Known by many as New York City’s favourite and most well-known borough (after Manhattan), Brooklyn has been the subject of so many books and movies that even if you’ve never been there, you could probably recognise it. With its 2.5 million residents, Brooklyn is the most populous borough in the city. In fact, if it was not part of New York City, Brooklyn, by itself, would be the fourth largest city in the US.

Brooklyn is connected to Manhattan by the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg Bridges, as well as the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, and several of its most popular and upscale neighbourhoods are just one or two subway stops away from the Financial District. Some of these areas, known collectively as Downtown Brooklyn, include Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Clinton Hills, Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill, and DUMBO, an acronym for an artistic community known as ‘down under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass’. DUMBO has become home to many artists, writers, and several upscale shops and restaurants. These areas have become exceedingly expensive, with the apartments and breathtaking brownstones costing millions of dollars. Downtown Brooklyn is also the third-largest central business district in New York City, after Midtown and Lower Manhattan.

Accommodation

The areas nearer to Manhattan feature a range of housing options but the fact that these neighbourhoods are just one or two subway stops from the financial district mean that accommodation is expensive – almost as expensive as Manhattan itself. Further away from Manhattan are many less expensive areas, and each is known for its distinct ethnic flavour. Brooklyn residents identify strongly with their particular neighbourhood, almost as much as with the borough itself. Some of these areas include Bensonhurst, with a large Italian population, Brighton Beach, where a large community of Russians and Pakistanis live, and Borough Park, with its large group of Orthodox Jewish residents. Similarly, Bedford-Stuyvesant is home to many African Americans, Bay Ridge has large Italian, Irish and Arab groups, and Sunset Park is where you’ll find Hispanic and Chinese communities. The housing in these areas includes everything from mansions costing millions of dollars to crowded apartment buildings, co-ops and condos for several hundred thousand.

Shopping & Amenities

Throughout Brooklyn you’ll find many fine shopping opportunities, from independent stores and ‘mom-and-pop’ shops to gigantic malls and farmers’ markets. Bargain hunters can head for the Atlantic Terminal Center Mall for Target and Daffy’s (be warned, parking there is problematic). Fulton Street Mall (www.fultonstreet.org) has Macy’s, Forever 21, Radio Shack, Toys R Us, and hundreds of other outlets along Fulton Street. The Park Slope Farmers’ Market takes place every Sunday from June to November, from 11:00 to 17:00 – here you can stock up on delicious baked goods, fresh produce, health food and fresh flowers.

Entertainment & Leisure

You need never be bored in Brooklyn. Whether you are riding the waves at Coney Island, smelling the flowers at Brooklyn Botanical Gardens  or strolling along the Promenade near the base of the Brooklyn Bridge, there is always something to keep you occupied. There are also 60 branches of the Brooklyn Public Library, which is separate from the New York City Public Library in Manhattan (www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org).

Brooklyn has a vibrant music and nightlife scene. Popular local bands include Akron Family, Animal Collective, Scumbo, Sufjan Stevens and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Parts of Brooklyn rival Manhattan in terms of nightlife, although there are more places with a friendly neighbourhood feel where everyone is welcome, as opposed to some of Manhattan’s snooty ‘you’re not coming in unless you’re somebody’ venues. For relaxation, take a nice slow stroll around the very beautiful Prospect Park.

Health

There are many hospitals that are easily accessible for Brooklyn residents. These include Lutheran Medical Center (718 630 7000), Maimondes Medical Center (718 283 6000, www.maimonidesmed.org), New York Methodist Hospital (718 768 3158, www.nym.org), Downstate Medical Center (718 270 1000), Interfaith Medical Center (718 613 4000, www.interfaithmedical.com), and the Long Island College Hospital (718 780 1000).

Education

There is just as much of a variety in Brooklyn’s educational institutions. Brooklyn Technical High School (www.bths.edu) is competitive with Bronx Science in terms of academic excellence, and the private Packer Collegiate Institute (www.packer.edu) is one of the most elite in the city. In addition, there are many Catholic Schools, run by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, and Jewish schools, owned and operated by the Satmar Jewish Community. Brooklyn also has several institutions of higher learning, including Brooklyn Law School (www.brooklaw.edu), Brooklyn College (www.brooklyn.cuny.edu), SUNY Downstate Medical Center (www.hscbklyn.edu), and the Pratt Institute (www.pratt.edu), one of the leading art schools in the US.

Traffic & Public Transport

Trains to Brooklyn include: 2, 3, 4, 5, A, C, D, F, J, M, N, R, L, and G. The Long Island Railroad, an above-ground commuter train, also makes several stops in Brooklyn.