Greenwich Village

Greenwich Village is the historic cradle of New York City counterculture, home of the American Bohemian movement, Beat Generation literature, and the struggle for LGBT rights. From artists Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol through writers Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg to musicians Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix, the Village is famed for the world-changing impact of those who made their name here. The Village of today is as busy, bohemian, and cultured as ever, with its esoterically laid-out tree-lined streets containing a wealth of bustling bars, cafes, restaurants, and off-Broadway theaters.

The Village contains a mix of stylish apartments and lavish single-family residences. Properties here were developed between the 1830s and 1920s, with regulations preserving its historic character. A rare Manhattan neighborhood without skyscrapers, the Village’s housing options include walk-ups on quiet side-streets, full-service upscale apartments along Fifth Avenue and Park Avenue, and glorious brownstone mansions.

 

• Old New York Charm
• Cobblestone streets
• Brownstones 
• Washington Square Park
  
  

The Village is instantly-recognizable from its appearances in dozens of films, books, and television shows. There’s a near-constant flow of people on the streets here, though it rarely gets overcrowded. New Yorkers from every area flock here for its vibrant hangout spots, while tourists come to soak in the atmosphere at Washington Square or snap pictures of the Friends apartment building.

Minetta Tavern encapsulates the Village’s heady mix of history and modern vibrancy, serving refined French bistro fare and cocktail classics in a vintage interior once frequented by Ernest Hemingway and Dylan Thomas. Other stand-outs include perfectly-executed Italian classics at Carbone and James Beard Award-winning chef Dan Kluger’s creative New American cuisine at Loring Place. MacDougal Street has some of the Village’s most iconic entertainment venues. Musicians perform on the same Café Wha? stage as Dylan, Hendrix, and Springsteen seven nights a week. The nearby Comedy Cellar showcases talented up-and-comers and occasional surprise sets from veterans like Chris Rock and Ray Romano. For drinks, MacDougal Street’s Air’s Champagne Parlor and The Mermaid Oyster Bar pair extensive lists of bubbly and vino with delectable side dishes.

Washington Square Park is the Village’s central hub. Teeming with life, this is a place where people congregate every day of the week to play chess, take in artists and street performers, or kick back and wind down. New York University’s urban campus is next to the Square and it has been a major part of life in the Village since the 1800s. Esteemed guest speakers such as Al Gore and John Kerry have delivered landmark foreign policy speeches at NYU’s lecture halls, while its Provincetown Playhouse on MacDougal Street has launched the careers of many aspiring actors. Washington Mews is a beloved street lined with historic two-story carriage houses, seen by many as the Village’s most enduring landmark. The gates of this private street are usually open to the public, making it an enchanting place to wander and soak in the Village’s history.