Brooklyn Bridge

A walk across Brooklyn Bridge yields a memorable view of Lower Manhattan and New York Harbour.

Opened in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in America. Designed by John Roebling and his son Washington, it spans nearly 1,600 feet across the East River and was the longest suspension bridge for twenty years. Like many of the structures in this wonderful city, it is described as an expert blend of art and function, serving to connect lower Manhattan and Brooklyn by both road and path.

The pedestrian walkway can be accessed from the Manhattan side near City Hall Park at Park Row and Centre Street, or Tillary/Adams Streets in Brooklyn. Incidentally, City Hall is also a relic, the oldest of its kind in the US. Both this, and the pretty City Hall Park, are well worth a visit either before or after your journey over the bridge.

The Brooklyn Bridge path begins alongside the road in standard concrete and morphs into wooden planks, giving the bridge a charming, pier-like quality.

Surrounded by a web of long cables, stretching towards the imposing stone support towers, the view from Brooklyn Bridge is fascinating. From this vantage point the pretty blue Manhattan Bridge can be fully appreciated, and the skyscrapers to the north and south can be viewed from new angles. At closer quarters, watching the traffic roll by beneath the pedestrian walkway is strangely mesmerising.

Despite a worrying amount of grey masking tape, the bridge is reputed to be incredibly strong. Its array of cables include four with a diameter of 11 inches that are anchored into the ground. Roebling even claimed that the bridge would merely sag, rather than collapse, without them.

Tired limbs can rest on benches dotted along the length, but many choose to walk only halfway from the Manhattan side to take in the scenery. It is, however, worth the effort to proceed all the way and explore Brooklyn's DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge) and Heights areas.

Many tourists never leave Manhattan, but there is much to commend the borough of Brooklyn for those with a day to spare. Those who make the journey will be rewarded with Grimaldi's Pizzeria, arguably the best pizza in New York, right under the bridge on Front Street.

Then there's Brooklyn Heights, an attractive neighbourhood that makes for a pleasant stroll alongside delightful mansions and brownstones. The DUMBO area is laid-back and culturally interesting, playing host to an enormous arts festival every autumn. In addition, there are several noteworthy green spaces to take in, such as the waterfront Brooklyn Bridge Park, the renovated Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park and lovely Prospect Park.

It's easy enough to take a subway back to Manhattan, so why not give it a look?