New York

New York is a city built by people who arrived here from all over the world. With over eight million inhabitants, it is a melting pot of diverse cultures and peoples, and divided into five boroughs: Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, Staten Island and Manhattan.

The Statue of Liberty welcomed many millions of the “huddled masses” from the Old World to the New and it continues to stand proudly overlooking the city’s harbour. Different cultures abound and can be seen in many parts of the city. Chinatown and Little Italy offer the finest genuine national cuisine, while the music and art of the African American community and the creativity of the Harlem Renaissance can be found in that very part of the city. Another example is Borough Park in Brooklyn, which is home to a large Orthodox Jewish populace with a very distinctive culture.

Visit the bright lights of Times Square, experience the hustle and bustle of Grand Central Terminal, or take a day out to enjoy the peace and quiet of the verdant oasis that is Central Park. On a more serious note, visit the 9/11 Memorial at the World Trade Center site, Ground Zero, to remember the thousands killed here in 2001.

One of the tourist hotspots is the Midtown East area, containing the iconic Empire State Building, Grand Central Terminal, the Rockefeller Center, the Chrysler Building and the New York Public Library. Stroll around the trendy East Village, enjoy the stylish arts scene in Brooklyn or people-watch on the Upper West Side: this is where the movers-and-shakers live. The city is also a huge centre for the arts with some fantastic institutions, such as the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Opera and, of course, the best theatres and musicals in the world on Broadway. Many of New York's attractions are covered by the New York Pass: a fantastic way of saving money without missing out. To get a bird's eye view of the city, why not book a Big Apple helicopter tour?

The celebrated subway is the best way for a visitor to get around – get a MetroCard and top it up regularly to travel around the maze of lines over and underground.

Another one of New York’s many nicknames is “the city that never sleeps” – and it’s well-deserved. Bars and nightclubs keep their doors open long after dark, so there’s plenty of opportunity to dance the night away.