Manhattan/Greenwich Village

Greenwich Village was once a large industrial park; later, it was colonized by radicals, bohemians, beatniks, artists, and literary greats squatting in abandoned factories. High rents exclude most of their ilk today (their countercultural counterparts are NYU students with parental support) but the Village still has its charm.
Greenwich Village, home to a vibrant artistic and literary community in the 1950s, occupies the space between Houston Street and 14th Street. The central portion surrounds Washington Square Park and includes NYU's large campus and a thriving B&T (bridge & tunnel - a pejorative term) nightlife scene on MacDougal Street. West of University Place are many historic and attractive brownstones and some of the city's best restaurants and bars. The area's traditional avant garde reputation - it was a major center of the gay rights movement in the 1970s, for example - has somewhat faded as yuppies and movie stars move in.
Many people worldwide who have never been to the Village are familiar with the Village Voice newspaper, which is actually published in the East Village.
Greenwich Village is also the main setting for the TV series Friends as Monica's apartment has a Grove St. address, and there are numerous references to nearby areas such as Bleecker St. and SoHo (although the series was actually filmed in the Warner Brother studios in Los Angeles).
Note that the "East Village" was not historically part of Greenwich Village and is still considered by many New Yorkers to be part of the Lower East Side, but the term "West Village" is synonymous with Greenwich Village, or at least that part of the neighborhood that is west of 6th Av. or so. In the 19th century, Greenwich Village's eastern portion was better known as Washington Square. Washington Square Park remains a neighborhood landmark, but the terms "The Village," "Greenwich Village," and "West Village" are practically interchangeable.

By subway

Greenwich Village is served by many subway lines:

• The 1, 2, and 3 lines run under 7th Avenue, with the 1 stopping at Christopher Street station (next to the picturesque Sheridan Square) and all three stopping at 14th Street (a passageway allows free transfer to 14th St./6th Av. station).
• The A, B, C, D, E, F, and M lines stop in the middle of the Village at the West 4th Street station (at the intersection of West 4th Street and 6th Avenue), with the A, C, and E serving 14th St. and 8th Av. station and the F and M lines serving 14th St. and 6th Av. station (a passageway at 14th St./6th Av. allows free transfer to 14th St./7th Av. station).
• The R and W line runs under Broadway, along with the N at night and on weekends, serving the 8th Street NYU and Union Square stations on the edge of the neighborhood.
• The L line runs under 14th Street, stopping at the 14th St./6th Av., 14th St./8th Av., and Union Square stations.
• The 4, 5, 6, and Q lines also serve Union Square.

By PATH

The PATH (Port Authority Trans-Hudson) train, a subway-style transit system, is convenient and inexpensive for going to points on 6th Av. up to 33 St. (one block east of Penn Station) and to Hoboken and Journal Square in New Jersey. One can transfer from Journal Square to the PATH line that terminates at Newark - Penn Station (not to be confused with New York's Penn Station), and get from there to Newark Airport by local Newark bus. Within Greenwich Village, the PATH stops at Christopher St. between Hudson and Greenwich Sts. and at both 9th St. and 14th St. at 6th Avenue.

By bus

The double-decker tour buses whisk their way up 6th Av., but why not take an MTA bus, get off, and do your own tour?
In this neighborhood, the following uptown/downtown buses operate:

• The M20 goes uptown on Hudson St. and 8th Av., downtown on 7th Av.
• The M5 and M6 go uptown on 6th Av.. The M6 goes downtown on Broadway, the M5 on 5th Av. to 8th St., then east on 8th and downtown on Broadway to its terminus on Houston St.
• The M3 goes uptown on University Place and downtown on 5th Av.
• The M2 goes uptown on 4th Av. and downtown on 5th Av.
• The M11 goes uptown on Greenwich St. and downtown on Hudson St. to and from Abingdon Square.
• There is also the M7, which has its downtown terminus on 14th St. and Broadway, just south of Union Square.

There are also crosstown buses:

• The M14 goes across 14th St.
• The M8 goes west on 9th and Christopher Sts., east on 10th and 8th Sts.

The M14 is by far the most frequent at all hours. There is also a crosstown bus on Houston St., the M21, but it runs fairly infrequently and tends to get backed up in traffic, so it is not recommended if there is a good alternative. The M21 does not run between approximately midnight and 6AM See the MTA website for more information.

On foot

If you are close enough to walk to the Village, do it. Walking is the best way to experience the character of neighborhoods in Manhattan and the contrast and continuity between them.

By bicycle

The park along the Hudson River has a popular bike path. Many people also ride along city streets in this neighborhood, many of which are pretty quiet side streets.

It is possible to take some of the aforementioned buses along the avenues in the Village, but there are so many side streets that are worth wandering on and cannot be accessed by public transit. Walking is really optimal, or you can cycle. Cabs are numerous throughout the neighborhood, too.

• New York UniversityThe main campus for NYU is found in Greenwich Village, centered around Washington Square Park.

• Washington Square ParkThe park and its famous arch are located in the heart of the Village. Though located in the middle of an affluent neighborhood, the park attracts a hodgepodge of people. During the warmer months of the school term, the park is a favourite hangout spot for students from nearby NYU. Part of the charm of the park is the view of the buildings across the street. All these buildings are now owned by NYU, and though there has been some controversial construction in recent years, most of the stately 19th-century dwellings pictured in the classic movie The Heiress (based on Henry James' novel, Washington Square) are still there for you to enjoy looking at.

• Grove Court

  address: Grove St
  The setting for O'Henry's famous short story, The Last Leaf.

• Stonewall National Monument

  phone: +1 212-668-2577

Greenwich Village has developed as a home for a significant number of off-Broadway theater companies and lots of music venues.

• Cherry Lane Theater

  phone: +1 212 989-2020
  address: 38 Commerce St

• West 4th Street Courts

  address: W 4th Street and 6th Avenue
  Even if you haven't heard of these basketball courts, you've probably seen them in TV commercials and movies, as "The Cage" (referring to the small, chain-link fence enclosed court) is the site of many intense, very physical pick-up games and informal "streetball" tournament matches. It's not a place to play unless you really know what you're getting into, but it's worth watching if you're interested in a more intense, physical form of basketball.

Film

• IFC Center

  phone: +1 212 924-7771
  address: 323 Sixth Ave
  An art house theater showing independent films and documentaries. It is owned by the IFC network (an extension of AMC), so a lot of premiers and television broadcasts take place here.

• Quad Cinema

  phone: +1 212 255-2243
  address: 34 West 13th St
  One of the older independent cinemas, showing a regular schedule of independent, foreign and documentary films.

• Angelika Film Center

  phone: +1 212 995-2000
  address: 18 West Houston St
  Just down the street from Film Forum, the Angelika plays new independent and foreign films, many of which are screened in no American city but New York. The cafe upstairs is something of a hotspot as well.

• Cinema Village

  phone: +1 212 629-5097
  address: 22 East 12th St
  Cinema Village specializes in showing documentaries, independent and foreign films. Often the films there will not be playing anywhere else in the country and Q&As with directors are common at opening weekends.

Music

• Village Vanguard

  phone: +1 212 255-4037
  address: 178 7th Avenue South
  Presents a great lineup of jazz performers in a quiet room (except for the music) that has good acoustics.

• Blue Note

  phone: +1 212 475-8592
  address: 131 West 3rd St.
  Also has a lineup of famous jazz and blues performers. It feels a little more like a bar (with people talking during the show) and a little less like a venue that's only about the music.

• Small's

  phone: +1 212 675-7369
  address: 183 W. 10 St.
  A great place to hear excellent jazz at low prices.

• 55 Bar

  phone: +1 212-929-9883
  address: 55 Christopher St
  This bar has some good blues and jazz acts, but what's so unusual about it is that it dates back to 1919 and still has a lot of the original furnishings and Beaux Arts-style lamps. Keep your drink orders simple and enjoy the atmosphere.

The Village is full of unique stores, sometimes so specialized in what they sell that you might feel as if you just walked into your secret collection of some obscure item that you assumed nobody else cared about. There are record stores which sell only oldie vinyls, bookstores larger than an average library, and chess shops where a full chess set might rival with a car in price.

• Generation Records

  phone: +1 212 254-1100
  address: 210 Thompson St
  Best place in the city to buy hardcore, metal, industrial, punk, and alternative records.

• Three Lives & Company

  address: 154 W. 10th St
  A local independent bookstore, this microscopic yet utterly delightful place is the essence of Greenwich Village, with an extremely knowledgeable and passionate staff.

• Warehouse Wines and Spirits

  phone: +1 212 982-7770
  address: 735 Broadway
  Generally quite inexpensive wines and liquors, good recommendations and fast service.

• Shoegasm

  phone: +1 212-691-2091
  address: 71 8th Avenue
  Fashionable shoes for men and women at affordable prices. The Chelsea location (one of five in Manhattan) boasts a unique aesthetic with antique furniture, Persian rugs, and brick walls.

You'll find hundreds of restaurants and sidewalk cafés of virtually every culture. All-American, Mexican, Indian, Italian, Polish, Pakistani, Spanish, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese...the list goes on... At many spots you'll find affordable eats with the chance to enjoy your meal on the sidewalk. There are also some well-known upscale restaurants in the neighborhood.

• Arturo's

  phone: +1 212 677-3820
  address: 106 West Houston St
  A popular local pizza restaurant with an "old-time" theme, serving coal oven pizza with a lightly charred, crispy crust. There is live jazz there every night.

• Babbo

  phone: +1 212 777-0303
  address: 110 Waverly Pl
  The most famous of Chef Mario Batali's restaurants, and especially well-known for its pasta tasting menu. Reserve a month in advance or stand on line before opening time (5:30PM on weekdays and 5:00PM on Sundays) to try to get a seat at the bar or one of the tables kept open for walk-ins. Babbo is one of the hardest restaurants to get a reservation at in New York, which should indicate something about its popularity. Do not expect a cheap meal, but this is one you don't have to dress up for.

• Blue Hill

  phone: +1 212 539-1776
  address: 75 Washington Pl
  An upscale American restaurant known for its fresh ingredients and subtlety. Call ahead for reservations.

• Joe's Pizza

  phone: +1 212 366-1182
  address: 7 Carmine St
  A very popular corner pizza joint that serves huge, thin crust slices fresh out of the oven. This is classic New York fast food - service is quick but the place is tiny, so you'll want to take your slice outside to eat.

• John's Pizzeria

  phone: +1 212 243-1680
  address: 278 Bleecker St
  A classic New York pizza place - a gritty joint with coal-fired brick oven, thin crust pizza. The lines are often long but the service is fast. Whole pies only, no slices.

• Lupa Osteria Romana

  phone: +1 212 982-5089
  address: 170 Thompson St. between West Houston and Bleecker Sts.
  This is yet another restaurant associated with Mario Batali, but the Executive Chef is Steve Connaughton. This is a good and sometimes very good, relatively informal, mid-priced eatery, with a good and fair-priced wine list, though the food can be overly salty at times. Every fan has their own favorite dishes. First-timers may want to share several smaller dishes instead of having full meals, in order to sample the cuisine, but the primi and secondi are also worthy. The excellent Tartufo is their best dessert. Reservations recommended; otherwise, you may have a long wait.

• Mamoun's Falafel

  address: 119 MacDougal St
  A hole in the wall place that serves arguably the most famous falafels in New York City.

• Murray's Bagels

  phone: +1 212 462-2830
  address: 500 Ave of the Americas (6th Ave)
  This is a place that believes in the pure New York bagel — which means no toasting. Don't even bother asking. But the bagels are so fresh that it doesn't matter. It's often packed with long lines and the service is chaotic, but they give you a healthy amount of spread and toppings.

• Otto

  phone: +1 212 995-9559
  address: 1 5th Ave
  The pizzeria in the Batali chain. Prices are much cheaper here than at Babbo, but the entire concept of the restaurant is different, so take it for what it is. The antipasti are great and the gelati as well as the pizza are well thought of. Good pasta dishes, too. Though the food is very good, the restaurant can be deafeningly loud, especially if you are in or close to the bar.

• Percy's Pizza

  address: 190 Bleecker St.
  Pizza for minimalists. Percy's is a favorite among the collection of one-dollar pizza slice joints in the city. Inside is a cozy little room with about eight seats and a nice pizza cook. Know what you want when you step up to order and avoid trying to sit with any large groups; you'll quickly fill up the whole place.

• Red Bamboo

  phone: +1 212 260-7049
  address: 140 W. 4th St.
  Excellent vegetarian soul food, organic wines.

• Strip House

  phone: +1 212 328-0000
  address: 13 East 12th Street
  Strip House is a privately owned fine dining chain of steakhouses. All locations have smaller, separate rooms for private dining and a gift card program. Strip House Next Door is next door at 11 East 12th Street. Similar hours and menu but closed Sunday & Monday.

• Tea and Sympathy

  phone: +1 212 989-9735
  address: 108 Greenwich Ave
  Describes itself as "a quintessential corner of England in the heart of Greenwich Village", typically English meals are available here (perfect for the Anglophile or homesick Brit!)

• Delice & Sarrasin

  phone: +1 (212) 243-7200
  address: 20 Christopher St
  French vegan crepes and galletes in a cozy setting.

• Three Sheets Saloon

  phone: +1 212 777-1733
  address: 134 W. 3rd St.

• Stonewall Inn

  phone: +1 212 488-2705
  address: 53 Christopher St
  A veritable icon of the worldwide gay community, not just New York's. While it's not the original incarnation of the bar that was the site of the Stonewall riots of 1969 (the building has gone through several uses since then), the current incarnation pays homage to the old and has regained its prominence as a meeting place in the LGBT community.

• Washington Square Hotel

  phone: +1 212 777-9515
  address: 103 Waverly Pl
  This hotel offers art deco styled furnishings and complimentary internet access at the lobby bar and considers itself a haven for writers, artists and visitors.

• Jefferson Market Library

  phone: +1 212-243-4334
  address: 425 6th Av
  Like other branches of the New York Public Library, they have Wi-Fi and computers for public use, among other services. The building, formerly used as a courthouse, is a unique, fanciful neo-Gothic structure well worth looking at even if you don't plan on patronizing the library.

The Village thrives on French tourists, honeymooners from Texas, and day-trippers from uptown and all around the region. Having lots of people around all the time makes it feel safer, and the residents appreciate that. Most will happily take your picture, give you directions, and advise you about where to eat, etc. At the same time, the Village isn't an amusement park. The people who live there are generally rather sedate, and they cannot be on perpetual holiday. Most need a good night's sleep so they can get up for work in the morning. Have a heart: Don't make a lot of noise, or do anything else in public that you wouldn't want someone to do in front of your house!