New York is a city of walkers and is best seen around nine o’clock at night. My tour starts at the very southern edge of Manhattan at Battery Park, overlooking the water, and heads two miles north to the West Village. This is the same quiet walk I took three times a week last year after my screenwriting class. 

At the bottom of Broadway, the main artery through NYC, you will see the famous Charging Bull statue, representing the bullish optimism of Wall Street. Its golden bollocks have been rubbed as vigorously for luck as Greyfriars Bobby’s nose. With nobody looking, you can take your turn. 

A few blocks north, turn left down Rector Street, and you may be surprised to see the grave of Alexander Hamilton, a founding father-turned-musical celebrity. Thousands of people hurry past him every day on their way to Whole Foods. Within a couple of minutes zigzagging north-west, you’ll pass near to the 9/11 Memorial Pools. They close at 8pm, but the area is peaceful and provides a moment for reflection.

Overlooking the pools is the 1776ft tall Freedom Tower: Anna Wintour’s office. Pray to Vogue. Now head up Church Street. Around 9.20pm there is less traffic and you notice the architecture, whether it’s St Peter’s Catholic Church from 1840, or the art deco Western Union Building on West Broadway, one block over. Soon enough, you reach Tribeca Park. This corner feels like a little haven amid the expensive lofts, art galleries and SoulCycle gyms. You can take a quick detour now if you fancy seeing the Ghostbusters HQ without the crowds, or stop in at the grand foyer of the Roxy Hotel for a drink and perhaps catch a spot of live music. If you’re feeling hungry, Petrarca, an Italian restaurant opposite the Roxy, makes the best lasagne I’ve ever tasted. 

You’re more than halfway home. Head over the monster that is Canal Street and sneak across Soho for some late-night window shopping. You’ll see people pushing mountains of cans and bottles for the deposit return scheme and you will also be mesmerised by beautiful dresses costing $3000.

Finally, you reach the West Village. NYU student dorms are aplenty, as are bagel shops where people queue around the block. If you’re lucky, you could see a cultural giant such as Fran Lebowitz or Delia Ephron. Or you could collapse in a small apartment that’s not had a deep clean since 1980 and vaguely reminds you of Carrie Bradshaw’s early days. New York can feel like a fantasy from which you don’t want to wake up. But set your alarm and drink your coffee in Washington Square Park instead.

Visit New York’s official tourist site for more information.