The most obvious place to seek serenity in any city is within the leafy confines of a park. New York has no shortage of open green spaces, and plenty of clandestine pockets of calm to help you find peace in New York City.

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Known as the lungs of the metropolis, Central Park has many secluded spots within its 840 acres of vastness. Lose your thoughts on the elm-tree line Mall and Literary Walk or go into hiding in the secret garden within the Conservatory Garden or retreat into the historical museum at Belvedere Castle.

Tiny pockets of serendipity exist between the city towers, like a segment of the Berlin Wall on east 53^rd between Fifth and Madison or the Creative Little Garden in the East Village or Jefferson Market Garden in Greenwich Village. The High Line is too popular to offer solitude however the disused railway, converted into a sky-park, offers an interesting saunter amongst the street performers, art installations and has plenty of places to flop with a birds-eye view into the cacophony below and surrounding buildings.

Way uptown in Fort Tyron Park The Met Cloisters houses the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s (The Met) medieval art collection within an exquisite medieval monastery. Overlooking the Hudson, it’s not on the tourist trail but worth the trek if only to languish in the medieval gardens and admire the unicorn tapestries which appeared in the Harry Potter movies. Established in 1902 in the Bronx, the New York Botanical Garden was cleverly planted to be blooming all year round. Green thumbs should allow for a lengthy visit to fully inhale all 50 gardens and regular exhibitions.

Downtown the Skyscraper Museum gives architectural buffs some perspective of the scale of Manhattan compared to other mega-cities of the world without even having to step out onto the pavement. The Museum of the City of New York celebrates the city and its wonderful history without the crowds. Unknown to many, The Metropolitan Museum of Art offers free entry for residents and is open on Friday and Saturday nights and you might find yourself alone with Henry the 8^th’s armour or the jewels from Cleopatra’s reign. While at the Met, rest your feet in the oriental gardens in Astor Court or pop up to the rooftop garden on the 5^th floor; that’s if you can find the entrance many struggle to locate, which means more space to spread out.

Relishing in the city from above provides a sense of calm and located 18 storeys above the chaos the rooftop lounge at the Gramercy Terrace Hotel offers an oasis with those heart-stopping views which beckoned you to the Big Apple in the first place. There’s many rooftop bars to sample, and Salon De Ning, perched above the Peninsula Hotel, is the epitome of oriental drama meets big city glamour. Imagine sipping your cocktail of choice while everyone below scrambles home during peak hour.

Keeping a lower profile, hotel lobbies offer anonymity which in itself is very liberating, especially if you aren’t staying there. The vast lobby at the Ace Hotel is sectioned up into intimate spaces by retro lounges designed for a leisurely slouch with a caffeine fix by your side and laptop perched where it was originally intended. The Paramount Hotel near Times Square has a chic lobby whispering for a quiet drink or secret rendezvous. Or there’s the exquisite Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle where the amber-coloured walls are adorned with artist Ludwig Bemelman’s depictions from the Madeline children’s books.

For more details about New York City, please check out www.nycgo.com

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One of the many art installations

It’s hard to believe the High Line was once destined for demolition. Built on a historic and elevated rail line, the community and City of New York rallied together and converted one of New York City’s most notorious spot into public green space. Since its opening in 2009, this popular attraction is often decorated with pretty young things sauntering along the elevated public space weaving 24 blocks through the lower west side.

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The big apple on The Highline

A popular tourist and local hotspot, there are many quiet pockets to admire the spectacle of the bustling below and to enjoy the birds-eye views into the surrounding buildings.

The Empire State Building watching over from afar

More than just a park, every visit is unique with an ever-changing view of the city below, above and all around. Many consider The Highline a performance in itself – adorned with art installations, live shows, tasty food and gatherings. A global inspiration for cities to transform unused industrial zones in dynamic public spaces. Plus a few friendly “locals.”

10^th Avenue became known as Death Avenue as by 1910, 540 people had been killed by trains. In 1924, street-level crossings were removed and later converted into an elevated rail line. By 1934, and named the West Side Elevated Line, the line was used for transporting meat, dairy and produce.

In 1999, and with parts of the line demolished and deemed an eyesore Mayor Giuliani signed a demolition order. Luckily, the not-for-profit Friends of the High Line advocated for its preservation and reuse as a public space.

A decade later, the first section opened to the public and began the trend of commissioning and producing artworks and by 2014, the Rail Yards section opened with a temporary walkway.

Now it’s a continuous 1.45 mile long greenway showcasing 500+ species of plants and trees and is home to world-class artwork, food and performances. The High Line is free and best way to enjoy it is to simply meander, pause and linger.

Once it’s safe to travel internationally again, I can’t wait to explore this iconic New York City spot once again.

The High Line is back open – BYO mask! If you’d like to know more or to make a donation please click here.

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