Greenwich Village

Often simply referred to as “The Village”, Greenwich Village is like a small town within Manhattan. It preceded the development of Manhattan’s rigid street grid — hence its crooked, winding streets. It’s a place for walking, so give yourself a day and explore its unique tangle of restaurants, bars and historic brownstone buildings.

Greenwich Village is famous as a Bohemian capital, the cradle of the LGBT movement and the birthplace of Beat generation. For decades it’s been the haunt of great artists, from Edgar Allan Poe to Dylan Thomas; from Jimi Hendrix to Bob Dylan. Although the area’s avant-garde reputation has somewhat faded as yuppies and movie stars have moved in and rent prices have soared, it’s leafy, narrow streets still retain their unique charm.

Razzma-Jazz

The Village’s music scene is still thriving. Be sure to visit the Bitter End, a historic music venue that opened in 1961 and hosted some legendary acts before they found fame, including Joan Baez, Judy Collins, David Crosby and Bob Dylan. It has an intimate atmosphere and still hosts live acts every night.

Constellations

Even if you’ve never been to New York before, The Village will be a familiar sight. It is, for example, the main setting for “Friends” since Monica’s apartment has a Grove St address. It also features in “Mad Men”, Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rear Window” and the Coen brothers’ “Inside Llewyn Davis”, which focuses on the emerging folk scene in the 1960s. Take a tour to visit all these spots, or enjoy stumbling across them yourselves.