Exploring New York City ·

Day 1: The city that never sleeps

We kicked off our travels in early April with a flight from Vienna to New York City. On our first morning, still groggy from the late arrival, we decided to take it slow and grabbed breakfast at a spot just around the corner from where we were staying. And yes, food in the US is definitely on the expensive side.
After breakfast, we headed to the High Line and walked toward Chelsea Market. It was such a nice walk and for me it did nit really feel like you are in the city as it’s so green and charming. We stopped for coffee at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery, expecting a fancy coffee experience with bean selections and stuff like this. Instead, it was just a regular Starbucks brew. The roastery’s interior and design are cool if you’re nearby and into coffee, but don’t expect anything groundbreaking.
Next, we walked to Central Park and made a pit stop at “Arabica” for another coffee. Unfortunately, it was just as average, and the lack of cups for staying in was a real downgrade (in my opinion).
Central Park, however, was a different story. We took a long walk through the park and were blown away by the cherry blossoms in full bloom — just amazing! For dinner, we headed to “Ivan Ramen,” which Johannes swore was the best. It definitely lived up to the hype! Afterward, we stroll back home through Chinatown and Little Italy, talking in the vibes of these well-known neighborhoods.
A perfect end to a full day in the city!

Highlight of the day - Anna: being in New York and the Highline walk
Highlight of the day - Johannes: Ivan Ramen 🤤

Day 2: Williamsburg, 9/11 Memorial, and Times Square

The next day, we decided to explore Williamsburg for some window-shopping.
As we made our way to the metro, we had this odd sensation that the street was moving. We debated what it could be, tossing around theories until we settled on the idea that it was probably the metro or something like that. Just two minutes later, we got an “earthquake warning” on our phones — so that mystery was solved!
For breakfast, we hit up “Partners Coffee - Cafe & Roastery” in Williamsburg. It turned out to be a great spot with good coffee. Refueled, we strolled through the city and finally made it to “Joe’s Pizza.” We each had two slices, and honestly, that was more than enough to satisfy our pizza cravings (for that day).
Our next stop were the 9/11 Memorial and One World Trade Center.
Initially, I thought, “I thought the Twin Towers were bigger,” but after walking around the memorial, I realized just how significant the site truly is.
From there, we wandered through the Financial District, with its imposant and luxurious buildings, before heading to the Hudson River to catch a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty. To be honest, it’s much smaller in person than I expected.
We wrapped up our day with a visit to Grand Central Station. In my mind, it had always seemed more impressive, but seeing it in person didn’t quite live up to the hype.
After a long day of sightseeing, we headed back to our room, making our way through Times Square. The lights and crowds were a bit overwhelming, and I couldn’t fully enjoy the spectacle because I was too worried about keeping an eye on my bag.

Highlight of the day - Anna: the high glass towers
Highlight of the day - Johannes: Pilgrim surf + supply

Day 3: Coffee, Brooklyn Bridge, and Whole Foods

Start your day right — sooo coffee it is! We hade coffee at “Now or Never Coffee,” and let me tell you, the coffee was super! I love small cafés like this one - they have so much more charm than the bigger ones.
Next up was the Brooklyn Bridge. Yes, it’s totally a touristy thing to do, and yes, it was packed - even though the weather was freezing the whole week we stayed. But I get why it’s so popular. The views are incredible! I enjoyed the walk so much that I made Johannes trek back with me as well.
In Brooklyn, we headed to the Time Out Market which was okay, but honestly, I wouldn’t rush back. In my opinion the one in Lisbon was way better. After that, we made our way back to Manhattan.
For our evening, we went to “Whole Foods” and it was incredible! We ended up spending nearly two hours there, just wandering around and thinking about all the things we want to try.

Highlight of the day - Anna: Brooklyn Bridge walk
Highlight of the day - Johannes: Partners Coffee

Day 4: Bagels, Art, and Surprises

On that day, we discovered the best breakfast — bagels from “Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company”! They were absolutely amazing. After inhaling those, we needed some coffee, so we headed to “Culture Espresso.” Not only do they serve some of the best coffee, but their cookies are also world-renowned. Seriously, they’re as good as everyone says! Next, we took a trip up to the Top of the Rock to get a bird’s-eye view of the city. It was incredible!
We then made a short stop at Shake Shack. I had been dreaming about it since I was 14, but let me tell you — what a letdown! It was really, really disappointing haha.
Feeling cold, we decided to warm up with a coffee at “Devoción,” which was a solid cup of coffee.
Then it was time for some culture. We visited the MoMA, which I can definitely recommend even if you don’t know how art works (like us).
After that, we walked to the Met, where Anna posed on the steps just like they do in “Gossip Girl”. I felt quite embarrassed because it made me really happy.
After our 20-kilometer day, we finally had dinner at “Hummus Place,” and it was fantastic!
And with that, it was time for a well-deserved good night.

Highlight of the day - Anna: Cream Cheese Bagel
Highlight of the day - Johannes: Seeing Anna on the steps of the Met

Day 5: Coffee, Donuts, and Cherry Blossoms

We started with a stop at “787 Coffee Co.” It was okay. Next up were bagels again — just couldn’t get enough of those! The weather was finally sunny and a bit warmer, making the streets look gorgeous with cherry blossoms everywhere.
We decided to try our first donut from “Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop.” It was incredibly sweet but oh-so-good. We had planned to catch the solar eclipse that was happening in New York, so we made our way to Coney Island. Unfortunately, we forgot to bring eclipse glasses, so we didn’t see much of the eclipse. But the beach was fantastic and sunny, so it wasn’t a total loss.
For dinner, we headed to Chinatown and ate at “Dumpling Story.” The food was great, and after that, we were on a mission to find a “NY Cap” for Anna. Success! We found one and celebrated our last evening in the city with some fancy-looking soda and a long, leisurely walk through the city.
Eventually, we returned to our room (which, honestly, was the least safe place I’ve stayed in) to pack up our things for an early morning flight the next day.

Highlight of the day - Anna: walking in the sun with a coffee in my hand
Highlight of the day - Johannes: haggling with a vendor for the NY cap