Introduction

New York City, arguably the world's most vibrant and sprawling metropolis, occupies five boroughs, each with its own distinct identity. After all, before the historic 1898 consolidation, Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island were each independent municipalities.

Manhattan Manhattan, home to the most recognizable sites, dominates popular perception of New York City. Its most famous districts are listed below:

Wall Street and the Financial District New York's first district remains its most historic. Wall Street investment banks coexist with landmarks like Trinity Church. Battery Park draws people for its panoramic views. The World Trade Center was also one of the area's most popular destinations, until its tragic destruction on September 11, 2001; no longer will people be able to view the city from its observation deck, and it may be years before this area of Manhattan returns to normal. Harlem Long the national epicenter of African-American culture, Harlem was home to the Harlem Renaissance, arguably this country's most influential artistic, literary and cultural movement. It has since seen some of New York's worst poverty and crime. But now, Harlem is benefiting from a booming economy, as rents rise and tourists clamor to visit its jazz clubs and Southern restaurants.

Greenwich Village At the turn of the 20th Century, Greenwich Village drew free spirits from around the nation, including poet Edna St. Vincent Millay and playwright Eugene O'Neill. As the years went on, rents inevitably rose. Now, its townhouses are some of the most expensive in the city. New York University students gather here in Washington Square Park. A diverse array of shops, bars and music clubs exist along Bleecker Street.

East Village Artists, students and yuppies have gone a long way towards gentrifying the long poor and multi-ethnic neighborhood. Today, the artistic spirit that initially brought about change remains evident. Urban gardens and art exhibits sit beside cafes, craft shops and vegetarian restaurants.

Soho & Tribeca Once home to massive factories, artists moved in and transformed the area into a bustling urban mecca. Galleries, designer shops, sophisticated restaurants and trendy bars followed soon after. Today, tourists flock here and rents have risen sky high.

Lower East Side It is hard to believe that this area once housed some of the city's worst slums. Today, rents are rising and yuppies have arrived. The historic Orchard Street Shopping District is home to several hip bars and nightclubs.

Chinatown Asian restaurants, grocery stores and trinket shops line the ever-crowded streets. One need not travel to Hong Kong for a $10 "Rolex" watch, as plenty are available here. Dim Sum and other favorites attract diners on practically every corner.

Little Italy Frank Sinatra, Italian restaurants and kitsch draw tourists to this lively neighborhood surrounding Mulberry Street. The Feast of San Gennaro still welcomes its throngs, but the neighborhood is fast being surrounded by nearby Chinatown.

Gramercy & Flatiron The majestic Flatiron Building lords over this beautiful, eclectic district marked by loft spaces to the west and pre-war residences to the east. More than a century after their construction, the apartment buildings and townhouses around Gramercy Park remain coveted addresses.

Chelsea Once a working class community, Chelsea has become a posh address. As rents in Greenwich Village rose, the vibrant gay community moved upwards to occupy Chelsea's many brownstones and loft spaces. Others followed, and today it reflects New York's ethnic and cultural diversity.

Meat Packing District Chelsea's energy was bound to spill downward into this former industrial wasteland. Now, some of the city's hottest destinations occupy spaces, once reserved for slaughtered meat.

Midtown As the name implies, Midtown is smack in the middle of everything. Nobody is really sure where Midtown begins (most would say somewhere at the 30-block), but most agree it stops around Central Park. Publishing houses, financial firms, import/export companies and fashion houses all do business here. Trump Tower entices shoppers, along with all those glorious stores along Fifth Avenue. Ice skaters twirl at Rockefeller Center and the spectacular St. Patrick's Cathedral offers serenity and spirituality.

Times Square & Hell's Kitchen Many New Yorkers miss the almost-gone seediness of Times Square, as the World of Disney has replaced sex shops and strip clubs. However, most people begrudgingly admit that it is better this way. Visitors adore everything from souvenir shops to enormous billboards and Broadway musicals. A few blocks west lies Hell's Kitchen, a community filled with eclectic restaurants, bars and shops.

Upper East Side Park, Fifth and Madison have always been posh avenues. Whether in the gilded mansions of yesterday or the area's high-rise modern apartments, old money and high society have long made their home here. Consequently, shops to serve them line Madison Avenue. Baby Gap coexists with art galleries and antique shops. Further east, new money has overtaken the old Yorkville slum.

Upper West Side When the co-ops of the East Side were freer to restrict residents, the Upper West Side became home to new money. Then, as "modernist" Eastsiders tore down their pre-war palaces, Upper West Side residents kept their old buildings and renters now value the neighborhood's attractive real estate. Meanwhile, bars and restaurants catering to Long Island and New Jersey folk (aka, the Bridge and Tunnel crowd) continue to sprout like weeds along Columbus and Amsterdam avenues.

Brooklyn This massive borough stretches from festive Coney Island to elegant Brooklyn Heights. But wherever Brooklynites hail from, they remain a largely proud lot. They can boast of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the gorgeous bridge that bears the borough's name, the Brooklyn Museum of Art, and a growing restaurant scene. Some are even proud of their accent.

Queens From Flushing to Astoria, Queens is experiencing a quiet renaissance, as refugees from Manhattan's high rents continue to discover what this working-class borough offers its residents. Inexpensive ethnic restaurants pepper the borough. Queens is also home to the Kaufman Astoria Studios and the Museum of the Moving Image.

The Bronx This borough boasts the Yankees, one of the nation's finest zoos, and an extraordinary Botanical Garden. Alas, poverty continues to exist, but areas including the South Bronx have benefited from economic booms.

Staten Island More like a middle and working class suburb than a borough of the city, Staten Island houses thousands of residents who ride the ferry to work in Manhattan each business day.