5 of 6

Write now Article Tools

With over 8 million people residing in less than 500 square miles, New York City is one of the world's densest places. Outsiders often think that New York is overwhelmingly huge and that residents must feel like small fish in a very big ocean as they go through their lives. However, New York's centuries of evolution have created the unique system of five boroughs and countless neighborhoods that bring this global city down to a human scale.

New York's five boroughs are Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. The most populous is Brooklyn, but most people think of Manhattan's skyscrapers when they think of New York City. Even with these divisions, the average population of a borough is over 1.5 million people. Delving deeper into New York's culture, you can find hundreds of ethnically, culturally, and architecturally unique neighborhoods in each borough.

Here is an overview of the most popular neighborhoods for visitors in each borough and some attractions that may interest you in each one.

MANHATTAN

Manhattan is the center of it all in New York. Here you will find the most iconic places and structures in New York, including the Empire State Building, Central Park, and Times Square. About 1.6 million people call Manhattan home, with many living in high-rise apartment and condo buildings. Downtown, Midtown, and Uptown are the three major classifications of neighborhoods within Manhattan.

DOWNTOWN

Downtown, or Lower Manhattan, is where you will find the Financial District. Wall Street is the heart of the Financial District, with its stock exchanges, investment firms, and powerful banks. During the day, the Financial District is bustling with activity. The site of the World Trade Center, a popular destination for visitors wishing to pay their respects, is located within the Financial District.

Battery Park City is an interesting neighborhood in Lower Manhattan. The 92-acre site was built on reclaimed land from the Hudson River, using more than a million cubic yards of material excavated during the construction of the World Trade Center. Only 10,000 people call Battery Park City home; the true fabric of the neighborhood is made up of millions of square feet of office space, including the World Financial Center.

Several of Downtown Manhattan's neighborhoods are named in a way that defines their geographic location. TriBeCa, for "Triangle Below Canal Street," is a revitalized warehouse district that is now home to loft apartments, businesses, and the celebrated

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about A visitor's guide to New York City's neighborhoods?
We want to hear your view. Write now!