The largest city in the USA has once again managed to position itself differently with spectacular museums and new attractions. The metropolis also defines itself as the capital of more or less discreet luxury thanks to its many upscale restaurants.
It was at the southern tip of Manhattan that the first Dutch settlers built their huts and established a trading post. They founded New Amsterdam 400 years ago; they allegedly bought the land from the indigenous tribes for a few beads - and left behind the first traces that still characterize the cityscape of New York today: Broadway was once the Native Americans' footpath across the island, Wall Street the Europeans' protective wall against the old-timers.
New York has a lot to celebrate these days - despite all the difficulties, the metropolis of eight million people is one of the most visited cities in the world. Impressive art collections such as the MoMA or the Guggenheim Museum are on every traveler's bucket list, lovers stroll alongside Park Avenue celebrities in Central Park and exploring the skyscrapers fascinates newcomers and New Yorkers alike. On the Hudson River, visitors have been riding up to the highest open-air ski deck in the western hemisphere for a few months now and marveling at the city from a triangular glass platform: The Edge is located on the 100th floor of a skyscraper that was developed as part of the renovation of the old Hudson Yards. In terms of panoramic thrills, the Rockefeller Center has long since replaced the Empire State Building - not only is the viewing platform more spacious and has modern elevators, but since last year, daredevils have been able to ascend another three floors into the air with a special skylift and see Manhattan from above on the glass open-air stage at a height of 275 meters. Not for the faint-hearted!
But it's not just the main island that attracts urban adventure seekers - in recent years, tourists have flocked to all districts, the so-called Five Boroughs. The improved security situation makes this possible. Fans of traditional Italian cuisine are drawn to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, families mingle with locals in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, art lovers visit the exhibitions at "PS1" in Queens, and the beaches of Long Island increasingly attract people from other parts of the world. The hotel landscape also reflects this trend: the stylishly designed Ace Hotels have opened a branch in Brooklyn, as has the Hoxton chain; "The Penny" has opened as a neighborhood hotel in Williamsburg, the "Wythe" combines industrial chic with hipster vibes - and has exactly that longing view of the Manhattan skyline from the Brooklyn side that you simply can't get on the island.
However, this does not mean that Manhattan has abdicated: The big hotel openings continue to take place in the Big Apple's beats. Next year, the Waldorf Astoria will reopen its doors after eight years of construction, and the London-based Firmdale Group presented the tourist crowd with its third New York hotel in February: the Warren Street Hotel in Tribeca.
From there, it is not far to the contemporary galleries in the west of Chelsea, where David Zwirner maintains his representative office and represents artist stars such as Jeff Koons and Wolfgang Tillmans. For several years now, the Whitney Museum has had its spectacular new building open at the entrance to the High Line, the railroad line that has been converted into a park; the permanent exhibition includes masterpieces by Edward Hopper and Georgia O'Keeffe. Next year, the extension to the New Museum in the Bowery will also be opened to the public. Dutch star architect Rem Koolhaas has designed a building that could be a glass molar. The renowned Frick Collection will move into a historic city palace on the Upper East Side in April. New York is thus strengthening its position as a leading art metropolis.
Gastronomically, the new openings are concentrated in the West Village and Soho. César Ramirez, who has already earned three stars at Brooklyn Fare, has opened his tasting menu restaurant on Hudson Street: At "César", guests dine on 13 courses that reflect Ramirez's fondness for Japanese dishes and French traditions. Just a ten-minute walk away, "The Corner Store" in Soho has built up a loyal clientele - celebrities such as Taylor Swift swear by the upscale cuisine of North American provenance.
New York perhaps sleeps a little more since the nightlife has lost some of its intensity. On the other hand, the food is much better than it was a few decades ago - but unfortunately you have to dig a lot deeper into your pockets than the Dutch, who bought the land very cheaply back then.
Recommended reading: Don't miss this new ice rink in New York
