Hotels near Greenwich Village and Washington Square Park

Greenwich Village is the leafy, low-rise neighbourhood that has drawn writers, musicians and artists for more than a century, its tangle of tree-lined streets a deliberate break from the Manhattan grid. At its centre, Washington Square Park gathers students, street performers and chess players beneath a marble arch modelled on the Arc de Triomphe.

The surrounding blocks reward aimless wandering: jazz clubs that have run for decades, historic townhouses, independent bookshops and the cafes of nearby Bleecker Street. It is one of the most walkable and atmospheric parts of the city, and a reminder that New York is not all skyscrapers.

Pro Tip: Come in the late afternoon when the park's performers are out and the light is soft on the arch. Wander south into SoHo or west into the West Village for dinner; this is a neighbourhood to explore on foot without a fixed plan.