Hudson St Between Barrow St and Christopher St

Feeling like something out of a quiet hamlet rather than a bustling city, this stretch of Hudson Street is exactly why the West Village is such a popular place to walk around. While the western side of the block is taken up by the Church of St.Luke in the Fields, the eastern side of a mishmash of schools, local businesses and cafés. Thanks to the open nature of the church's sprawling grounds, sunlight is allowed to trickle down to the street between several buildings.

Even though the block is lined with a lot of trees, the wide sidewalk and street allow for an open-air feeling. I don't know much about the history down here, though apparently the church as it stands today, was rebuilt in 1985 after a fire destroyed the original in 1981. Because of its location in the village, the church is apparently very gay-friendly – even participating in the gay pride parades in NY.