CENTRAL PARK, Northern And Central Part

Here in the northern part of Central Park, you’ll find the romantic Conservatory Garden, divided into three parts, each landscaped in a different style: Italian, French and English. The main entrance to the Garden is from Fifth Avenue, through the monumental Vanderbilt Gate, a magnificent wrought-iron structure that once guarded the New York mansion of the shipping and rail transportation tycoon of the same name.

Behind you, make sure you don’t miss Harlem Meer, the lake given a German name by the German-speaking community that once settled here. Don’t be surprised if you see the hordes of fisherman on the banks throwing their catches back into the water: it’s the only legal way to practice angling here.

Nearby, weather permitting, you might like to take a dip in the open-air public Lasker Pool, which in winter becomes a poplar skating rink....