New York in 4 days: the best itinerary!

Morning at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

That's it, you're in New York! Let's start this first day with a visit to one of the strongest symbols of the United States: the Statue of Liberty. From Battery Park, you can already see its silhouette standing out against the horizon. Ideally, take the first ferry at 9am, so you can enjoy Liberty Island and the Statue of Liberty away from the crowds. The tour then continues to Ellis Island, once home to the US immigration service and now home to the Museum of American Immigration.

Lunch in the Financial District

Between the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, the morning has already passed and it's time for lunch. As you make your way up to the Financial District, you'll find lots of little restaurants where businessmen and women grab a bite to eat before returning to their busy days. Our little favourite: Adrienne's Pizza Bar.

Once you've enjoyed a typical New York pizza, you'll be recharged to set off again to explore lower Manhattan. Stop off at the Charging Bull, an imposing bronze sculpture of a three-metre-high bull that is theemblem of the financial district. Legend has it that rubbing your private parts will bring you good luck... we'll let you try!

Afternoon at the 11/09 Memorial

Stroll along Wall Street, the temple of capitalism and the heart of world finance, which is much shorter than you might think. The street is only a few steps from the World Trade Center, where the 11/09 memorial is located. Two huge basins stand in place of the twin towers that collapsed on 11 September 2001 following terrorist attacks. The names of the 2,977 victims are engraved on the bronze plaques that surround them. The site also houses a museum that retraces the events of that sombre day and pays tribute to the victims as well as the first aiders and volunteers who intervened that day.

A new tower was inaugurated in 2014, the tallest in New York to date: the One World Trade Center. On the 100th and 102nd floors is the One World Observatory, offering a breathtaking view of the entire city. Don't hesitate to climb up there if you have the time - the panorama is well worth the diversions!

Heading to Brooklyn for the evening

Before dusk, head for the Brooklyn Bridge, a ten-minute walk away. As you cross the bridge, turn around regularly to watch the Manhattan skyline light up as the last rays of sunlight are reflected in the windows of the buildings. The spectacle is simply magical. Once on the other side, take a break in Brooklyn Bridge Park, which offers an uninterrupted view of the skyline as it glows in the night.

We'll round off our first day with dinner at a restaurant in Dumbo, an upmarket district of Brooklyn where disused warehouses have been converted into bohemian cafés, designer boutiques and trendy restaurants. We recommendAtrium DUMBO**, a chic modern restaurant** that perfectly captures the atmosphere of the neighbourhood.

⭐ Where to stay in Brooklyn?

Morning at the Empire State Building

This morning, let's take a step back in time and visit theEmpire State Building at 10am. Visiting this New York landmark when it opens allows you to avoid the crowds, of course, but also to enjoy an unparalleled view of New York as it wakes up. From theobservatory on the 86th floor, you can make out the comings and goings of the cars and yellow taxis at your feet, while your gaze is lost in a magnificent tableau of skyscrapers in the foreground and countryside in the distance.

Lunch at Grand Central Terminal

Once back on dry land, we head north to the New York Public Library, a magnificent building with free admission. We then continue on to Grand Central Terminal, the city's main railway station and a National Historic Landmark. Popularised in numerous films, it is impressive in its size and beauty. On some days, over a million people pass through it! It is home to one of the restaurants in the Shake Shack fast food chain, which doesn't exist in France, so why not stop off for lunch?

Afternoon at MoMA

Leaving the station, it's easy to make a short diversions to admire the Chrysler Building before heading to the Museum of Modern Art, nicknamed MoMA. Here, visitors can admire works by Van Gogh, Cézanne, Picasso and Dali, as well as films, photographs, sketches and sculptures. It'sone of the most visited museums in New York, and it's easy to see why!

End of the day in Times Square

After this colourful visit, you can pop over to nearby Trump Tower. This 58-storey skyscraper, which houses the headquarters of Donald Trump's companies, is a testament to the fast and bling that the former President of the United States is capable of. Then it's time to head toone of the world's best-known and busiest squares: Times Square! With its giant illuminated advertising hoardings, non-stop traffic and incessant influx of tourists and locals, this is where New York's effervescence reaches its peak.

We recommend dining atOlive Garden, a chain of Italian restaurants much loved by Americans. Afterwards, you'll have plenty of time to enjoy the buzzing atmosphere of Times Square after dark. A word of advice: you're in the theatre district, so now's the time to go and see a musical and get a taste of Broadway madness!

⭐ Where to sleep in Times Square?

Morning stroll along the High Line

Today, we're getting some fresh air! Let's start our walk through the tree-lined streets of Greenwich Village. This charming part of Manhattan was theepicentre of hippie culture in the 1960s, and is still popular today for its typical little cafés - perfect for breakfast! - and for its calm, friendly atmosphere.

We then head for the beginning of the High Line, a former railway line that has been transformed into a splendid suspended park on the west side of Manhattan. It's the perfect place for a pastoral stroll, punctuated bystreet art and superb views over New York.

The High Line crosses Chelsea Market, a covered market with around forty shops offering all kinds of food: sandwiches, cupcakes, ice cream, lobster... enough to treat yourself to a good lunch before continuing the day further north in Manhattan, at the American Museum of Natural History.

The New York Museum of Natural History and Central Park

The collections of the New York Museum of Natural History trace the history of the Earth and the species that have populated it from the origin of life to the present day, and are clearly worth a visit! It is located in the city's green lung: Central Park. In this 341-hectare park, locals and tourists mingle over a picnic, a jog, a bike ride or a boat trip. With its seven lakes and the sculptures, fountains, kiosks, bridges and arches that adorn its wooded areas and lawns, Central Park attracts almost 37.5 million visitors a year! Take a moment to enjoy this natural setting in the heart of the city.

Evening at Rockefeller Center

On your way back down to the centre of Manhattan, walk past Saint Patrick Cathedral, whoseGothic architecture contrasts with the surrounding skyscrapers. Then head for Rockefeller Center, a complex of buildings that includes offices, theatres, a shopping centre... but also an observatory offering one of the prettiest views of New York, the Top of the Rock. At sunset, the megalopolis takes on an orange hue that makes it even more beautiful.

Rockefeller Center is home to many of New York's finest restaurants, from gourmet eateries to fast-food snacks, you're bound to find something to suit you for dinner!

⭐ Where to stay near Rockefeller Center?

Morning at the MET

Let's start our last day with a cultural soak at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the largest museum in the United States, which houses almost two million works of art from all over the world, from paintings to sculptures, jewellery and prehistoric artefacts. It's known as the MET, and if there was only one museum to visit in New York, this would be it!

Shopping session on 5th Avenue

The MET is also in Central Park, so we can take advantage of the opportunity to have lunch like a true New Yorker: a hot dog on the go, comfortably seated on one of the park's 9,000 benches. And now it's time to go shopping! You didn't think you'd come back from New York empty-handed, did you? Let's start by walking down 5th Avenue, one of the city's most prestigious streets, home to luxury brand department stores. You'll also come across the Flatiron Building, with its surprisingly narrow façade.

We then head for Times Square, where the buzz is palpable even in broad daylight. The thousand-sign square is ringed withhuge shops and souvenir shops. There's a giant Forever 21, a Levi's Store and a large M.A.C. Cosmetics boutique. You can also stock up on American sweets at M&M's World or Hershey's Chocolate World. Yummy!

Our little window-shopping trip continued towards Herald Square, home to the flagship shop of the Macy 's brand, which is more or less the equivalent of the Parisian Grands Magasins, only more luxurious and bigger. In fact, this shop is the largest in the world, with a floor area of 198,500 square metres! With that, the shopping possibilities are almost endless!

After all the department stores, the small designer boutiques of SoHo seem like a haven of peace in the midst of chaos. This multi-faceted district, at once chic, modern and popular, is a veritable shopping temple. As you stroll along the colourful tree-lined streets, you'll come across shops selling clothes, jewellery and interior design, all of which make you want to stop off.

Dining in Manhattan

Not far away, the restaurants in the lively Chinatown or Little Italy districts will offer you a dinner with flavours from elsewhere to end this trip to New York in style.

⭐ Where to stay in Chinatown?