April 20

For those running low on funds by now, a ride on the Staten Island Ferry is the perfect outing — it is completely free of charge, running from the southern tip of Manhattan to Staten Island. From the ferry you have a wonderful view of the skyscrapers, and in the distance you can make out the Statue of Liberty, wreathed in clouds.

Wall Street is a street in Manhattan where the stock exchange and many of the major banks are located. It is narrow and dark, yet somehow you can feel that history was made here.

Another official landmark of the city is the Brooklyn Bridge. Make sure to do as we did and walk across the bridge on foot, soaking up the magnificent view from Brooklyn across the East River!

One World Trade Center with the National 9/11 Memorial — The One World Trade Center was built on Ground Zero. At 1,776 feet (0.54 km / 541 metres) it will be the tallest building in New York. The figure 1,776 is a reference to the year of the Declaration of Independence. Since 2015 it is also home to the One World Observatory — New York's highest observation deck. The whole site has an almost mystical atmosphere and is absolutely worth a visit to take it all in. Those with an interest in the tragedy that took place here can also plan a visit to the 9/11 Memorial. At www.911memorial.org you can purchase timed tickets in advance for the museum — but be warned: it is extremely busy, so allow plenty of time.

Today is our last day in New York. We want to head back to Ground Zero one more time and take a boat trip on the Hudson River.

To round off the day, we make our way on foot towards the west side of Manhattan, where the High Line Park is located: a park built on old railway tracks in the Meatpacking District. It stretches from Gansevoort Street all the way up to 34th Street, between 10th and 11th Avenue, and opened in June 2009. It was created from an old elevated rail line that was converted into a park — one that had actually been earmarked for demolition as part of a city planning scheme to make way for new buildings. But thanks to a citizens' initiative ("Friends of the High Line"), those plans were never realised and the repurposing of this historic piece of New York was set in motion instead. What a stroke of luck — and we are convinced this place is one of a kind in the world and absolutely worth seeing!

And now we really must head back to the hotel — we stroll through one or two department stores along the way, just for the atmosphere, since unfortunately it is far too late to do any actual shopping. Back at the hotel, the airport shuttle is already waiting for us — with a heavy heart, we make our way back to Germany.