10 of the best things to do in Central Park

1. See the Minton tiled ceiling

The gorgeous tiled ceiling of the prominent and popular Bethesda Terrace is one of a kind. 15,000 tiles make up the arrangement, each made by the famed Minton Tile Company of Staffordshire, and this is the only place in the world where the tiles are used as a ceiling. Originally installed in 1869, the tiles were taken down in the Eighties for preservation. Luckily for us, the ceiling was restored in 2000.

Bethesda Terrace, Mid-Park at 72nd Street

2. Run the reservoir

Filling up on pretzels from the vendors around the park? Run them off on the 1.58 mile running track that loops the reservoir and feel like a true New Yorker. Fans of Sex and the City will recognise this as the site of many a character’s workout. The holiday version of the run, taken while clutching an ice-cream, is slightly slower.

85th Street to 96th Street, from east to west

3. Hear a free concert at the Naumburg Bandshell

Classical fans can thank Elkan Naumburg, a New York philanthropist and music enthusiast, for giving this bandstand to the park in 1923 to house concerts. Donations left by his family mean dedicated organisation Naumburg Orchestral Concerts is able to keep the varied music programme entirely free.

Mid-Park from 66th to 72nd Streets

4. Smell the roses at the Shakespeare Garden

The four-acre Shakespeare garden is said to have once included a Mulberry tree grafted from one that the Bard, a keen gardener, planted. Sadly it is no longer there but you can still take a walk among the flower beds, dotted with relevant Shakespearean verse that you can recite aloud to sound intellectual or romantic. In summer you may come across a wedding, as this is a popular spot to exchange vows.

West Side between 79th and 80th Streets

5. Be king of Belvedere Castle and take in the view

Sat atop Vista Rock on the second highest point in the park is Belvedere Castle and a rewarding view of Manhattan and the rest of the park. Since 1919, the national weather service has also used this as a gaging point for the weather of the city.

Belvedere Castle open 10-5 daily. Mid-Park at 79th Street

6. See the First World War memorial

The park has many monuments, lots of them literary, but now, with the centenery of the First World War approaching, is perhaps a good time to visit the 107th Infantry Memorial, dedicated to the New York squadron that fought in France in 1917. The bronze monument was made by Karl Illava, himself a sargeant in the conflict, and was modelled on real veterans of the Somme too.

Perimeter wall at Fifth Avenue and 67th Street

7. Climb a statue

Of the plethora of activities on offer for children in the park, the climbable statues offer perhaps the quickest and easiest dose of fun. Get involved with Alice and the Mad Hatter in the Alice in Wonderland statue or sit between Hans Christian Andersen and his ugly duckling to hear a story. Even adults will want to try.

Hans Christian Andersen - 74th Street near Fifth Avenue west of Conservatory Water; Alice in Wonderland - East Side at 75th Street

8. Be romantic on the Bow Bridge

If you had a dollar for every photograph taken of the Bow Bridge... The park is home to a stack of different bridges, of varying types, but the cast iron Bow is the oldest and, some say, the best. Many gather here to look out onto the water, with loved ones, or in peaceful solitude.

Mid-Park at 74th Street west of Bethesda Terrace, connecting Cherry Hill and The Ramble

9. Go wild

The Hallett Nature Sanctuary is off the beaten track and is a good place to spot birds and smaller wildlife; Turtle Pond, off the well-named Great Lawn, is home to five different species of the critter, including ones that like to sunbathe. And of course there’s also the Central Park Zoo - where the characters of the Madagascar movie came to life.

Hallett Nature Sanctuary, Guided tours only, East Side from 60th - 62nd Streets just south of Wollman Rink; Turtle Pond Mid-Park between 79th and 80th Streets; Central Park Zoo, East Side between 63rd and 66th Streets

10. Sled down Pilgrim Hill

If you are lucky enough to see Central Park layered in snow, sledding should definitely be your priority. Locals take to Pilgrim Hill, where, under the watchful eye of the Pilgrim monument, they fly down the slope on tea trays, or anything else they can find. If it's too busy, Cedar Hill is the next best bet. Those after a more graceful way of enjoying the weather should try the two ice-rinks on offer.

Pilgrim Hill East Side at 72nd Street

For more information on tours of Central Park, visit centralparknyc.org/tours/

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