a day in town

Its easy to be a tourist in New York. From the moment you step off the plane you're presented with hundreds of tours to an abundance of significant landmarks. The best way to handle this city is to throw down your bags at your hotel, step out onto the streets and head straight for the Midtown, where all roads lead to Times Square. Here you can get your bearings, and maybe even jump on a double-decker bus tour to get your head around the city's layout.

On a relaxing sunny day, the best place to take some time out is in one of New York's many huge parks, the most famous being Central Park. You can lose yourself for hours in this massive expanse which extends for over fifty blocks along the centre of the island, North of 59^th street and includes four huge lakes and countless sporting fields and winding pathways.

To fill up the cameras memory card, most sightseers head straight for the Empire State Building, but the lines here can be long and the other downside is that your photos wont include the famous building in the skyline. For the best view of the city head to Rockefeller Plaza, and take the elevator to the Top of the Rock. Here you'll get uninterrupted views extending North across Central Park, and South across the Empire State Building, all the way down to beautiful Battery Park.

Some of the worlds most treasured artwork is on show throughout the city, so if you're up for a spot of gallery-hopping, don't miss the prestigious Museum of Modern Art in Midtown on West 53^rd street, or the famous Guggenheim on 89^th.