Meet the tour guide and group in SoHo to begin this walking tour of three of New York City’s most interesting neighborhoods—SoHo, Little Italy, and Chinatown.
Walking toward Greene Street, see the site of the Manhattan Well Murder, the first recorded homicide case in New York City and the first murder trial in American history to be fully documented by a court stenographer. This well is currently in the basement of the Manhattan Bistro restaurant. Needless to say, there are a lot of requests to see the basement here.
Much of SoHo includes the Cast Iron Historic District, which consists of 26 blocks and approximately 500 buildings, many incorporating cast-iron architectural elements. Look out for celebrities in this area as SoHo is a favorite spot for movie stars and models.
In Little Italy, listen to stories about mobsters like John Gotti, plus the troubles Italian immigrants faced when they first arrived here. The name Little Italy doesn’t really apply today. It was once known for its large population of Italians, but the neighborhood only has a few Italian stores and restaurants remaining now.
Just a few blocks away is Chinatown, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Manhattan and home to one of the largest concentrations of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere. Chinatown provides a fascinating cultural experience.
Finally, visit the site of Five Points, a spot that gained international notoriety as a disease-ridden, crime-infested slum in the 1800s, before you end the tour in Columbus Park.
Get a chance to sample some of the local foods in these historic neighborhoods.
