New York for The Slow Weekenders: a Friday-to-Monday weekend
Steel, steam, and a harbour that never sleeps.
The weekend as rest. A hotel worth staying in, a hammam or a thermal bath, one unhurried sight each day, lunches that run into the afternoon, and early nights.
Friday: An arch and a bathhouse
- Washington Square Park
Marble arch, chess tables and a fountain where the buskers play; sit on a bench and watch the Village go by.
- Russian & Turkish Baths
A basement bathhouse in the East Village since 1892, with a hot room, a plunge pool and a cold plunge; ask for the oak-leaf scrub and bring a swimsuit.
- Café Mogador
A Moroccan café in the East Village, with tagines, shakshuka and a garden at the back; a quiet dinner before an early night.
Saturday: The park and a long lunch
- Conservatory Garden
The park's only formal garden, with fountains, clipped crabapples and benches; walk through the three gardens slowly.
- The Loeb Boathouse
A lunch on the lake terrace with a view of rowboats and the skyline; book a table outside if the day is mild.
- The Morgan Library & Museum
Pierpont Morgan's three-tiered study with its Gutenberg Bible, and a glass atrium; an easy, uncrowded hour.
Sunday: Brooklyn in bloom
- Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Cherry esplanade, Japanese garden and conservatory, with a tea in the café; the Japanese Hill-and-Pond garden is the one to see.
- Cafe Mogador
A Moroccan café in Williamsburg with a back patio, tagines and eggs on the menu, and a table for a long Sunday lunch a few blocks from the East River.
- Brooklyn Museum
A grand Beaux-Arts museum with an Egyptian collection and The Dinner Party by Judy Chicago; a gentle end to the day.
Monday: Breakfast on the Village streets
- Sant Ambroeus
A Milanese café in the West Village, with cappuccinos, pastries and a small table by the window; a leisurely breakfast.
- The High Line
A rail park above the city streets, with benches and plantings; walk from Gansevoort to 23rd Street in an hour.
- Cookshop
A glass-fronted Chelsea corner room cooking wood-grilled chicken and seasonal vegetables; a last lunch before the airport.