New York 2015

Arrival

Our tour began on 25.08 in the afternoon; having arrived at JFK airport we took the GO AIRLINK shuttle booked from home (42$ for 2, round trip JFK-Hotel Jolly Madison, super punctual) and after dropping our suitcases at the hotel we went straight out onto the street; the first stop was the nearby Central Station, where we bought our subway tickets. This place, like the Chrysler Building you could see beside it, and every other place in NY, brings to mind numerous films and TV series, so I won't dwell any further on that. From there, walking along 42nd street, we went to Times Square, where we practically went back every evening. This square is crazy: shops, restaurants, theatres along the Broadway that runs through it...

there's everything!!! Here we went to eat at the Hard Rock Café: a hamburger with fries that was nothing short of fabulous, and then we went back to the hotel because the tiredness was starting to set in, walking along 7th Avenue as far as Madison Square Garden and alongside the Empire on 33rd str, heading back up Madison Ave to the hotel.

Return

Finally on 01.09 in the afternoon, after yet another tour of Times Square, we returned to Italy.

The Empire

On 26.08 we got up very early — it must have been the time difference or else the adrenaline, but we weren't sleepy at all, so by 7.00 we were already out on the street and after a breakfast at Pret-a-manger we went up the Empire State Building. Inside you can admire photos and read explanations about the history of this skyscraper while going up to the 86th floor, where you can admire the city from above: it's a breathtaking image, an expanse of skyscrapers, bridges, Central Park, the Hudson River and the Statue of Liberty, tiny in the background. After coming down from the Empire we went to the MoMa museum: paintings, photos and sculptures from various periods, definitely very beautiful. Here, among other things, we admired Van Gogh's Starry Night and many paintings by Andy Warhol. We then headed to 5th Avenue and walked down as far as St.

Patrick's Cathedral: inside they were cleaning in view of Pope Francis's visit, which took place a few weeks later. Opposite the church is the immense Rockefeller shopping centre and we took a look around, so we saw the square where they set up the Christmas tree and which in other periods is an open-air bar, we saw Radio City Music Hall from outside and did some shopping, stopping to eat in a bar. From there we went back to the hotel, relaxed and freshened up and then went to Times Square for dinner at Bubba Gump, a place inspired by the famous film Forrest Gump, where we ate excellent shrimp. Finally we went back up the Empire (the city pass allowed the night visit on the same day) to admire the city at night... FABULOUS!!! Unfortunately, unlike in the morning, we found loads of people, but it was truly worth it.

The Statue of Liberty and the World Trade Center

On 27.08 we went to visit the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island, taking the ferry at Battery Park. The visit also includes Ellis Island, where you can visit the Immigration Museum. Back in South Manhattan we headed back up along Broadway, making a stop at Wall Street to see the NY Stock Exchange and the buildings of the financial centre, as well as the now-famous Bull that everyone wants a photo of. The Trinity Church with its old cemetery is also there, and continuing up we reached Ground Zero to admire the World Trade Center, the Memorial Pool and the Memorial Museum. The latter is truly very moving and is located several floors underground, where the Twin Towers once stood.

Brooklyn

On 28.08 we went to Brooklyn and walked across the famous bridge, then went down into the park below to admire the legendary Skyline, reaching the Manhattan Bridge. From here we went back to Manhattan and went to the American Museum of Natural History, the one known for the films shot there and where the world's most important dinosaur skeletons are found. Opposite it is Central Park and you can admire the monument paying tribute to John Lennon, because that's where he was assassinated. The day ended with a walk along the High Line, an old elevated railway line suitably restored and today a destination for many people who want to relax walking among old decorated buildings and equipped green areas between 13th and 33rd street.

Central Park, Guggenheim and Broadway

On 29.08 we went to Harlem to take a tour along the avenues of Columbia University; from there we went down to visit St. John the Divine Cathedral and then North Central Park. This green area is truly immense; there are little lakes, fountains, lawns, statues and plenty of vegetation. Going back down along 5th Avenue we thus reached the Guggenheim Museum, famous more for its modern shape than for the contemporary art works on display. The visit is a must and it truly left us astonished. From there we headed to Times Square, where we managed to buy tickets for the musical Chicago for that same evening at half price at the TKTS shop, which is under the red steps. We took the opportunity to do some shopping and then went to the theatre. It was a fantastic experience; obviously we understood almost nothing of the jokes, but the dancing and the acting were incredible!!!

Central Park and the MET

On 30.08 we visited the Central Park Zoo, which is in the south of the park. It's small but nice; we even managed to see the bears. Heading back up we admired many famous spots in the park, places that appear in so many films, such as Bethesda, the Conservatory Water, Belvedere Castle and the Literary Walk, finally reaching the MET Museum. This museum is enormous; if you want to see it, you'd better decide straight away what interests you and limit yourself to that, otherwise you risk fainting. This day ended with a very long walk along 5th Avenue, the shopping street; here you find all the most famous fashion houses in the world as well as many other shops. Finally, in the evening we went back to Brooklyn to admire the Skyline and the bridges at night, a spectacle absolutely not to be missed.

Intrepid Museum

On 31.08 we went to Madison Square Park to admire the Flatiron Building, a building famous for its triangular shape, then we went to Pier 86 and visited the Intrepid Museum. It is an aircraft carrier now decommissioned on which it is possible to admire a series of aircraft, from fighters to supersonic ones, from helicopters to the Concorde; moreover it is possible to visit its interiors including the command cabin and the anchor room, but the main attraction is definitely the Shuttle Enterprise. Afterwards we went to China Town and Little Italy and took a stroll among the stalls, the little shops and the numerous restaurants.