New York is situated in the Northeast region
of the United States of America. Over eight million people call the Big Apple
home, and the city attracts up to fifty million
visitors a year. Ever since the Colonists arrived in 1624, New York has been continuously shaped by the
waves of immigrants drawn here by the promise of hope, and liberty. Every newcomer arrived with a cultural suitcase
that contributed to the sounds, tastes and textures of New York. But it is their dreams which built the city.
A city like no other! New York touches not only the heavens with
its mythic skyline, its influence radiates to every corner of
the globe. Every street corner it seems, is familiar
through documentary, movie and song. New York's straightforward grid system makes
it an easy city to explore by foot, taxi, or on its subway, which, just
like the city - never sleeps! In Manhattan's Midtown, you'll find many of
The Big Apple's most iconic symbols. The Art Deco-designed Empire State Building
is one of the most impressive and endearing skyscrapers ever created. The skyline may have grown up around it, but
the view from the 102nd floor is as breathtaking today as it was when it
first opened in 1931. New York has always been a place where "when
the going got tough, the tough got going". The Rockefeller Center, a visionary city within
a city, rose during the darkest days of the Great
Depression. Today, it's still a place of creativity, inspiration and even more incredible views of the city. Closer to earth is Grand Central Terminal. Step into the Main Concourse, and feel the
echo of every tearful farewell and joyous greeting throughout the station's
history. New York has always been the gateway to the
Land of the Free, but it is also the city of the spree - the
shopping spree! This city is shopaholic heaven, and Fifth Avenue with its eye-popping window
displays is the high temple of the retail world. Times Square - one of the most visited tourist
attractions on the planet. Stand here, on the corner of Broadway and
Seventh Avenue, and you stand at the crossroads of the world. It's also the place to snap up a half-price
ticket to a Broadway show. New York has been blessed with generous civic
spaces. But there is no greater chill-out space in
the Big Apple than Central Park, a beautiful 850-acre network of meadows and
lakes. This is the place where New Yorkers come to
rest, romance, and express themselves. Over the decades many New Yorkers made it
big, and much of that fabulous wealth was reinvested
into collecting some of the greatest artworks on the planet. Nowadays, much of this art is available for
everyone to enjoy. A walk through the The Metropolitan Museum
of Art is a walk through 5000 years of humankind's
greatest creative moments. The Frank Lloyd Wright designed-Guggenheim
is a different kind of walk, one which spirals ever-upward through a dizzying
collection of 20th and 21st Century masterpieces. Newcomers to New York spend much of their
time looking skyward, but since the 2001 attacks on the World Trade
Center, a new attraction gives locals and visitors
a chance to pause and bow their heads. The Reflecting Absence memorial and museum
honors the 3000 people who lost their lives on that darkest of September
days. New York resonates with the sounds of over
800 language groups, and nothing epitomizes this diversity like
the city's neighborhoods. Little Italy packs all the tastes and flavors
of Italy into just a couple of streets, while Soho attracts cool cats and well-heeled
bohemians from all over the world. A few streets away, Greenwich Village proudly
retains the cafés and bars where creative residents like Bob Dylan first
performed before becoming American icons. And then there are the boroughs. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to the melting
pot of Brooklyn. With its own distinctive neighborhoods, museums,
open spaces - and who could forget Coney Island! So welcome to New York City, The Big Apple. We've only just given you a bite-sized taste
of what this incredible city has to offer. But if you've got an appetite for the very
best things that life has to offer, this is the destination for you - there's enough to feast on here for a lifetime!�
