SoHo and the Neighbourhoods Around the Village

SoHo and Hudson Square

Nothing separates the Village from SoHo but Houston Street; the two touch. SoHo is known for its cast-iron architecture and boutiques, and Hudson Square lies directly south of Houston as well. From Washington Square to Houston Street is about 0.4 mile, 8 minutes on foot. The bohemian era moved this way: artists left the Village for SoHo and Tribeca, then Dumbo and Williamsburg.

NoHo and the East Village

NoHo lies to the east. The East Village, east of Broadway and the Bowery, has never been considered part of Greenwich Village. The three-hour music walk starts there, by the Keith Haring statue at 101 Astor Place, and spends about 40 minutes on the site of CBGB, the Fillmore East and the Pyramid Club before crossing west; the music walk page lists the route.

Chelsea, Union Square and the High Line

Chelsea and Union Square lie north of 14th Street, the Village’s northern edge. The four-neighbourhood walk meets near Union Square, at a spot that depends on the language booked. None of the six walks includes Chelsea or the High Line. Walking distances to these from the park are not stated here.

The walk that crosses into them

The four-neighbourhood walk lasts three hours on foot throughout: Greenwich Village for its jazz clubs and townhouses, SoHo for cast iron and boutiques, NoLiTa for cafés, Little Italy for pasta shops and Chinatown for herbal shops and markets. It is guided in English, Spanish, Italian, French or German, and includes food and drinks and gratuities, with a semi-private option for up to 8. Valerio and Francesco (Italy) were guided in Italian by Rudy, a long-time New York resident; Darren (UK) mentioned history, architecture, culture and film. The close-up page has the practicalities, and the history walks page compares it with the two-hour Village walk.

Where the Village itself ends

The edges are 14th Street, Houston Street, Broadway and the Hudson. The Greenwich Village and West Village page explains the lines inside them.

Hudson Square, also directly south of Houston Street, is not on any of the six routes.

Other travellers mention the guides: Sofia (Greece) wrote of Alexander’s knowledge and humour, and Lenka (Germany) found Alex knowledgeable and fun. Jose (Mexico) called the walk complete.

Before booking the crossing

The listing asks walkers to bring comfortable shoes, a camera and water. Reserve now, pay later is available, and cancellation is free up to 24 hours before. Accessibility is not stated. The standard group size is not stated; the semi-private option caps it at 8.

Frequently asked questions