic plan that can be complemented with an extra thrill when you enter Luna Park, a mixture of old fair and amusement park, with its merry-go-rounds, roller coasters and the aroma of candyfloss and caramel, promises to give you an unforgettable time.

Nearby is a freak show so typical of the 1920s and 30s that you'll feel like you're reliving times gone by. 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 where more than 150 different cultures coexist. It is also the fastest changing and growing tourist attraction in its different neighbourhoods.

Long Island City

Very close to Manhattan is Long Island City, the most avant-garde neighbourhood in Queens, with 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

Astoria is the heart of the Greek community in New York and is home to the largest Greek community outside of Europe. There's plenty to do in this part of Queens, including visiting Orthodox churches, listening to European techno music, savouring Greek cuisine with an American twist or watching Manhattan at sunset 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 tournament. Make the most of your trip to New York and buy tickets for baseball or tennis.

Another of the most popular tourist attractions in this Queens neighbourhood is the home-museum of Louis Armstrong, the great jazz musician.

Jackson Heights, Rockaway Beach and Jamaica

If you like Indian cuisine during your visit to Queens, you must go to Jackson Heights, where there are plenty of buffets and restaurants specialising in Indian food at very good prices.

After a succulent feast, you might want to stretch your legs and take a stroll along Rockaway Beach, home to the longest urban beach in the United States. Finish the tour in Jamaica, the birthplace of hip-hop, where you can delve deeper into this musical genre by wandering the streets.

During the 20th century, the Bronx was synonymous with crime and poverty but don't let the bad reputation get to you. Nowadays, this New York borough 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, a visit to the Bronx is a must if you want to catch a New York Yankees game - the atmosphere is spectacular! And if you love nature, a stroll through the huge New York Botanical Garden will fill your senses with colours, aromas and peace.

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

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

But for many travellers, a visit to Staten Island is best spent on a ferry ride, an inexpensive way to see the Manhattan skyline from afar.