New York: where to sleep, how to get around and useful information

New York arrivoooo ... this is me as soon as I buy the plane tickets for this endless city!

And immediately afterwards the research begins, the study of everything you need to travel organised, but leaving, as always, something (sometimes a lot) to chance.

Everyone travels differently, everyone follows precise patterns, some buy just the one-way ticket, others book all the visits from Italy.

There are certain aspects of travelling to New York that are crucial, especially if you are staying a few days or a week: where to sleep in New York, how to get around, and plane tickets!

The first three steps ... to get to New York

1) Plane Ticket

While in the past flying to New York could be very expensive, prices have recently dropped considerably. Just browse through the search engines that I have talked about extensively in Flight Plane to find the offers. If you can fly in the low season, perhaps in March or May or October, you can find exceptional bargains. Check occasionally on secretflying.com there may be price errors that make you fly to New York from Milan for 157 euros (round trip!).

2) Where to Sleep in New York

This was my first big challenge: where to sleep in New York? You won't believe it, but I spent two months booking and 'sprenotare' hotels on Booking.com. One was too far away, then the room too small, another had no window....

But in the end I found where to sleep in New York, a hotel that had everything I was looking for: it was in the centre, the window of the room overlooked Rockefeller Center, the room was very spacious, on the second floor it had a relaxation area where you could make coffee and use while waiting to take the plane and it was brand new.

The hotel is The Jewel, a boutique hotel that I recommend to everyone who wants to visit New York.

Apart from this hotel, if you are going to New York for a few days, in my opinion, the best choice is to sleep in Manhattan, so as to be comfortable in the centre. New York as you know is divided into districts. It is important to have a map with the names in hand so that we have an idea of which area is best for our route.

This is my personal ranking of the best areas of where to sleep in New York:

• Midtown Manhattan or the 'centre of the world', where hotels cost even more, but you can walk to almost everything. The hotel I used, The Jewel, is also located here.

• Upper West Side, which runs along the west side of Central Park. Here you will find beautiful boutique hotels, the centre is within walking distance or better by underground. This is a very quiet area, with tree-lined boulevards and away from the hustle and bustle of Time Square.

• Long Island City in Queens, here you can find cheaper hotels, but you always have to take the underground to get to Manhattan. If you have more time on your hands this can be a good choice to save money.

In order to choose the right hotel for you, you should spend some time researching. Have a look at the booking sites (see article on Where to Sleep) taking care to filter by zone, ratings and other options important to you. As for thebreakfast option, very few Manhattan hotels include it (unless you go for very high prices), but already finding the kettle in your room can be useful... just add some cookies!

3) Getting around New York

Visiting New York? The first means of transport is definitely 'walking'. I have never walked as much as in New York, I have lost 10 centimetres in height, as my husband says, but it is the best way to visit. By the way, you can walk comfortably, by now all parts of Manhattan are safe (of course, always with the usual caution!).

You can also opt for the famous hop-on hop-off buses , which are very useful for getting around the main areas and stopping where and how much you want. We used it the first time to visit New York and it is interesting not to miss the main attractions. We used the Red Bus, bought online with a discount (the site used was Hop-on Bus Tour)

The Subway and Bus are another way to get from one district to another, or just to take a look at the colourful carriages. New York's Subway (underground) is very extensive, open every day 24 hours a day. To get your bearings, it is best to download theapp with the map you can find on the official MTA website. Here are some useful tips:

• pay attention to the direction. When going North you should choose the direction Uptown. If you are going South, the direction is Downtown;

• if you plan to use the Metro or Bus frequently (the ticket is valid for both), it is best to buy a Metrocard (for a week-long trip, the Unlimited Ride at the price of $32 for 7 days is optimal);

• consider that a metro or bus ride costs $3, so evaluate for yourself the convenience or otherwise of a card. We used the metro just once, just to try ????.

A final means of transport that has become increasingly popular in recent years is the bicycle. In New York there are plenty of routes that can be used by bike, so you don't have to risk getting run over by some crazy yellow taxi! You can rent bikes for a day (cost $12 with maximum 30-minute rides, with CityBike NY) or you can rent them directly on site, like in Central Park.

Some cautions for cycling around New York

• brakes, often American bikes do not have brakes on the handlebars, but to stop you have to turn the pedals in the opposite direction (I was running over a child the first time I took it);

• use of helmets, compulsory only for children;

• to park you must use the 'racks' and tie them with the padlock provided;

• do not tie the padlock to a light pole, otherwise you could be fined.

Finally, the cable car. Yes, you read that right. In New York there is a cable car, the Roosevelt Island Tramway, which will take you from Roosevelt Island to the Upper Eas Side. The ride only takes 7 minutes, you will see the skyscrapers of Manhattan from above, run parallel to the Queensboro Bridge and get a fun and alternative view of New York. A must try!

? Visa

One of the first things to get for a trip to New York is the Esta, the visa that you have to do online (cost 14$) and lasts two years, using ONLY the official website ( ESTA official website). The online questionnaire is very easy to fill out, and the response is almost immediate. However, I recommend filling it out at least two months before departure.

Please note, if you have been in Iraq, Syria, Iran or Sudan from 1 March 2011 onwards, the online ESTA will not be accepted, you will have to go to one of the Embassies in Italy.

? To and from the airport

From JFK and Newark airports there is the Airtrain, which is an underground that goes into the city (Jamaica Station and Howard Beach) at a cost of $5. From the stations you then take the metro to your area. If you have luggage and are tired it's not exactly a smooth ride, we used shared buses or taxis. From La Guardia there is no Airtrain but only the bus (arriving at La Guardia gives you the best view of New York!).

Another way is the shared buses, which you can easily find at the airport by following the Ground Transportation signs. There are several, depending on where you want to go. On average, the cost is around 25/30$.

The absolute most convenient way is the Taxi, but it is also the most expensive. Consider that all taxis have a fixed rate from the airport. From JFK, for example, it costs $52, plus tax, toll and tip.

? Food

New York can be very expensive to eat. However, you can save a little money, and even have some fun, by eating at the various truck-food outlets in Manhattan. There is an app that lets you know which 'food on wheels' is nearby.

? Other districts

If you have some time on your hands, don't limit yourself to the Manhattan area, but also visit lesser-known but very nice districts, such as Brooklyn and Queens. In particular the areas of Williamsburg in Brooklyn and Long Island City and Astoria in Queens.

? Credit Cards

Everything in New York is paid for by credit card. Remember to enable your card for international travel before you leave. If you really have to use cash, avoid exchanging Euros at the airport or at the Exchange Offices in Manhattan, the exchange rates are pitiful. Instead, bring a few dollars from Italy.

? Tickets

In order to save money on a trip to New York, it is best to buy entrance or tour tickets in advance, online. A good tool I have learnt to use is Tripindicator, which finds the best 'deals'.

? Adaptor

Remember to bring an adaptor for the USA, because here it works on 110v and with different plugs than in Italy.

? Tips

Last, very important attention concerns tips: in New York, as in the rest of the USA, tips are almost an obligation, from the taxi driver to the waiter in the smallest restaurant, everyone rounds up their salary with 'tips' don't forget!

Now that you have all the information you need, you've figured out where to sleep in New York and bought your ticket, all that's left to do is to choose your ideal itinerary and set off for the city of dreams, the 'city always on its feet' that will give you so many emotions that you'll never want to leave!

Let yourself be embraced by New York's colourful buildings, watch the coloured trails on the Hudson River and relax in Central Park surrounded by squirrels ... New York hardly remains indifferent, New York lives in the hearts of all those who have visited it at least once.

It only remains for me to wish you Bon Voyage