THE GUIDE

FIFTH AVENUE - MURRAY HILL – MIDTOWN

The Manhattan area between 34th Street to the north and 14th Street to the south.

Map

Itinerary

Subway: N, R, W (5 Ave./59th St.)
It starts from the south - east corner of Central Park where Fifth Ave. intersects 59th St. where there are the Plaza Hotel and the Apple Store. Head south on Fifth Ave. with many prestigious and expensive shops starting with Bergdorf Goodman. At the corner of the 57th St. is the famous Tiffany jewelry store and on the 57th St. between 5th Ave and Madison Ave., there is the large Nike Store. Back on 5th Ave. just after Tiffany is the Trump Tower. If you are interested in a skyscraper with a particular architectural style, you can make a detour to 56th St. to reach Madison Ave. Where between 55th St. and 56th St., there is the Sony Building in Chippendale style. Now, passing through 55th St., we return to 5th Ave. where there is Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church. Left on 5th Ave. to 53rd St. corner where there is St. Thomas Church. Now another small detour on 53rd St., between 5th Ave. and 6th Ave., to find the prestigious MoMa, the Museum of Modern Art. Back on 5th Ave. where in the block between 50th St. and 51st St., on the left, there is the imposing St. Patrick's Cathedral. Behind the cathedral is the Villard House, now part of the New York Palace Hotel. On the other side of Fifth Ave., between 49th St. and 50th St., is the Rockefeller Center with its famous ice skating rink and for the little ones FAO Schwarz and the Lego Store.
Always following 5th Ave. in a southerly direction to 47th St. where on the right side towards 6th Ave. there is the Diamond & Jewelry Way, an area where many jewelers are concentrated.
On the block between 42nd St. and 40th St. there is the headquarters of the New York Public Library and behind it the Bryant Park, its lawn in summer hosts many events and in winter turns into a large ice rink. Continuing on 5th Ave. and walking on the left sidewalk you begin to glimpse the imposing outline of the Empire State Building that you reach when you arrive at 34th St.
Here ends the first part of this route.
Walking up 34th St. to 6th Ave. you will come across many large chain stores and once you reach Herald Square you will find the big Macy's and the subway station.
Subway: B, D, F, M, N, Q, R, W (34 St. - Herald Sq.)
Continuing the route, to discover the areas of Murray Hill and Midtown, follow 34th St., but this time in the opposite direction towards Madison Ave. where we turn left to go back to the north of Manhattan. At the intersection with 35th St. there is the small Church of the Incarnation, while between 36th St. and 37th St. there is the beautiful Morgan Library. Now turn right onto 37th St. and left onto Park Ave. This large avenue is interrupted by two large buildings. The first one is at the top and is the huge Met Life Building, formerly Pan Am Building, the other one underground, is the Grand Central Terminal with its large atrium characterized by a large vaulted ceiling where the constellation of the zodiac is painted.
Continuing on 42nd St. until 1st Ave. you will progressively meet the Chrysler Building (left on Lexington Ave.), the Daily News Building (right on 2nd Ave.) and finally Tudor City (left between 2nd Ave. and 1st Ave.).
Now left on 1st Ave. in a northerly direction, the large complex on the right is the United Nations Headquarters. Then again on 1st Ave. to turn left 47th St. where you meet the Japan Society and right on 3rd Ave. to 50th St. In the block between 49th St. and 50th St. there is the rear entrance of the prestigious Waldorf Astoria and in the next one there is the General Electric Building.
Now left on 49th St. and right at Park Ave. where you first meet the main entrance to the Waldorf Astoria, then the St. Bartholomew's Church (right), the Seagram Building (right), between 52nd St. and 53rd St., and the Lever House (left), between 53rd St. and 54th St.
Right on 53rd St. and left on Lexington Ave. where on the right is the Citigroup Center. This part of Lexington Ave. is the place where was shot the famous photo of Marilyn Monroe with her skirt raised by the wind on the subway gratings in “The Seven Year Itch” (1955). Continue on 53rd St. and then turn left onto 3rd Ave. where, between 53rd St. and 54th St., there is a skyscraper that for its particular oval shape and color the New Yorkers call Lipstick. Now left on 54th St. and right on Lexington Ave. to 60th St. On this stretch there is the Central Synagogue and the department store Bloomingdale.
Subway: 4, 5, 6 (59th St.); N, R, W (Lexington Ave./59th St.)
If you want to continue you can turn right onto 60th St. and get up to 2nd Ave. Here on the right there is the access to the Roosevelt Island Tramway (to access you can use the MetroCard with the same fare as the metro), a cable car that takes you to Roosevelt Island for an unusual air trip in New York.
Subway: F (Roosevelt Island)