Financial District

Perched on Manhattan’s southern tip, the Financial District is a study in contrasts. FiDi, as it is known, is both the oldest part of New York City and—as the financial center of the world—its most up to the minute. Gleaming glass skyscrapers sit side-by-side with cobbled lanes. While Wall Street workers race from the New York Stock Exchange to power lunches, tourists pause for reflection at the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum and historic sites like Trinity Church.

Frenetic and fast-paced by day, the neighborhood becomes quiet and calm at night. Though often overlooked as a residential neighborhood, FiDi’s population has doubled in the past two decades. The draw? Waterfront high-rises boasting top-notch amenities and spectacular 360-degree views at a fraction of the cost of other neighborhoods. And if the nightlife leaves something to be desired, FiDi is served by nearly every subway line giving residents easy access to the entire city.