If you have more than a couple of days to explore the city – or if you harbour a particularly keen interest in medieval art and architecture – this small, secluded museum nestled in Fort Tryon Park next to the Hudson River is well worth the trek to Upper Manhattan. (Though easily accessible by the subway, bring a book, as you’re in for a lengthy ride.) You’ll feel transported to Europe while wandering through the space, carefully constructed from parts of five ancient European abbeys.  The Tapestry Room is a major highlight. In the spring and summer, bring a picnic for the park or have a leisurely lunch at one of the cafés. Bonus: entry is free if you’ve already visited the Cloisters’ sister museum, the inimitable Metropolitan Museum of Art.  

Location

The multicultural Upper Manhattan neighbourhood of Washington Heights is home to well-worth-the-trip Dominican cuisine, the medieval Cloisters museum, the Little Red Lighthouse (the last remaining lighthouse in New York) and much more.

The Cloisters 
99 Margaret Corbin Drive, Fort Tryon Park | +1 212 923 3700

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