Sometimes you dream about a place for so long, there's so much you want to do, see (and EAT!) -you can't help but getting super excited, and (over)planning is all you get until the D day!

New York is a great city. It's huge, it's contrasted, vibrant, astonishing, colorful -as she said, it's a concrete jungle where dreams are made of. From the day we've started dreaming about that trip with my sister, we've collected a long, long list of things to do in NY. And somehow, we managed to achieve all our goals in only one week -thanks to a perfect itinerary.

We spent mooonths preparing our plan day by day. Our week in New York was intense, beautiful, sometimes extreme (falling asleep in a basketball stadium full of hysterical supporters because we're jetlag? Done!), but for us, it was absolutely FANTASTIC.

Discover the ultimate New York 7 days itinerary that will bring you all over the city, from highlights to places of the beaten path...

Day 1: From Chelsea to Greenwich

What better way to start our New York trip than by immersing ourselves in one the most iconic neighborhoods of the city?

CHELSEA

Breakfast at Doughnut Plant (220 W 23rd St, open 7am-10pm): best donuts in our lives, best breakfast of the week
Chelsea Market (open 7am-9pm): gorgeous industrial style, awesome shops + incredible atmosphere during Halloween!
Art Galleries (btw 11th and 10th St and btw 21st and 27th St -open 10am-6pm)
Anthropologie Shop (75 9th Ave): where all the New Yorkers go shopping. Clothes, decoration, beauty. Loved it!
Gansevoord Market (353 W 14th St): beautiful/hipster food market
Paper Source, awesome shop for creative people (343 W 14th St)
Walk on the High Line along the Hudson River (open 7am-10pm)

GREENWICH VILLAGE

Getting lost in the Village's beautiful streets -enjoying Halloween's decorations
Say hi to Monica, Chandler, Joey, Rachel, Ross & Pheobe (100 Bedford St, Corner Grove)
Best cupcakes of New York in Magnolia Bakery -ohhhh wow! (401 Bleecker St -open 9:30am-11pm)

SOHO

Window shopping in the beautiful streets of Soho

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Day 2: a day in brooklyn

Every day in New York was great and different. But our day in Brooklyn might have been my favorite...

DUMBO & BROOKLYN HEIGHTS

Sunset on Brooklyn Bridge at 6:45 am sharp -dreaming, taking photos and watching runners training for the marathon
Empire - Fulton Ferry State Park for gorgeous views on Manhattan
Get THE photo of the bridge (Washington St and Water Street)
Artists galleries and shops all around -it's so inspiring!
Susan Gardner House (108 Wyckoff St btw Smith St and Hoyt)

GREENPOINT, WILLIAMSBURG & BUSHWICK

Pancakes mountain at Five Leaves (18 Bedford Ave): get ready for quite a treat!
Bushwick district incredible street art (Subway station: Morgan Ave)

BOERUM HILL

Basketball game! Nets VS Pistons at the Brooklyn Barclays Center -with healthy nachos dinner!
Brooklyn Bridge by night

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Day 3: manhattan

It's our 3rd day in New York and finally we get to see the city like we dream it: big, busy and beautiful.

MANHATTAN

Feed the squirrels in Madison Square Park
Flatiron Building
5th Avenue: shopping on one of the most beautiful avenues
Visit of New York Public Library and the beautiful Rose Reading Room (open 10am-6pm)
Grand Central Terminal, the Whispering Gallery and the stunning Oyster Bar
St Patrick's Cathedral
Check out the iconic HOPE (53rd and 7th) and LOVE (55th and 6th) statues
Visit of the MOMA (55th and 6th)
Stunning sunset on the city from the Top of the Rock
Watching people skating on Rockefeller Center's famous ice rink (fall/winter only)

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DAY 4: CENTRAL PARK & AROUND

It was fantastic, Central Park in Autumn with a blue sky. What else could we possibly be asking for?

CENTRAL PARK & AROUND

Quick visit of Columbia University campus
Best cookies in the world in Levain Bakery (167 W 74th St -open 9am-7pm) -also the most caloric but it's worth it!
Rent a bike to explore Central Park
Commemorate John Lennon in Dakota Building & Strawberry Fields
Visit of the Museum of Natural History (open 10am-5:45pm)
Hot dog & pretzel lunch from a typical NY food truck -to share with the park's squirrels
Rent a boat at the Loeb Boathouse and row your way to the heart of Central Park Lake -a must!
Visit of the Guggenheim and/or the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Ice skating in the most iconic ice rink, like they all do in movies
Dylan's Candy Bar (1011 3rd Ave -open 10am-9pm)
Healthy dinner at Wendy's (938 8th Ave -open 24/7)

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DAY 5: CENtRAL PARK, TIMES SQUARE & BROADWAY

You can't miss Times Square if it's your first time in New York. It's insanely crowded and noisy, but it's NEW YORK!

CENTRAL PARK

Morning run in Central Park like the locals
Literary walk, watch the Minton tile ceiling at Bethesda Terrace
Get a takeaway coffee cup on our way back to the hotel, to feel like a New Yorker for a second!

TIMES SQUARE

Take the time to immerse in the atmosphere, take some photos, do some shopping
Walk on the steps to see the crowds
Dinner at Ellen's Stardust (1650 Broadway)

BROADWAY

You haven't seen New York if you haven't seen a Broadway show... -CATS was amazing!
> The best way to get the cheapest tickets is to go to TKTS in South Street Seaport (Front St and John St, near Prudential Buidling in 199 Water St). It's much less busy than in Times Square and well organized. It opens at 11am. Be there early.

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DAY 6: SOUTH MANHATTAN & THE BUSINESS DISTRICT

Go during weekdays if you want to see the real business district atmosphere -it's unique!

SOUTH MANHATTAN

Beautiful view on Manhattan's skyline and on the Statue of Liberty from the Staten Island Ferry
Business district
Wall Street
Stunning views from One World Observatory (258 Fulton St -open 9am-8pm)
9/11 Memorial -prepare for quite a shock (180 Greenwich St -open 9am-9pm)
Visit of St Paul Chapel, where lots of victims have been rescues on 9/11
Sunset from Battery Park

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DAY 7: BROOKLYN & coney island

Because life is better at the beach, Coney Island surely was the best place to finish our trip!

BROOKLYN

Brooklyn Flea Market (on Sunday only): vintage clothes, jewelry, art, coffee. An inspiring place!

CONEY ISLAND

Breakfast in Dunkin Donuts on Surf Ave
Walk on the promenade, relax on the beach, shop in the few boutiques that are still open in fall
Lunch in Nathan's Hot Dog (1310 Surf Ave)

BACK TO BROOKLYN