New York is one of those endless cities, in which to fully enjoy the trip, it is important to choose very carefully what activities you want to do and which ones to discard, according to your preferences.
In our case, when they ask us, one of the experiences that we most recommend to travelers who travel for the first time to the city of skyscrapers, and want to know beyond the tourist area of Manhattan, is the New York Contrast tour.
In addition to being the most famous excursion in the city, doing this tour will allow you to know some lesser-known neighborhoods of New York such as the multicultural Queens, the controversial Harlem or the quiet Brooklyn, by the hand of an expert guide in Spanish who will tell you the history and the most interesting anecdotes of each place.
Based on the experience of our 11-day trip to New York, during which we did this tour, we tell you all the places to see in the New York Contrast Tour.
Before starting the Tour Contrasts
Before starting the tour it is advisable to take into account the following details:
- The tour, which includes transportation and guide in Spanish, lasts approximately 5 hours, so it will take you almost a whole morning.
- There are several hotels in the center of Manhattan from which you can start the tour like the Sheraton New York Times Square, the Roger Smith Hotel, the Riu Times Square and the Hotel Pennsylvania.
- Remember that drinks and meals are not included and the tip is voluntary.
- The tour of contrasts takes place on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 8 am and Sunday at 12:45.
- If you want to know other meeting points, in the event that your hotel is not among those mentioned, know personal opinions of other travelers who have done this same tour or simply have more extensive information about the tour, you can consult the page of This company that performs the New York Contrast Tour.
1. The Bronx
The Contrast Tour begins arriving early in the morning at the Bronx, one of the most famous and conflictive neighborhoods in New York. This district, cradle of rap and hip hop, still maintains the dangerous fame of the 80s, when account adjustments and crimes were common. Nowadays most of its areas are safe and although they can be visited for free, especially during the day, maintaining some caution and knowing what places are covered, it is much more advisable to do it with a tour if it is your first time in New York.
The first bus stop in this neighborhood is Yankee Stadium, one of the most important and largest baseball stadiums in the world, where the New York Yankees play at home. It was opened in 2009 and has a capacity for more than 50,000 spectators.
After seeing the stadium on the outside and some graffiti depicting its great stars like Joe DiMaggio, you will head to the police station that came out in the Fuerte Apache movie.
During the walk through this area you can see several graffiti of gang members, who tell the violent history of the neighborhood, until you reach the famous mural of the "I Love The Bronx", which will put an end to the visit to this interesting neighborhood.
Bronx graffiti
2. Queens
Queens, the largest district and one of the most essential places to visit in New York, is the next stop on the route of sites to see in the Tour Contrasts.
Among the most interesting points you will visit in Queens during the Tour Contrasts are the beautiful and luxurious houses of Malba, the Flushing Meadows Park, which has the stadium where the United States Tennis Open is held every year, and Roosevelt Avenue . In this street and its adjacent ones you can see at a glance how the inhabitants and businesses of each part of the neighborhood originate from a different area of the world, thus knowing the true essence of the most multicultural neighborhood in New York.
Queens, one of the places to see in the Tour Contrasts
3. Brooklyn
The Contrast Tour continues in Brooklyn, visiting Williamsburg, an increasingly fashionable neighborhood in the city, where a large community of Orthodox Jews resides. This contrast between local design, graffiti, young hipsters and the Jewish community, which preserves the traditions for centuries, will have an impact at first sight during your visit to the neighborhood.
If you are interested in the traditions of Orthodox Jews, it is advisable to match the excursion of contrasts on the Sabbath day that is celebrated on the Sabbath, the holiday of the Jews and the neighborhood is much more lively.
After a walk around this neighborhood, the tour ends near the Brooklyn Bridge, the most famous and beautiful city in which we recommend eating a pizza at Grimaldi's or Juliana's, two great classics of the city and one of the best Things to do in New York.
Although the tour ends in this area, we recommend you follow the route for free enjoying the views of the Manhattan skyline from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade and Empire Fulton Ferry Park viewpoints, then cross the Brooklyn Bridge and end this incredible day of the better way.
Brooklyn bridge
Conclusion
Although all the places that are visited during the New York Contrast Tour can be reached by free using the accessible subway, we leave you several reasons why we recommend booking this organized excursion.
1. It allows you to have a first contact with three essential neighborhoods, which most people do not visit during their trip, and have a broader view of New York.
2. Being a bus tour you will save time on trips, since there is some tour visit it is far from public transport stops.
3. Know the history of each neighborhood and each place through a local expert and in your own language, something that will allow you to know details and anecdotes that do not appear in any guide.
4. It is located at number one of the tours and excursions in New York most recommended by travelers visiting the city.
** This article is written as part of a collaboration with CITY TRAVEL NEW YORK, but always based on our experiences, with original content and without any brand having influenced us in any case.
