Bright lights, big city: New York, the city that never sleeps

As far as cities go, New York is probably up there with the best of them. In terms of its sheer scale, size and mesmerising skyline, New York is perhaps the very definition of what makes a city, a city. Indeed, as the USA’s most populous and largest city since 1790, ‘The City That Never Sleeps’ is exactly that - with a 24-hour underground railway system and a round-the-clock hustle and bustle that can be matched by few other destinations on earth. Most major cities in the world will have at least one iconic building, recognisable by its silhouette alone. But New York City has perhaps more than its fair share of symbolic structures – The Statue of Liberty, The Empire State Building and Brooklyn Bridge to name but a few. But there’s probably little need to wax-lyrical about such famous monuments, as they pretty much to their own talking. So, what else exactly does New York have to offer? Well, a good starting point for any trip to the big apple would be a short cruise around what is perhaps one of the world’s finest Natural harbours. New York Harbour is located near the mouth of the Hudson River, and is not only home to The Statue of Liberty, but also the slightly less well-known Ellis Island, which was once the main entry point for immigrants entering the USA. There is now a fascinating museum on the island which can be reached by ferry from the southern tip of Manhattan. Among the museum’s highlights is a self-guided exhibit chronicling the history of the island, including interactive displays, photographs and artefacts. But of course, many people choose to visit New York not so much for its history, but to experience the buzz and excitement of life in a modern, vibrant metropolis. And for this, look no further than Times Square. Famous for its animated digital advertisements, Times Square is by many people’s definition the ‘centre’ of New York City and every New Years Eve, one of the biggest gatherings in the world takes place here to see-in the New Year. Indeed, like most cities of this magnitude, much of the appeal of New York City is in simply ‘being there’ and soaking-up the atmosphere, and hence no trip to The Big Apple is complete without a visit to Greenwich Village. Historically, ‘the village’ is renowned as being where the Beat Movement began, giving prominence to writers, poets and musicians, including Bob Dylan. Today, Greenwich Village is home to many bars, restaurants, bookstores and boutiques and is a great place to spend an afternoon, wandering idly around. Flights to Newyork are certainly not in short supply, and it’s possible to fly there directly from most other major cities. Moreover, John F. Kennedy International Airport has eight terminals in total, handling around 60,000 passengers each day, making it one of the busiest airports in the world. And with so much going on in New York City, it’s little wonder that it’s the city that never sleeps.