Greenwich Village, Soho, Chinatown and Little Italy

Manhattan is a very large island that is one of the 5 boroughs into which New York City is divided.

Being so large, it contains a large number of neighborhoods with their own very well-defined characteristics, despite the fact that the borders of the neighborhoods are not so.

Among all these neighborhoods, there are 4 that stand out and are very important touristically speaking. These are Greenwich Village, SoHo, Chinatown and Little Italy.

Greenwich Village

Greenwich Village, better known as the Village among New Yorkers, is a neighborhood on the west side of Manhattan that stretches from Broadway to the Hudson River.

Its origin dates back to 1712 but its population increased significantly in 1822 when an outbreak of yellow fever in New York caused people to move to this neighborhood.

This neighborhood is considered a gay icon because this is where the Stonewell Inn is located, the pub where riots began in 1969 that gave rise to the gay liberation movement. The neighborhood also gives its name to the famous group “The Village People”.

In addition to the atmosphere that exists, we can find in this neighborhood the University of New York, Sarah Jessica Parker’s house both in real life and in the series Sex in New York or the house where the protagonists of Friends lived. We recommend going to the Magnolia Bakery, their cupcakes are the best in New York.

The soho

New York’s SoHo is a neighborhood of lofts and studios that emerged in the old factories that were in the area that were converted. The neighborhood became famous during the 1960s and 1970s when a large number of artists moved into it.

Over time, the sociocultural level of the neighborhood grew and the artists moved to other areas, but the lofts continued to be the symbol of the neighborhood.

Currently SoHo, whose name comes from South Houston for being south of Houston Street, stands out for the fashion shops, art galleries and exclusive restaurants that can be found in it.

Chinatown

The Chinatown neighborhood is one of the most curious neighborhoods in New York and of course here you will think you are in another country, specifically in China.

This neighborhood arose when Chinese immigrants grouped together to defend their rights and fight against the racism they suffered.

Over time it grew with the arrival of new Chinese immigrants and has even absorbed neighboring Little Italy.

The main feature of Chinatown is the number of stores that exist where all kinds of counterfeit items are sold imitating the big fashion brands, bags or watches. In some cases the shops are hidden in basements where they will offer to drive you down the street but many of these shops are perfectly situated at street level.

Of course, you will also find many Chinese restaurants where you can taste their cuisine. It is recommended not to visit this neighborhood after 6 in the afternoon, because at that time, it is deserted.

Little Italy

The Little Italy neighborhood was born when the Italians who lived in New York regrouped in it to defend their rights.

Currently the neighborhood has been reduced to very few streets, especially due to the great expansion of Chinatown that is absorbing it.

The main street of Little Italy is Mulberry Street where you will find the best Italian restaurants where you can taste its famous cuisine.

Also of note in this neighborhood are the San Genaro festivities, in mid-September, when different parades and street stalls are held.