A Cultural Walk Through NYC Little Italy and Chinatown Tour
Pop quiz time! NYC is home to numerous ethnic groups – but only two of them have neighborhoods named after them. Can you guess which two? If you said Little Italy and Chinatown – you’d be correct. And thanks to the fact that they bump up next to each other in Lower Manhattan – it’s convenient to tour them both in one four-hour outing. So, we’ve taken our NYC Little Italy tour and our NYC Chinatown tour and brought them together into one historical and cultural experience via our A Cultural Walk Through NYC Little Italy and Chinatown Tour.
What can you expect on this private walking tour? Plenty of history with little-known facts thrown in. Like…you may be surprised to hear that although both neighborhoods began to form in the late 1800s – they’ve grown quite differently. For instance – in Little Italy, you aren’t going to hear much Italian spoken as you walk the streets, whereas in Chinatown you’re likely to hear more Chinese spoken than English. In fact – pretty much all the signs are in Chinese as well.
Join your licensed tour guide on this dual neighborhood tour where you’ll find out exactly what’s below the surface that makes both neighborhoods unique and intriguing!
Offered Year Round
Duration: 4-Hours
Start Time: Flexible
Meeting Location: Corner of Lafayette & Broome Streets
Activity Level: Easy to Moderate
A Cultural Walk Through
NYC Little Italy and Chinatown
Tour Itinerary
- Your cultural immersion begins when you meet up with your expert local guide on the corner of Lafayette and Broome Streets in the heart of Little Italy.
- From there you’ll start your Little Italy and Chinatown walking tour on the streets of Little Italy – many of which you have probably heard of as they are synonymous with the area – such as Mulberry Street.
- As you stroll the sidewalks, you’ll notice the abundance of traditional Italian restaurants or trattorias – many with outdoor seating as weather permits – but all serving ethnic favorites like homemade pasta, all styles of pizza, stromboli, calzone and plenty of wine!
- You’ll also see that there’s no shortage of bakeries and gelateries should you be craving something sweet like a homemade cannoli, tiramisu or any flavor of gelato you can think of.
- From the streets of Little Italy, you’ll cross Canal Street – which is infamous for it’s many vendors selling knock-off purses, jewelry and more (of any designer you could think of) – but is also the traditional “dividing line” between Little Italy and Chinatown.
- Walking through Chinatown you’ll notice a different vibe – almost like you have been transported to another country. Here you will hear little English as most speak in their native language that is filled with many different dialects.
- The infamous street in this neighborhood is Mott Street – which starts at Chatham Square and stretches up to Little Italy and into Nolita. Think of it as the “unofficial” Main Street of the area.
- With Mott Street comes an array of new aromas wafting from the doors of its restaurants – which serve some of the best Chinese food you’ll find anywhere in the US!
- And that food? It consists of anything you can think of – plus many dishes that you may have never heard of before. Think dim sum, fried dumplings, chop suey, pork stuffed fish balls and egg tarts to name a few.
- Also prevalent throughout the area are tea parlors, fresh fish markets that sell all types of saltwater creatures and produce stands with many items available that you also might not recognize.
- Other spots of interest you’ll see while learning the history of the Chinese and Italian immigrants who settled here include Five Points, the Mahayana Buddhist Temple – which is the largest Buddhist Temple in NYC, Columbus Park, First Shearith Israel Graveyard and much, much more!
- All stops, timing and inclusions of the tour are dependent on traffic and weather conditions.
- Experience Little Italy and Chinatown and receive local tips from your savvy local guide
- 24-hour support phone number
*Gratuity for the tour guide is not included.
The starting time and date of the tour are customizable to fit your schedule.
- This tour is offered all year round, 7-days a week.
- Restrictions may apply depending on the date and time of the tour.
The starting location of the tour is the corner of Lafayette Street & Broome Street. The meeting location can be customizable to fit your schedule or needs upon request.
- Pick-up or drop-off locations outside of Manhattan may accrue additional time & cost.
This walking tour can accommodate up to 12 guests.
We can customize the tour and stops to fit your needs upon request.
