New York & Iceland, City Break

New York

New York City is, along with London, Paris, and Tokyo, one of the four major cities of the world. It can be difficult to describe New York without using clichés and superlatives. New York is vibrant and full of energy; it’s a buzzing pot of diverse humanity and experiences that are almost too vast to comprehend.

Don’t limit yourself to Manhattan, Many first-timers come to the city and only see the sights on the island. New York has five boroughs and you’re doing yourself a disservice if you overlook Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and the Bronx. Each borough has its own set of neighbourhoods, landmarks, parks, cultural institutions, ethnic communities, and more that are worth exploring, but highlights include the Brooklyn Heights where you can visit the New York Transit Museum, located in a historic subway station, where trains from years gone by are prime for exploring, the Queens Museum, and Historic Richmond Town. Why not visit the Bronx Zoo, a mammoth urban jungle with impressive displays and hundreds of breeds. If you don’t ever leave Manhattan, you can’t really say you’ve been to New York.

New York is perhaps one of the most expensive cities to go to but there are many free activities that can help if you’re on a budget! And that’s not the only advantage: the free activities are actually often fun to do! You can try yoga in the park or take the Roosevelt Tram for example.

Art and History

Some of the country's best museums are located in New York, giving you a chance to soak up a dizzying amount of art and history during your visit. Manhattan offers the opportunity to check out the fossilized dinosaur bones and other wonders of the natural world at the Museum of Natural History and then head to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see works from ancient Egyptian art, paintings by masters like Caravaggio and modern pieces from celebrated artists like Jackson Pollock. For even more visual treats, head to the Museum of Modern Art, the architecturally impressive Guggenheim Museum, the Brooklyn Museum or any of the numerous small contemporary galleries in the area.

Population and Diversity

The population of New York in 2010 totalled over 8 million, making it America's most populous city by a landslide. This means that there is literally no other place in the United States where you'll be surrounded by so many people. Because people from all corners of the globe live in and visit this area, travelling to New York gives you a chance to come in contact with a variety of different cultures. There are approximately 200 languages spoken in New York, and you can sample regional cuisine from faraway places such as Korea, Africa, India and France.

Christmas in New York

New York is a top travel destination over the winter holiday, offering a variety of Christmas-themed activities. Don't miss the impressive Rockefeller Center Christmas tree with its 30,000 lights, or the decorations at Macy's, famously featured in the classic movie "Miracle on 34th Street." For more Christmas fun, go ice skating in Central Park, visit the famed FAO Schwarz toy store, see the New York City Ballet production of "The Nutcracker," or just wander the city and enjoy the lights, decorations and creative window displays.

Sightseeing

Whilst in New York, you'll get a chance to see such iconic American sights as Grand Central Terminal, Times Square, the New York Public Library and, of course, the Statue of Liberty. The iconic Empire State Building features stunning 80-mile views from the observatory on the 86th floor. For more city views, head to Brooklyn Bridge Park and have your picture taken with Manhattan's skyline as the backdrop.

The Staten Island ferry is a free ferry that runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week between Manhattan and Staten Island. From the boat you will have a beautiful view of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty is clearly visible. On-board you’ll find a café where you can enjoy a quiet drink during the crossing.

Central Park is the famous large park in the middle of Manhattan. It runs from 59th to 110th Street (and from Fifth to 8th Avenue) and was constructed artificially with here and there bits of untouched nature. The park has up to 35 million visitors a year and is the beating heart of Manhattan. In the park you’ll find a huge variety of attractions and activities.

The Brooklyn Bridge was built between 1869 and 1883 and was opened in May 1883. It was the first bridge in the world to be suspended by steel. For a while, the Brooklyn Bridge was the only connection between Manhattan and Brooklyn. If you walk over the bridge from Brooklyn to Manhattan, you’ll have a wonderful view of the skyline of New York.

It is well worth taking a tour of Brooklyn which seems a lot more calm and relaxed than the busy streets of Manhattan, but that doesn’t mean that Brooklyn is boring – there’s a lot to do. In the summer, spend a day at Brooklyn Bridge Park or visit the amusement park at Coney Island. There are also many famous landmarks and places known from the movies and you can even enjoy a Brooklyn lunch.

There’s still plenty to do in Manhattan, of course. The Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty feature strongly but have you thought of taking a helicopter ride or seeing the skyline with a boat tour? Don’t forget the Top of the Rock, the 9/11 Memorial and museum as well Ellis Island which is well known as the entrance to the United States for millions of immigrants. Times Square if fabulous and exciting and Grand Central Station, visited by most people for the grandeur of the main concourse, also has a number of well known restaurants. If you want to impress the kids or someone special, you can have some fun at the Whispering Gallery located on the dining concourse near the Oyster Bar. The arches can make a whisper across the room sound like you are shouting to one another.

We are able to arrange a pass that enables you to visit the most popular attractions at discounted prices. To get you started, we have included one of the following: New York City – Welcome Tour (a private introduction to New York with a local) OR a priority ticket to the Empire State Building Observatory OR a priority ticket to the Top of the Rock observation deck. The choice is yours.

Road Trips

If you hop in the car and drive a mere 30 minutes or so outside Manhattan, you'll find yourself passing through quaint small towns as well as through breathtaking scenery. In the autumn, head to New York's Hudson Valley and visit towns such as Sleepy Hollow or Cold Spring to experience the autumn coloured foliage, or visit one of the many parks in the area such as Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park or Hudson Highlands Gateway Park. When the weather warms up, take a trip to the Hamptons, Fire Island or scenic Montauk to relax by the water.

Iceland

Northern Lights

On a dark winter night in Iceland, join a mysterious tour looking for the Aurora Borealis. Far from the glow of Reykjavik city, we hunt for the elusive Northern Lights.

From autumn until spring, during clear and cold dark nights, it's possible to witness one of nature's most incredible displays: the Northern Lights, also known as Aurora Borealis. On this evening tour we may be lucky enough to see them swirling and dancing across the sky changing endlessly colour, shape and size.

Golden Circle

One of the highlights of Iceland’s spectacular geography is the Golden Circle. We have arranged a full day tour where you will visit Thingvellir National Park, a remarkable historical and geological site, which is located by Lake Thingvallavatn, the largest lake in Iceland. The beautiful canyon running through the park is actually the meeting point of two of the earth's tectonic plates. Furthermore, it is in this area the oldest form of parliament had met since 930.

Gullfoss waterfall is where you will see thousands of tons of icy water thunder majestically down in double falls into a deep canyon.

The Geysir geothermal area is where bubbling hot springs and geysers are abundant. Here you'll also find Strokkur, the most active geyser in the area, spouting up to 25-30 meters into the sky.

Blue Lagoon

Enjoy a relaxing morning or afternoon at Iceland’s famous Blue Lagoon. The Blue Lagoon is known for its special properties and its beneficial effects on the skin, and attracts visitors from all over the world in search of health, relaxation and an exotic experience. The Blue Lagoon's warm water and natural active ingredients; mineral salts, silica and blue green algae help you relax and unwind while the lagoon's distinctive white silica mud gently cleanses and exfoliates the skin. The mineral salts balance and relax body and soul.

In addition to bathing in the lagoon, guests have access to a sauna with a view of the lagoon, a steam-bath with white walls that resemble silica-mud and a cosy steam-bath carved into a lava cave. Guests can also stand beneath a small waterfall for an energizing massage. Of course, guests bathing in the milky waters of the Blue Lagoon have easy access to the famous white silica-mud, an essential part of the spa experience.