Posted on Monday, 8 February 2021

New York - it needs no introduction, but let's introduce it anyway: skyscrapers, hot dogs, grumpy (and not-so-grumpy) natives, yellow cabs, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building...

So much to see and do. But what if you only have two days? Why not consider the following itinerary for your small trip to the Big Apple.

Day 1: Mostly Attractions

Brooklyn Bridge

Leave your hotel early and hop on a subway to the Brooklyn Bridge, connecting Manhattan to Brooklyn - (named after the picturesque Dutch town of Breukelen). Here you can enjoy the early morning atmosphere as New Yorkers go about their business, with most of the human traffic heading into Manhattan.

Breakfast at the Hole in the Wall

Walk into the south of Manhattan via Brooklyn Bridge and head over to the nearby Hole in the Wall for a hearty New York breakfast. Popular items include poached egg and avocado on toast, and cheeseburger and tater tots.

Oculus, World Trade Center

Oculus is an incredible white transportation hub beside the new World Trade Center. Arguably the most other-worldly structure in New York, Oculus is an astonishing piece of architecture - inside and out.

Stroll a mile or two north and you'll find yourself in Greenwich Village. Here you'll find the famous apartment building featured in "friends''.

High Line Park

Saunter a little further north and explore one of the most unique public parks on the planet. High Line Park has been landscaped on an old railway line, 30 feet above the city streets.

The Vessel

OK, we said Oculus was one of New York's most ethereal structures, but maybe we were wrong. Doubtless you'll agree when you clap eyes on The Vessel at Hudson Yards. This remarkable interactive artwork is a honeycomb-like structure comprising 154 interconnecting flights of stairs, 80 landings and nearly 2,500 steps. The building serves absolutely no purpose at all - apart from amazing people. It's free but you must reserve your slot.

After your first full day, take the legendary - and slightly post-apocalyptic - Subway back to your hotel for some well-deserved snooze time in the city that never sleeps.

Day 2: Mostly Food

Breakfast in Williamsburg (Brooklyn)

Start your day in Williamsburg - a hotspot for hipsters, craft beers, cafes and a lot of art. Fuel up with breakfast Geertes, offering artisanal bagels (turkey, egg and hot sauce, anyone?) and plenty of drinks served in mason jars (the hipster's vessel of choice).

Martha's Country Bakery

After all that salty deliciousness, you'll need a sugar boost. That's where Martha's Country Bakery comes in, offering as it does a truly mind-boggling choice of cheesecakes. Next, work off some of those calories by exploring the varied architecture of Williamsburg.

Artists and Fleas - flea market

Next, walk over to nearby (and ever-so-slightly-hipster) Artists and Fleas, an upmarket flea market, where you can pick up reasonably-priced clothes, jewelry and sunglasses - all with that hipster je ne sais quoi.

Artichoke Pizza

Don't make the mistake of ordering an entire pizza, because most folks struggle to finish a single slice (and you can choose from a wide variety of pizza toppings, as long as they include artichoke).

Enjoy the Manhattan skyline

From the Brooklyn side of the East River you can take in one of the best-known vistas in the world - Manhattan.

Rockefeller Center

Take the Subway north to the Rockefeller Center - one of New York's most iconic locations, best known for its vast ice skating rink (November 21 until January 17, 2021).

View from the Rockefeller Building

Afterwards, you can take the lift - or "elevator" - 70 floors up to the top of the Rockefeller Building. While it gives you fabulous views over central Manhattan and Central Park, it does cost between $32 and $38 per person, depending on the time you visit.

Radio City & Central Park

Take in the world-famous facade of Radio City Music Hall, then head north to Central Park, where you can rent a bike for $3.23 an hour. It's a great way to see this legendary public space.

Stuffed Ice Cream

New York is famed for offering the most over-the-top and biggest of everything, and nothing encapsulates this ethos more than Stuffed Ice Cream, where you can buy an ice cream with 21 scoops of ice cream!

Village Square Pizza

Not far from Stuffed Ice Cream is Village Square Pizza, so named not because it is located on a plaza, but because the pizza slices are square. This means less crust and more flavour! Drizzle yours in ‘honey spicy sauce' for the full experience.

Times Square

As night falls, head over to one of the Big Apple's most celebrated locales - Times Square, for your obligatory Instagram selfie, and return to your hotel, tired but happy.

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