Downtown Manhattan

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Downtown Manhattan, United States, New York

Both an historical area and an administrative centre, the southern part of downtown is overloaded with symbols: it not only embodies the soul of American pioneers, the place where they established for the first time the foundations of the future American nation, but also the nerve centre of global economy - with the "financial district" and the stock exchange on Wall Street. Since the disappearance of the World Trade Centre on September 11, 2001, the area has been deprived of one of its most visited buildings. However, despite a huge scar left by the bulldozers for an indeterminate period, the area remains essential for visitors who wish to discover Manhattan. Among the many sites and monuments, you should not miss the chapel of Saint Paul, the Trinity Church, Battery Park, the stock market on Wall Street, South Street Sea Port, the Brooklyn Bridge and of course the pier, which allows you to reach Liberty Island (Statue of Liberty) and Staten Island. To the north of the bridge and the Civic Center, the layout of Manhattan suddenly changes, the buildings are smaller, some areas have a certain charm which is almost provincial, and others are imbued colours and language of Italy or of China. Chelsea and Greenwich is characterized 'the bohemians', Soho 'the artist', Little Italy and Chinatown 'the most bustling' and Tribeca 'the trendy'; this is Downtown North, with its human scale architecture, its 'village' atmosphere, its multilingualism, its shops, its countless bars and restaurants. It is an absolutely unmissable district for lovers of nightlife and shopping.

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pros

•  The setting
•  The opportunities for outings
•  The shopping opportunities

cons

•  The lack of hotels

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Visit Downtown Manhattan

• To see

  Both an historical area and an administrative centre, the southern part of downtown is overloaded with symbols: it not only embodies the soul of American pioneers, the place where they established for the first time the foundations of the future American nation, but also the nerve centre of global economy - with the 'financial district' and the stock exchange on Wall Street. Since the disappearance of the World Trade Centre on September 11, 2001, the area has been deprived of one of its most visited buildings. However, despite a huge scar left by the bulldozers for an indeterminate period, the area remains essential for visitors who wish to discover Manhattan.

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  To do

  Among the many sites and monuments, you should not miss the chapel of Saint Paul, the Trinity Church, Battery Park, the stock market on Wall Street, South Street Sea Port, the Brooklyn Bridge and of course the pier, which allows you to reach Liberty Island (Statue of Liberty) and Staten Island. To the north of the bridge and the Civic Center, the layout of Manhattan suddenly changes, the buildings are smaller, some areas have a certain charm which is almost provincial, and others are imbued colours and language of Italy or of China. Chelsea and Greenwich is characterized ?the bohemians', Soho ?the artist', Little Italy and Chinatown ?the most bustling' and Tribeca ?the trendy'; this is Downtown North, with its human scale architecture, its ?village' atmosphere, its multilingualism, its shops, its countless bars and restaurants.

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  To think about

  Have a planned budget for the trip. Change your dollars in the United Kingdom for a better exchange rate and prefer small denominations. In the absence of a biometric passport, make sure you are in possession of a machine readable passport (type DELPHINE) issued between 2001 and October 25, 2005. Otherwise, you will need a visa for a stay of less than 90 days. For the subway (operating 24 hours a day) and the bus, the Metrocard (unlimited mileage) is on sale in stations. At your hotel you will find brochures on the cultural events and sites, often with discounts (Village Voice or Time Out). Prices in restaurants, hotels, taxis and shops are always displayed without tax or tip: be sure to add them! The service is very good, but expensive. Arrange insurance covering medical expenses and repatriation. Your British prescription will not allow you to buy medicines when you get there, so plan ahead!

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• To avoid

  Jokes, even those by children, in public places concerning luggage, the opposite sex and international affairs in order to be careful with sensitive subjects!
  Any imported food will be confiscated by customs.
  Avoid using a car as there is a lot of traffic and the cost of parking is high. Choose to walk to discover the frenzy of the city. That is why it would be a shame to choose a hotel outside of Manhattan. Bicycles are prohibited except for in Central Park. In the late evening, opt for one of the 12,000 taxis, much cheaper than in our countries, rather than the subway.
  Forget about walking alone in Harlem or Central Park at night.
  As for shopping, watch out for purchases of hi-fis, photography, electronics and counterfeit goods (prohibited). Invoices will be requested at customs. In addition, avoid exceeding $100 (£71) per purchase in order to be exempt from customs duties.
  Do not try to climb the Statue of Liberty, the wait in the queue can be very long. Enjoy the view onto Manhattan from its pedestal.
  Do not go to Century 21 on Saturdays, the large discount department store, a true institution with the lowest prices in the city.

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  To try

  This multi-ethnic city offers something affordable to all budgets, from famous restaurants to small eating houses, take a look through the multitude of cuisines available. For the typical New York dishes, go to one of the delis that dot the city. The menus of the day are generally sold at a reasonable price, but prices climb in the evening. To experience how New Yorkers eat, get something to eat on the move from one of the various speciality shops: bagels (Jewish round bread), blintzes (filled crepes), potato salad and other pastrami sandwiches. Another tip for low prices: enjoy the copious "breakfast" deals. Take a break in the various restaurants in Little Italy, Chelsea (for a more peaceful atmosphere) or East Village for its eclectic ambiance. There are also a multitude of restaurants and bars along Bleekers Street such as the Blue Note, the Village Vanguard.

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  To bring back

  Downtown is an absolutely unmissable area for shoppers, who will find future trends here. Stroll to the bottom of Broadway and more generally throughout the district of Greenwich, Chinatown, Tribeca and Soho. The clothing of young designers is sought in NoLiTa, Soho and East Village. In Lower East side, several stores offer clothing at affordable prices. Consider also the "Century 21", the famous discount department store with the lowest prices in town. Fans of decoration will not know where to where to look first with so many shops, with attractive prices (Moss, ABC Carpet & Home).Also, aA very good place to buy jeans is Lucky Brand.

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Hotels reviews by the Easyexperts

The best places to get some shut eye in The Big Apple

It's mighty hard to pick just 12 hotels out of the hundreds that this city is home to. That's why we have come up with a second selection of a dozen hotels we feel are at the summit of what The Big Apple has to offer. Whether you are looking for a place to take all the family or somewhere to get pampered, ...

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The Mark New York

 

Score 8/10

David East 15/06/2010 : "Amazing lobby, beautiful rooms and a top class restaurant. What a renovation! Will definitely come back on my next trip!"

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