Informations
Manhattan, one of New York City's five boroughs, is a legendary island that embodies the prestige, energy, and grandeur of the American metropolis.
Bordered by the Hudson River to the west, the East River to the east, and the Harlem River to the north, Manhattan is the historical, economic, cultural, and symbolic heart of New York City.
It all began here, with the founding of New Amsterdam by the Dutch in the 17th century, before the island became the anchor point of the city’s staggering growth.
Even today, Manhattan remains the most well-known, most visited, and most photographed borough of New York.
The island is divided into several iconic neighborhoods, each with its own atmosphere, history, and landmarks.
In the south, Lower Manhattan concentrates global economic power with Wall Street, the New York Stock Exchange, One World Trade Center, and the 9/11 Memorial.
It’s also the historic arrival point for immigrants from Europe, with Battery Park and its view of the Statue of Liberty.
Moving north toward Midtown, one discovers the most famous Manhattan: the one of monumental skyscrapers, the Rockefeller Center, Fifth Avenue, Grand Central Terminal, the Public Library, Times Square, and of course, the iconic Empire State Building.
It’s also the city’s touristic and commercial heart, with an impressive concentration of shops, restaurants, TV studios, and entertainment venues, including the world-famous Broadway theaters.
Further north, Upper Manhattan is home to Central Park, a vast green oasis spanning 843 acres, a true lung of the city where New Yorkers come to jog, picnic, stroll, or attend outdoor concerts.
Surrounding the park are upscale neighborhoods like the Upper West Side and Upper East Side, known for their elegant residences, prestigious museums (such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim, or the Museum of Natural History) and renowned private schools.
Even further north, Harlem embodies the African American soul of the city: a neighborhood rich in history, birthplace of jazz, Black culture, the civil rights movement, and today, undergoing a vibrant cultural and artistic renaissance.
Manhattan is also an island of social and cultural contrasts, where ultra-luxurious neighborhoods border more modest areas, where glass skyscrapers stand alongside historic brownstones, and where luxury brands mix with street markets and small independent shops.
Economically, Manhattan is home to the United Nations headquarters, hundreds of multinational companies, major banks, and innovative startups.
It’s also a major academic hub with prestigious institutions such as Columbia University, New York University (NYU), and the Juilliard School for the arts.
The island pulses 24/7, driven by the sound of sirens, yellow taxis, multilingual conversations, music flowing from clubs, and the constant buzz of street festivals.
It is connected to the rest of the city and to New Jersey by a dense network of bridges, tunnels, subway lines, ferries, and bike lanes.
Manhattan is a showcase of the modern world, a land of encounters, creativity, ambition, and innovation.
It fascinates, it inspires, it overflows with energy, and more than any other place, it symbolizes the American Dream, the global city, the melting pot, and the spirit of freedom.
Whether you’re visiting for the first time or coming back again and again, Manhattan is a constant spectacle, a source of wonder, and an unforgettable experience.