When the Village Voice , NYC's most venerable listings/comment/investigative magazine, began life as a chronicler of Greenwich Village nightlife in the 1960s, "the Village" really had a dissident, artistic, vibrant voice. While the nonconformist image of Greenwich Village, more commonly known today as the West Village , survives to an extent, the tag is no longer truly accurate. Though still one of the more progressive neighborhoods in the city, the West Village has attained a moneyed status over the last four decades and is firmly for those who have Arrived.

There's still a European quaintness here that is genuine and enjoyable and makes for a great day of walking through a grid of streets that doesn't even attempt to conform to the rest of the city's established numbered pattern. Washington Square is a hub of enjoyably aimless activity throughout the year, and a natural place to start explorations.

Elsewhere the Village is quiet and residential, yet the neighborhood has a busy streetlife that lasts later than in many other parts of the city. There are more restaurants per head here than any other neighborhood, and bars, though never cheap, clutter every corner, especially around Bleecker Street , while Christopher Street is the main artery of the city's gay life.

The West Village is easily reached by taking the #1 to Christopher Street or the #A, #C, #E, #F and #S to West Fourth Street